The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-02-19
"MiddiGmen.'
A correspondent OF the Athens Pos,

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A correspondent OF the Athens Pos,
has this to say in reference to the
Changers and the middlcmcn:
/ believe as yet there has not been a
single Grange organized in McSlinn
county. Since Brother Charlton ad-
dressed our people, there has been
some intcrchanse..Sf IDEAS on the sub
ject. but | do not think the Grange
movement is well understood by our
farmers, and hence they are cautious
and slow to act in the matter. 50 far
as | have been able to learn, they
heartily endorse everything in the
movement that tends to increased pro-
duction of crops, 10 thorough cuItivs'
ton and Improvement Of lands, 10
ecsnsmy, to q frequent and lraternaI
interchange Of IDEAS on Farming u Ia
secure cheap transportation OF farm
products to market, DC. but there are
features in it they most earnestly dep
recate. | shall briefly notice one O
these: the Merchant or Middie,ncn
The Interests of The two classes, when
properly considered, are not adverse
The merchant is about as necessary
and convenient to the farmer as TIN
farmer is 10 the merchant. History
informs US that merchants, traders
business men. have lived in all comma
mites, not utterly savage, from I'M
earliest time. Abraham paid for thu
field of Macpelah in silver money tina
was current with the "merchants.'
Hamor, the Hivite prince, perniit
the sons Of Jacob to trade in tn
land Joseph brethren sold him t.
a company Of Midianitish merchants
who were trading in Egypt. lhs CIT;
Of Tyre was the Royal Exchange
of the world. Carthage and Rom
were .ivals in trade" as well as pow
er. The commerce OF Athens was a
the summit of its prosperity whel
Athenan genius was nost prolific i
philosophy. history, poetry, e%ratory
and the fine arts. Corlnth, 9Th
Wealthy" was the greatest OF tn
Greek centcrs of trade"
But to come down to more moder
times, we see that England, by be
commerce mainly, has become the mos
powerful, free and enlightened csrntr
in the world. The commerce Of on
own country is now very great, and
rapidly pushing forward to supremacy
The laws of :rade-commercial Jaw
or mercantile law-are almost as IKE
and inexoiable as the laws of nature
They are not statute laws, hut are tn
ouLgrowth, the compacts, the em1od
ment of the usages and customs of a
ages, and Of all civilized nations. Me-
chants do not make wat upon any OIL
, er class, but they rather recognize tn
common brotherhood Of mankind, an
in their business relations they DO mol
to establish confidence in the honest
, and honor Of human conduct than an
other class; and hence men on or
side Of our globe are almost every da
consisning ship loals Of the most cos
ly merchandise to men on the Otht
side, whom they have never seen an
never expect to see, with the fullc'
confidence that their goods will L
received with care, disposed Of wit
skill and fidelity, and thst faithful rt
turns will promptly he made.
Merchants are not mere drones i
s0clety-mcrc consumers OF the wcalt
of the r.un,ry They are live, activ,
intelligent, working men, who orig
nate, manage and control the practic;
affairs Of the world, by which the h,
man race live aud progress. Merchanu
contribute largely to the wealth Of til
%ceuntry, by building up its towns, II
cities, its railroads, its ships, churchet
colleges, &r.