The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1863-03-19
For THE CENTRAL PREsBYrGRrAy.
Extortion.
EXCUSES.


/. The boldest excuse that has been pre-
sented. as far as We have any knowledge,
is that the fault of the practices We have
been pointing out, if there be any, is The
fiUi Of ME buyer; for that in Richmond fab
RIGS have been exposed ct public auction,
and that the very highest rates have been
fixed by the bids of the people. Isit sin,
it is triumphaQtly asked, to hold public auc
tiOns-in a time of aarg
Nov the harder the pressure Of any pub
lie necessity, tie more eager OF course will
be all the actions Of TIE people in respect
to a supply. The very most emphatic and
greedy assent TO toe most extortiOUate rates
might be expected FROM families, from the
very f'ct that they are extortionate. When
prices are so high as to excite the tremOra
Of suspense, the very fear that they will
cOnlin re to increase as they have each mo-
ment been doing, makes men more ready,
or at any rate more feeling, and more con-
eerne3, and more impatient than they may
De ID ordinary times. The public auction
nature OF the rate does not affect it, as be-
ing all that the people can be made to give,
viz the market price. And the quinine
manufacturer that We have imagined, would
not alter his guilt if he brought in town
crier, or if he sold in any way. The more
eager the people are in distress. the more
guilty is the act Of forcing out from between
their fingers, With the same sort of vOlun-
tariness with which Ia doomed man mounts
upon the drop, atwhich they are as 10th
to pay as we are Feady and eager to pos
sess it.
, A far better excuse, and one that
without doubt is che best of all that eau be
imagined, is that tee opposite courses,
seoagi ssiru. sFe veg 7r0c l1e. Tho 'n,.-
uiactarer. It ne ieWers tee price, viii leave
it for some speculator to charge it for him.
There is some reason in this. The demand
begets a price which is Fixed beyond all
possibility of changing it all over the cOua-
try. And if the manufacturer, moved by
some good ideas, parts with his stock at
some price lower than the market, some
worse man will enjoy the difference.
The answer that will come up to every
ones lips, Don't part with your stock to
worse men, but keep it for the poor, will
be answered by saying, This will do very
we'll for small establishments, which turn
out q mere neighbOrhood work; but where
the raw material Is bought up in tremen-
dOus stocks. and is to be paid back again in
the fabric when completed, the case is diff
ferent. To deal out to the poor would re-
qnire another shop, an army of other clerks,
an outside agency 20 discern who the d.
serving purchasers. mus. be, a mountain of
additional expense which is of the nature of
charity and the confession has already been
mate that charity and business may go hand
in hand, but are not TO be considered as
unseating each other. How much better
Che argument will again be pressed) to give
the COED manufacturers his pocket full of
money nv she higher order of rates, and
then Ut him disbarse TO the poor in bis own
wav. as a separate Undertaking.
NV al this sounds very well I'll it comes
to he dis.ected.
But, in the first place. where are all these
separate undertakings, so munlfcently to
be taken Upl There are hosts of ladies
that have been engaged, and. plenty of re-
tired citizens and quiet farmers, that we
hear of as at work; but where are these
great manufactured We have not learned
that the amazing fortunes in the land have
grown up side BY si6e With amazing in
stances of hberality. Far from it. The sun
Of high success paTches the productive earth.
The hardness CT these men is one Of the
wa,s that God gets them ready for their
punishment. For though they give; and
give in way sometimes to elude the CEN
sure Of their friends, yet they do not give
in re way Of their theory; that is, in dis
bursting all extravagant rates, as a better
pan than refusing them Unfortunately in
business.
But now, charity aside, (for we repudiate
all charity in this exigenee. except indeed
So far as all justice is Q form of charity,
Rom xiii; } where do we get q dispense
ton from DONG right from the mere supe
riOr faeifty that We happen 70 have for do
ing wrOngl
The quiniDe man might God it easier to
pour bis drug upon the market at extraya-
giant rates. ~
1t is but rare in this Southern country
that any manufacturing Interest is so great
that it cannot direct It's salesse much at
pleasure.
But suppose a great manufacturer Of
WOOL or of cottons, where TIE army Of clerks
would be required; no candid mortal can
DENY that there are tbonsouds ready n ba
that army. There are thousands every
where standing by who feel for the general
distress, enough Of whom wonld club and
pay cash for the largest amount of produc-
tiOu, and distribute in the most unexcep-
tional manner.
There can be no reasonable excuse like
this.
Tan-yards are rarely so great that they
do not know all the faces il their county,