Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-02-10

The New lnk Commercial says that we
misrcprc~cnici 1T, in our PARTICLE Of last week
condcmnin- one Of at own, and that We
did 80 because We cannot -sfate It's arEu-
lncnts in favor of Free Trade We did not
intend go misrepre-cnt thr CoDmsraal nor
d. we see chat we did do -.
The Ncv York Commercial quotes the con-
Guiding sentence of our article ans says
Now, it Is precisely because Protection looks
10 The qualification Of i.diriiuai desire, al the
crEeas ~ the wiOle CON HuHiiu. as Ne have r.
peiitdIy demonstrated, that ~ oppose il and
that We advocate Free Trade. which only per-
mis the individual 70 benefit himself by benefit
ING the community, and in Act the whole Of hu-
mainly"
There was not O word IN Our article which
favored 1.-THE qualification of individual d.
sIrc at the expense Of the whole cpmmuni-
ty." The whole drift of the article Of tie
Sew York Commeroai on which We C immcnt-
cI, was TO the feet that 81, ll-iut,rrst WIS the
proper and suiHcien, guide for every mon in
bis business transactions, and tls:,t Govern
inent had ~ right 90 interfere with what any
inaE considered his elf interest especially
in the way O; business. We refutcd that
doctrine in the suort,st way possible, 10y Civ
ins illustrations of how 1t would work prle-
'ieaily, # allowed fall scope ; and ~ -aid,
and We say nov, no Government ever did or
ever could EXIT on earth Which acted On the
principle that every man should be Left free
to do whatever he might consider bic self
interest to call Tor. We dad not 20 into an
elaborate argument, because the suhjeo, did
not call Tor il.
The New York CommrTci0i says it cannot
better give IT. own views than in an extract
from an article in Tie ..S0cial Rerielg, the
fret number of which has just apPeeaed.
We'll, here Is the first sentence Of it
and 1t c,risinly lud- very ike what the
Commercial ,aiI before
"P,lticl Economists Of the most advanced
school, after long and careful analysis Of m.
social condition, have arrived II the conviction
that mans selfip,er,sf, long as be is left
tirely free from Governmental interference, Sill
lead him 10 do that which for the tine heing, is
most beneficial 10 himself and 90 hi. fellow be-
ugs'
The Analyses and convictions OF the pc
litcal economists of the most advanced
scbool,' may 90 Tor wha. they are worth;
hut the proposition which ;hey are here said
to lay down ili,s in the face OF human c1r-
r,Loc Of all ages and countries. IN fact,
the wIitcr seems r,n,cipus Of that for he says
'.moSt persons will d .lbi tfcfe conclusions I
But be adds, i. is "lccaus1 they do not .ook
to the final results Of men : actions - and
thereupon the writer gocs fl in a rlrapsodI- /
cal onunciaiior of tie ''swoct joys Of hal- |
py home, Of the ''bl, ssiuss Of q cul iyate,'
mind, "of communion with tie celebrated |
living and the illustrious dead, Of the ere. |
sp,ct and even reverence USUALLY paid 10 |
truth, Justice and rectitude. even 10y those
who disregard those glorious principles in
tL,ir own uciinns,' dc. No continues \
the SOCIAL Rc,1eu, ''if We could look into
tie lcarts If those who allow WEALTH and /
power to tempt them from the path 81 duty.
vi should find ample proof that they sacr-
feed the truest, the keencst, and toe mo-
enduring enjoyments of life, in ,xchgng.
mere cares and vcxatiOns In the aticfp. J /
to grasp glttcring prize, they mi>s all ~
makes lie truly happy and de'iiahle. How
consoling, how encouraging to humanity,
are these conclusions -
Now granting that if every man could iul-
low his actions TO tLcir final resuAs," D.,
would see that it was far better for him, TAX
ing both tins and tie future world into &C.
count, that lie should set the highest value
on something else than money, and the pow
er thar money can give him among men.
what hss that TO do with the plain every day
use of the phrase ''sclf.in;crest, as under
stood in the shop and tie market, and Il e
doctrine that if Government will in no way
interfere, but will let every man do as bis
sell-interest tells Lin to do, that will surely
lead him to DO what is best for him and for
all his i,ll.w elk nr? That lie the doctrine
a the '..Soual Rer,er and { tie New York
Csmmerd0i. WetLu,s e they believe in it.
We don't.