, 1861-11-27

Mammop opened the door OF civilization
to the reformation, and the entrance Of
Professionalism was En- affair OF pounds,
shillings and pence.
No histsrian-no writer has properly
set forth the power and nature Of money,
and its immense influence in the civiiiza-
ton Of mankind. It has made war and
peace; it has been the cause ot extreme
wretchedness, and an engine OF the great
est gsod; it has led the n1arch Of events,
and what the world Of human society is
to-day sf good or evil, is due to the power
Of money more than any other material
influence whatever. It is to unfolding the
nature Of money tha: we owe nearly all |
the knowledge we possess of social SCI
ence, and the advanced thinker, to whom !
the world is the most indebted for this ben
eft, is, unquestionably, Adam Smith.
Buckle says very truly: "At the present |
"day, eighty years after the publication Of |
"6mith's WeaNh Of Nations there is not
"to be found any one Of tolerable educa-
"tlon who is not ashamed Of
holding opinions which, before the
slime Of Adam Smith, we're universally
"received. Such is the way in which
"great thinkers control the affairs OF men,
"and by their discoveries regulate the
"march Of natisns. And truly the history
"of this one triumph a1sne, should be
~enough to repress the presumption Of
"statesmen and Legislators, who SO exag-
"gerate the Importance Of their craft, as to
"ascribe great results to their own shifting
land temporary cont1iFance. For, whence
"dia they derive that knowledge OF which
"they are always ready to assume the
"merit9 How did they obtain their opin-
"ions? How did they get at their princi-'
anles? These are the elements Of their
"guccess; and these they can only learn
from their masters,-from those great
"teachers, who, moved by the inspiration
| "of eenius, fertilize the world with their
discoveries. Well may it be said Of Adam
"Snith, and. said too without fear OF coll
"tradiction, that this solitary scotchman
"has, by the publication Of one single
"werk, contributed more towards the hap
"piness Of man, than has been effected by
he united abilities Of all the statesmen
sand legislators Of whom history has pre-
"served IN authentic account"
True-every word Of it; and the els-
ouent advocacy Of Buckle will give to
Adam Smith and to political economy, the
science which he founded, and the impor-
| tance Of which the world is slow to COM
p1ehend, d popularity and degree Of use
fulness in the present age that might other
wise have been postponed to some future
generation. The members Of the ConVen-
ton who desire to act intelligently, and do
their duty, will resart to Adam Smith.
| Nevertheless, we are bound to say that he
was bunker, With respect to the Bank Of
England. Two Of his greatest-perhaps
Heshould say his two greatest-discoyeres
are that money is aot primarily and exclu-
| siGe]y wealth, but is Of value only second
arily as a medium Of exchange, after other
forms Of wealth are brought into existence
and that 8 volume Of mixed currency
coin and paper-caanot be maintained
permanent tly, in excess Of the natural specie
measure. He saw that this matter va
controlled by natural law, and, having dis
covered the relative nature Of value, he say
:, that value must exchange for value in tn
= long run in material natural equivalents
+ through all the oscillations Of trade. Il
: believed in God, and the immutable laW
: Ills creation, and he saw the senseles
a lony o. attempting to Interfere with, {
change them ~v human enactments, an
- yet, with the caprice inseparable from h
- man inperfectiop, he afu-~-~*-a, I'LL
9" aswe believe uy the hunkcrlsm Of nation
u prejudice, the system Of the Bank
IS, England, with its So called "paper money
the most cunning, abominab1e, and u
righteous interference with natural Ia
>" equal rights, and common justice, th
~ ever the imagination Of man conceived
as We ask any one to read in Book1 l, cha
~ ters to 10 inclusive, Of the Wealth Of 4
~ tens the first, st OF the natural and N,
~ ~ ket price (razue) Of commodities" and t
oe last Of wages and profit; and then te
Ne if he can, how Adam Smith could adv
| GALC QdpC1 AQ44EAE5s AAlA n 9 t<At&0 3S1
,A' to suggest to the Impractical thinker
CAV political economy, net to attempt to crt
~ for the Convention from Adam Smith; fol
IL H. he does lie will get stalled. Better re
50 one chapter over half dozen times, q
master itz thought, than to half stud,
dozen chapters, set your wits d weol sa
n erisg, fancy yourself fool, unable to CO
my prehend anything, and give up the inv
? Of tigation in despair; for this is the luck
flee the great majority Of those who attempt
the read the Wealth Of Nations Il any (
in expects to master it ~ he would 3 yell
his cover novel, il few evenings' rcadi
the amid the pleasant gossip and chatter OF
ad- family, be had better let the book alont
It'll We mean to say something more Of
ne7 organization Of the Bank of England,
ON may take occasion to make further sug
sent tons respecting the study Of the WeaA
ate. Nations and its lessons, in relation to
rter per Money and the duty Of illinois
sill her sister States.
,tals
an 4 HERO WANT ED.
" ~