But To My
Friend In Regent Street I Extend My Custom On A Different System;
And When I Make My Start For Continental Life I Have With Him A
Matter Of Unsettled Business To A Considerable Extent.
The
American laborer is in the condition of the Regent Street
bootmaker, excepting in this respect, that he gives his credit
under compulsion.
"But does not the law set him right? Is there
no law against debtors?" The laws against debtors are plain enough
as they are written down, but seem to be anything but plain when
called into action. They are perfectly understood, and operations
are carried on with the express purpose of evading them. If you
proceed against a man, you find that his property is in the hands
of some one else. You work in fact for Jones, who lives in the
street next to you; but when you quarrel with Jones about your
wages, you find that according to law you have been working for
Smith, in another State. In all countries such dodges are probably
practicable. But men will or will not have recourse to such dodges
according to the light in which they are regarded by the community.
In the Western States such dodges do not appear to be regarded as
disgraceful. "It behoves a frontier man to be smart, sir."
Honesty is the best policy. That is a doctrine which has been
widely preached, and which has recommended itself to many minds as
being one of absolute truth. It is not very ennobling in its
sentiment, seeing that it advocates a special virtue, not on the
ground that that virtue is in itself a thing beautiful, but on
account of the immediate reward which will be its consequence.
Smith is enjoined not to cheat Jones, because he will, in the long
run, make more money by dealing with Jones on the square. This is
not teaching of the highest order; but it is teaching well adapted
to human circumstances, and has obtained for itself a wide credit.
One is driven, however, to doubt whether even this teaching is not
too high for the frontier man. Is it possible that a frontier man
should be scrupulous and at the same time successful? Hitherto
those who have allowed scruples to stand in their way have not
succeeded; and they who have succeeded and made for themselves
great names, who have been the pioneers of civilization, have not
allowed ideas of exact honesty to stand in their way. From General
Jason down to General Fremont there have been men of great
aspirations but of slight scruples. They have been ambitious of
power and desirous of progress, but somewhat regardless how power
and progress shall be attained. Clive and Warren Hastings were
great frontier men, but we cannot imagine that they had ever
realized the doctrine that honesty is the best policy. Cortez, and
even Columbus, the prince of frontier men, are in the same
category. The names of such heroes is legion; but with none of
them has absolute honesty been a favorite virtue.
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