The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-06-22

responsible. II you allow the capitalist |
to take two thirds OF the profits, then the |
opposition must show that the average
profits of business aer more than nine per
cent, in order to justify an advance of
our legal rate. This even is impossible,
No well informed, practical man, will
claim that the profits Of agriculture in this
country reached half that sum during tho
last year, though that is the chief business
in which capital is employed in this state,
and upon the succee7 Of which, the pros
perity Of nearly every other branch Of bus-
iness depends. Would you give the cap.
italist but hslf Of this small per cent for
the use Of his money. doubtless some will
e1claim with horror, I say no such
thing. These fluctuations in the profits
Of business, are part Of the risks Of that
business, which. the employer Of capital
must take upon himself, and while would
not ask the capitalist to divide equally
with him, when his profits are at the low.
est point, neither should he be too hasty
to grasp one half of the profits, when for
tune smiles, and profits are at their maxi,
mum.
'The tooth of usury,' says Bacon, should
be ground, that it bite not too sharps
y Did that philosopher ever utter
t,uer saying.
Repeal all law upon this subject be-
cause it is violated! Who loudest demands
it! The violaters Of that law themselves
Grant it, and they will then demand thai
the law which requires that their capital
should be set in the list for taxation should
be repealed also That IL violated even
more than the one in question. Th y
thus withhold their rightiul share of the
fund. necessary to sustain those laws which
protect their lives and property. Because
those are broken, do we hear them cry,
SHOWN with them Not at all. Their
precious lives must be protected, though
men of smaller means foot the bill. Whose
names appear upon the rolls of the colleo
tor Of internal revenue for this district
and against them the sums which they
nav to sustain our country's laws and
protect her honor. You search in vain
for solitary name of one of this class Of
capitalists.
Repeal the law Who does il pjure
Not the honest people of the state, surely.
Like all the laws Of republican govern
ment, it WAS enacted by the people, and
for the people, and the question of its ex-
ecu,on is left where it ought to be-with
the sggrieved persons, or their friends.
Like all human law, it is necessarily gem
eral in its nature, and like them also, to
enforce literal construction, might moi
in ever. Gaze render perfect justice, Hut
what are its practical workings! Ii q
man commit trespass against me, the Law
against it, protects me from his depreda'
tions, and Furnishes the criminal. YeI
one may commit trespass under circu NJ
stances which may justify the act, and fol
which, he is willing to make amends; and
TO enforce the law under such circumstan
ces, would be villainous And ~ witt
the law in question. If am doing 6
profitable business, and can afford 10 pay
more than the legal rate, and justly agree
to do 80, the spirit OF the law would no
be violated, and l shuol1 be villain in
deed, TO attempt to thus violate my owl
contract Such defects necessarily appeal
in nearly all human laws, But experienc,
has shown us, that there is no danger
that wrong and injustice will result fron
. them. Progress tells us that the law ii
question ia not always enforced, ever
when extortion is practiced to a ruinou
extent. | do not dispute this M
not obliged to invoke the aid Of the law
T even if thousands of dollars are extorte,
from me. Yet | may, and if do not
is not the fault Of the law; and if but on
e in hundred do 50, that one has a rigll
to demand its continuance, and invoke il
, protection.
1 Repeal the law II you do il, be con
+, slstent and repeal every law resulatin
matters OF business Allow the miller &
take the grist, while he leaves the toll f,'
the owner; the wrecker 10 dictate his ow
;. terms to the owner OF the vessel, or pro
perty, which lie may have saved IN
sharper 10 ply all lie helish acts, to cheat
deceive and wrong the innocent and un
II wary. To repeal it, while the wrong
), against which it is enacted are cons' anti
praeiiced, is to act upon principle which
: when carried out to it's legitimate result,
is in all its concomitanu and conseq eqneaces
, frsught with ruin 10 all concerned.