New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-27

your employers, very often even your associates IN
business, leave you to go your own way, so far as
relates to your personal affairs, unmatched and un
observed without any attempt to exercise anything
like surveillance over you. Undoubtedly, the con-
slant supervision to which one is subjected in a
country village or a small town, By ones neghbors,
friends ard acquaintances-and for that matter, BY
the whole population, whether one has the honor
end felicity Of personal acquaintance or not-aud
the sharp aud not always good natured criticism TO
which any little escapade on his part is sure to be
subjected-all this, undoubtedly, is very annoying
On the other hand, the feeling of freedom which
the nterminable streets and endless rows of houses
of great city nspire-amost equal in that re-
spect to the wild woods themselyes-is highly ex-
hllaIating. But then this freedom charming and
seductive as it is-this liberty, which the SOL
itude of great city gives, has its drawbacks
and its dangers. One is liable to be lost in the
woods: one is even more liable TO be lost in the
city, And in The city the hazard is vastly greater,
from the fact that it is not merely your way in
ply steal sense that you are liable TO ose nor is it
merely the danger Of assassins and rsbbers-which,
though romance is apt to place them in the woods
are now a.deys much more likely to be found in
the city-which you have to encounter; it is the
far more terrible danger, because one for which
men are lees on their guard, of being seduced into
indugsnces, which, even though Indifferent in them
sel7e.-whch is very far from being generally the
case-are yet beyond your means, and which you
can only enjoy at the expense Of somebody else.
However disagreeable it may be to be watched,
inspected, looked after, nevertheless it ispretty
plain that the nature of man requires good deal
of this sort of discipline. All the religious orders
of the ROmish Church, and the church Organiza-
tons also Of the PrOtestants, are based upon this
idea Of the benefits, and even the necessity for
Door human nature, Of n constant wstchtu,ncs' dnd
superb ion; ard the solidty aLd pegl4ancnce Of
the superstructures erected upon this idea afford
strong proof Of the depth Of the foundation on
which they rest. Unquesticnably, the Boosted, per
haps somewhat exaggerated superiority in good
morals Of the country over the city depends mainly
on two things the absence Of opportunities in the
country, whence all the predestined rogues aud
debauchees flock to the city as ducks make for
the water; and, secondly, the strict oversight
to which, in the country and in small towns,
every Ody's daily life and conversation are always
subjected, so that Mr. John cannot invite Miss
Molly to ride or walk ola Saturday afternoon, that
the whole relations between the parties-past,
present and to come, probable and possible-do not
in the course Ct the next week undergo a sharp
discussion and strict examination. 1t may be
very true that these village gossps do in oil this but
exercise their Unsuitable curiosity-perhaps their
ill-patuIe AID their envy; but as bappers 80 often
in the economy Of society, though aiming only, in
their Office OF censors, to crafty themselves, and
that, too, perhaps, in very unamiable way, they
vet DO confer real benefit, in the long run, upon
tie members of the community Of which they form
part.
We do not propose to deliver discourse on tho
moral and religious duty Of mutual watchfulresa,
ind especially on the duty Of that sort which the
heads of our business establish here in this
city owe to those in their employ. The duty ab-
strscy considered, is unque.tieLable; but urfortu
natey too many of those whom it ought to devc!7s
would too often have TO pluck mote or two, and
not unfrequently beam, out ftheir own eyes, be-
fore they could place themselves in a condition to
be very clearsighted as TO the errors of others.
But what our business men are too busy or too
blind to do for themselves, they might perhaps &C.
complish through the agency Of others. There are
in this city several establishments for obtaining
and furnishing to our merchants information "a to
the credit due to their country customers. by
means Of the facts collected for that
purpose, merchant may have vastly
better knowledge Of the style Of living and
ordinary life and conversation Of customer II
Maine, Wisconsin, or Texas, whom ne sees per-
bsps once year, than Of his own clerks whom IA
meets every day. The late cases Ofthe default;ng
bar. keepers, tie case of Huntington the forser,
and other less notorious cases Of fraud and de-
falcaticn which are constantly Happening. Ger.
taiply never would occur could the employers De
aware of the extvavagant style in which their sub
ordirates were living. The intelligence Offices as
TO country merchants when frat introduced, aot
great many years ago, we're objects Of great
dislike ard hostility; but ttey seem now to be
generally regarded Sc useful and even Lecesss-y-
useful not lees to tie country merchant VITO knows
he i. observed than TO the city merchant for whose
benefit there establishments are immediately -
tended.
That cone surveillance and pfe:t? stIict o1e.
TOO. would be Of great benefit u large number
Of person, in til. city. aid that in some aiaPe o.
ether il is required en- mere business consideEa-
tons, is plain enough Under the present '!s.ein'
irug,ty and self control are st dsc'ded discount;
nobody get, any credit fol them, sad ye1's men
sre very little encouraged 10 cuiti7ase them. How
ever, il would be wretg % sss down t. present
s.ste Is thing, wholly 70 snors-ce en- ne ps'so
.upic5ers. However 's.eraat Trey n;'5 oa o. tos