Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-11-15

ELIHU BURRITT's LEcTURE.-A very fair
audience assembled last evening at Bryant
&stratton's Commercial College to listen to
Elihu Burritt on "The Higher Law
and Mission of Commerce" We believe
nons who listened to it were disappointed,
and all went away with enlarged ideas with
regard to the mission of Commerce, both in
the social and political economy of the world.
BE did not enter that department of com
msrce which contains the Ledger and treats
Of double and single entry, securities &C., but
invited attention to other elements Of the
science which are no less important.
He spoke of the long years in which man
was content with what were the simple ne
cessities of life. The development Of me-
ehanical skill was Of very slow growth. The
broad leaves which hid the limbs Of the fig
tree, suggested to Adam the pattern for the
earliest garment that he wore, and was the
foundation Of branch of industry which
furnishes employment for millions. From
thatrude contrivanee TO the first step in i'm
provement Adam could not get without divine
aid, for God made them coats Of skins and
clothed them-God was their teacher in
the mechanic arts. It was He who taught
Noah how to construct the ark. After
the food cities sprsng up and then
trades began and multiplied, eOmepetitiOn
in Manufacturing then followed and
to absolute wants began to be added conve-
nisnoes. Trade is three thousand years older
than commerce. It was not until the oonfu-
sion Of tongues scattered the people and
caused them to found nations far apart, that
commerce had its birth. It came Of acquired
wants.
The lecturer spoke Of the origin Of ships,
those powerful aiders of commerce, and pic
tured their slow development from the rude
vessel first launched in the Phanician Sea up
to the present perfection. How slowly the
hanan mind works out the figures in na-
ture's pattern book.
As the various races of men acquired wants
they entered the magic circle of those bonds
the bonds ofeommerce-Whichb bind the na-
tons together and tend towards progress and
civiiization. No one can study the forma-
ton Of the earth without seeing that to en- .
courage commerce was the design Of God in
constructing it in the manner in which be
did. It is as necessary for the young com
mereial student to study the anatomy Of the
globe as IT is for the student in medicine to
study the anatomy of the human system
The analogy between the two is closer than
many imagine. The study of the
globe cannot but expand the thoughts
and ideas Of the merchant and give
him a more exalted opinion Of the dig
nity Of his profession.
Commerce repudiates war as an outrage on
itself; it regards no nation as its enemy. it
sPurns blockades and claims the ocean high
way as its own domain. To this Govern
nent belongs the honor of first aeknovledg-
ing the greatprineipls that the ocean belongs
20 all natioDs IS does the air, and urging that
principle upon foreign nations. The deeis-
ion may be deferred for time but It will
surely come. j Q
The Lecturer described how strong is that
cable, knit by commerce, which binds ma
inns together thstare thenost distant, Illus
tating It in an elaborate and at times elo-
gent manner. He Ess warmly applauded
sthe close.