Year: 1868

.
Of al kinds continues excessively duh
The dry>gOOds dealers are beginning 10
grumble at the non-appearance Of the aur
tumn trade, though it is rather too soon
for that There has been but little trade
during the few days past OF the foreign
importations the greater proportion goes
into warehouse The Philadelphia Age
says intelligent business, men in that city
areindulging In the same remarks. They
cenfess is dull at present and also that
the future is cold and uniEviting Buy
ers touch goods lightly, and the manu-
facturers will not get up large stocks in
the face Of stationary or falling demand
The country is barren Of articles for gen-
eral consumption. There is no variety
on the shelves of country dealers, But
this fact does not induce them TO pur-
chase They are afraid of the demand
Prices Auctuate and profits cannot be
safely reckoned. In the West the same
decline IN business stamina is observable,
and that fact operates in an injurious
manner upon all the large commercial
and manufacturing centers of the coun-
try One large and important portion of
the nation-the South-is totally pros
trated. There is no capital in this secr



tien, and while the demand is pressing,
the purchases amount to but triae.
This adds to the barrenness Of the mar
ket in the North, and prevents trade from
assuming an encouraging aspect SO far as
its fall development is concerned. :
ia Now, why does this state of things
exist in our country? Why, in the face
of scaptily supplied Interior is not
business active in the large eities2 The
answer to these questions is to be found,
says the Philadelphia Age, in the politi-
cal action of the Radical party. They
bend all Legislation in q partisan direc-
tion. All issues ara applauded or cons
demned, supported or opposed, as they
make for OF against the party in power.
They uphold the Freadmen's Bureau at
a cost offrom ten to fifteen millions of dol>
lars per year, yet they have no time to
look into the question of tariff They
pass months in discussing measures to
force negro equality upon the people of
the South, yet they refuse to adopt a
system by which we could master the
whole trade of British North America
They allow the finances of the country to
suffer, while endeayoringI to dispossess
the President and put a tool of the Radi-
cal party in his place and the whole of
the last session of Congress was wasted
upon purely partisan schemes intended
to aid in the election of General Grant,
while business men, by letters and per
sonal appeals, were urging some action
that would revive the languid interests
of the nation, and start into fresh life and
activity, trade, commerce, and manufac-
lures.


From this fountain come the streams
which poison business and make its life
current flow with tideless motion. Capia
talists and business men, buyers and
sellers are afraid of the corrupt and
desperate gamblers and tricksters now
ruling the nation. They know that Sum
ner Boutwell,, Butler and their colleagues
would pass or defeat any law from a
partisan view, no matter what effect their
action might have upon the business in
terests Of the country. These men care
nothing for trade. They would trample
upon capital and labor without a thought,
if such movement was necessary to put
General Grant in the White House, and
fasten the chains of a centralized des>
potism upon the people. The past two
sessions of Congress have demonstrated
these facts, and they are now cropping
out to the surface in such manifestations
of decline of business as are reported
from New York and Philadelphia. The
remedy lies in a change in our rulers A
longer continuation of the Radical policy
will be followed by still moro disastrous
condition of affairs. If men wish re-
vival of business, they must put the reins
of power in the hands of party which
will legislate for the whole nation, and
not for faction. -