Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-10-17

III NAI Nv HhAibh Nhh N9R iAN ANNNH -'N NN%'
lin out, and say, Rise up, walk and work.
IL. But there was a beginning to this fright
was cause enough for fear, but not enough
or fright. What was that cause that destroyed
aud p~aralyzcd hopeY
A relaxation of moral integrity, and a special
development of it in connection with the manage
ment of stocks, and the vast interests which they
have intro6 uced an element Of profit
gacy and untrustworthiness, which threatens to
move the foundations Of trust of man in man
And unless there can be the infusion Of moral in
tegrity in the transactions of business men in the
immense interests represented in markets by
stocks, unless these swamps can be drained, and
q highway of moral integrity be cast up for men
to walk on through .hc poisonous growths of this
forest, the land will suffer season by season with
malaria-and will never be free from
chills and fever. until moral tonics are used. The
conscience of stockholders needs "quinine !"
The Boards of Directors. in our greatest enter
prisos of this kind, railroads, have permitted
themselves to employ their power "for selfish
ends, by INSCRIPTIONS methods"
believe myself to be strictly justified when |
say that the revelations of the last ten years show
that, in the management of these great and useful
corporations, our most eminent business men have
not scrup!ed to do or to wink and conniye at
courses of conduct which involve, directly or in
directly, almost every crime against property
known to our laws. L aver my solemn belief
that most eminent business men, banded togeth-
err, and acting as Boards of Directors, have pur-
sued methods which, if u single man in his pri-
vate capacity should pursue. would convict him
irredeemably Of crime, and crush him with igno-
miniOus punishment.
the consequence has been, that one of the most
important, yea indispensable, elements of proper
ty in this land is so associated with deceit and
fraud that it is likely to become o by-word and n
kissing F.!
Now when, one by one, our fnanciers, who
manage these interests, all at once, like a mid
night house on fire, burst into cobfiagration OF
dishonesty when, next, whole corporations are
detected at games Of swindling, which, if prac-
ticed in the Park with q thimble would send g
man to the Tombs when, yet further, it is found
that banks are inveigled, and are made to be left
handed partners in schemes that will not bear the
sun and when, yet further, strong business men
are discovered to have stepped from their legiti.
mate calling, and lent their names to devices for
obtaining funds that are unwnrrantable even in
commerce and utterly abominable in morals
when all these things are revealed, is it strange
that men do not know whom to trust and that
men with David, "say in their haste that all men
are liars ?"
Springing from this, and coupled with it, is the
monstrous and over bloated sin of stock gamb-
ling.
There is no moro sin in buying and selling
stock than in buying or selling bank bills. or any
species of property. But it is one thing to buy
dlu Gil ltHllillhSSiJj uid uhOthOi W puJ thu Sh
as gamblers do.
Many honorable men pursue an honorable bust
ness in the brokerage of stocks. BUTT is quite
notorious that millions and thousands Of millions
of dollars of stocks are sold every month under
the lawful form of the Stock Brokers' Exchange,
which can be shown to differ in no moral or ma
teriGl respect from undisguised gambling. 1t is
not necessary to enter infinitely into the distinc-
tons between right and wrong in buying or sell
ing of stocks. .
1t is enough to say, that he who buys stocks as
a bona fde method Of investing his funds, looking
Tor dividends, or for some benefit from the interest
r. represented by the stock, buys legitimately and
without moral blame. But that whole scheme Of
buying stocks for no other purpose than to make
money upon the bet that they will rise or thai
they will fall, is a scheme of gambling. Mer
that do it are gamblers. All the soft names OF
earth cannot be dissolved to make a varpish stronl
: enough to cover the real wickedness. Men wi
resent the imputation. No man likes to be Gale
q gambler. But the way to avoid the title is t
> avoid the thing.
In this gambling game the whole communit
have more or less participa ted. Some devot
.heir time to it. Since my day, l remember, |
think, one concern to have failed four times-i
( tails to-day, is on its feet tomorrow, in as gooC
credit as ever. For when the business is a frau d
p and the customs of it are dishOnesties, it does no
take a man long to repair any little cracks in hi
4 reputation.
Merchants are f~orsaking their legitimate busi
ness and dabbling in this pool. Their clerks
/. following their example, gamble too. Simpl
4 men, seeing these marvels Of success, ventur
: their hard earnings. and go gambling likewise
The lawyer follows suit and that there may b
no want of moral sanction, ministers O. the Cos
pei are found not a few. | am informed, secretl
buying and selling stocks.
Now, when the company themselves are e
santic spectators by fraudulent and dishonel
means and when the stock of the company got
. up and down the street. carrying in its hand
bowl drugged with gambling, and crowds rush
a drink its intoxication, is it strange that, at lengt
a the head is sick, the whole body faint, and TIL
+. the commonwealth lies at length upon the groun
q w%allowing like one possessed, foaming and rem
r ing ITSELF?
= 1t is supposed that there are one thousand mi
y lion dollars invested in railway property. Ca
this mountain of power be used against goo
morals, against commercial prudence, and Il
h country not reel and stagger?
Can this prodig:ous weight be cast rldely hith
n and thither upon the deck, and the keel lie leyt
n There is not an honest man in the land, patient
conducting a legitimate business, who il not in Il
power of those irregular forces. There can be
permanent security if flnanciers can, at pleasur
draw up such enormous elements of power, III
hold them suspended, like water spouts, to bur
n and flood down desolation the moment thew a
touched with misfortune. And if commercial m,
N will not draw tight The reins of morals upon the
IN principled men, they will have their own ne
)t lect to thank for the mischieis which will ha
come upon them in some sense by their COM
e. vance.
PARLoR LABoRAToRY.-1toms.-It is not dero