Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-05-10
MORNING, MAY 10, 1859.

How is it, then, that the amount of precious ME
tais circulated here is so neagre in comparison
with that circulated in other countries lsit moi
evident that in foreign countries-in France
for example-trade and prosperity seems to in
crease step by step with the influx of specie
would not similar inaux-would not an in
crease of gold and silver among us be accom-
panied with similar manifestations
The answer is easy, and continues to meet
the previous argument. Money will always
be drawn to the great centres of trade, and no
legislative measures will suffice to check this
natural current. Wherever merchandise is
piled up in large quantities. it requires proper
tional amounts Of money to facilitate its move
ment. This is the great necessity for the use
of large amounts Of specie and, like every
necessity, its demands are imperious. Our
cotemporary cites the influx Of specie into
France as simultaneous with the increased
activity of French commerce. and then jumps
to the conclusion that the increase Of trade is
the effect Of the increase Of specie. We opine
that the writer would find it more than difficult
to trace out this conclusion by means Of any
logical sequence Of reasoning.
The fact is, he has reversed the positions
Of cause and effect 1t is the increased COM
mcrce which causes the increased influx Of spe-
Gle. Merchandise demands the service of money
at all times. But money is insufficient to &C.
cumulate merchandise Let the two expert
ments b. tried. Let the bank vaults of the city
Of Norfolk, for example, be filled with specie,
or establish mint at Norfolk which shall coin
millions Of dollars every month, still compare
lively little will be done TO draw merchandise
thither. The specie ITSELF will, to great extent
become merchandise, and find its way rapidly
TO the vaults Of Baltimore. Philadelphia, New
York, Liverpool, London, IIavre, Paris. On
/ the other hand, concentrate n system OF canals
and railroads, which shall pile mp many millions
worth in merchandise on the wharvcs of Nor
folk. and Immediately specie will flow to its SER
vice from every quarter Of the globe, and i'll
spite of all the restrictive laws whicl, can b" in
vented.
/ No! Money is not The master, but the slave
OF merchandise. Its influx at any point is not
the cause, but the effect Of commerce.
! Again: Apart from the problem Of interna-
tional commerce, we do not need so large
circulating medium as does the Empire Of
France. Our state Of society does not encour-
age nor require, by any means, the same num-
Der, frequency and simultaneousness of pay
ments-espccially payments in small sums
which are absolutely requisite to the present
state Of society, Of occupation. Of government
in France.
Throughout the farming and planting conf
munities of our Southern States, there are no
money payments by employers to operatives.
frc6d, f,cd even among employers, debts are most
amounts, and for the most part, by a mere
liquidation Of mutual accounts.
Throughout the Northwest the agricultural
population generally have standing accounts
with the merchants from whom they procure
clothing and all other articles for household
use and consumption, and their bills are paid
annually, scm-annualy, or quarterly, Tin pro-
ducc."
Even in the middle and Northeastern States,
such things are practiccd to an extent wholly
unknown in France Throughout the United
States, among professional men, and even the
manufacturing and commercial classes, long
credits are ordinarily extended without incur
ring loss And the number Of government EN-.
ployes who receive daily or weekly payments
for their services, is comparatively small.
See how different things are in France
Short credits in wholesale operations. \ cash
system almost universal in retail traffic. Mil
lions of operatives, agricultural as we'll as in
dustrial, who receive each his pittance in spe-
Gle daily, weekly, or semi-weekly. Millions OF
government employees Qor they too count by
millions) military, naval, civil and ecclesiasti-
cal, also payable at short intervals, in specie.
Among professional men, cash payments al
most invariably in gold. Cash, cash, cash, in
large amounts and small, in all species of bu-
sincss and occupation. The commercial and
manufacturing classes have the preponderance,
and leave their impress, in the shape Of cash
payments, everywhere and at all times. Com
mcrce goes on to the height Of gambling, and
the money must be staked, be the wager large
or small Even the amount Of specie daily re-
ouired to square of gambling transactions at
the single Boursc Of Paris, would constitute a
circulating medium sufficient for fourshing
town in America.
Even in the minutest particulars Of domestic
life tine contrast is equally striking. In the
largest and busiest of our commercial cities tho
laboring man, the merchants clerk, the student
the LAWYER or the physician, may pass weeks
in the enjoyment Of his creature-comforts
without lingering dollar Not so in France
There the bachelor, and frequently the Benc
dict, must pay cash for his breakfast, cash FOL
his dinner cash even for the little cup OF coffee
which accompanies his nocturnal pipe.
Altogether, "thc root of all evil does no
strike halfso deep us some political philosopher
would have us believe. These "spccle move
ments" 10 not control either internatlona
commerce or national prosperity. But they
arc, themselves, controlled by great CONNER
cal necessities and social pcculiarities, beyon'
the control. or the restriction either OF restric
tive legislation.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS IN GREENBRlER
; An erroneous report of the sale OF THIS wa
!: tcriny place having obtained considerable cir
culation both North and South we have bee'
) requested to state that it was the " hite SUI
phur Springs in Fauquier county that is to b
Sold The Grecnbrier White Sulphur Spring
have recently been very much improved and en-