198 Early History of American Auctions 



confidence and courtesy that subsisted, in our better days, between 

 the responsible importer and his customers," "subversive of all 

 the milder and kindlier charities of our nature, and unavoidably 

 conducive to progressive and infinite depravity."^^^ The spirit 

 of gambling was supposed to be excited by bidding at public 

 sales, and resulted in over-buying, bankruptcies and misery.^^^ 

 The auctioneers claimed that their business was conducted on a 

 high moral plane, and that credit extensions by private treaty 

 sellers encouraged over-buying to a greater extent than auction 

 sales. ^^^ 



(k) In this connection certain business practices were criti- 

 cized. Fictitious bidding at auctions was alleged; false news 

 was published ; the market was rigged ; etc.^^^ To evade auction 

 duties small quantities of a certain commodity were offered at 

 auction to determine the price, and then large sales at this price 

 were made in private ; false reports of sales were used^^^ ; the 

 auctioneers sold their commissions,^^" conducted sales at other 

 places than their regular place of business, ^^® and did other 

 irregular things. 



CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE AUCTIONS. 



The opponents of auctions tried openly three methods for 

 ousting or restricting them. One was a vehement publicity 

 campaign exposing their evils and shortcomings in violent and 

 exaggerated language. This was done through newspapers, 

 pamphlets and mercantile associations. The campaign was 

 nation-wide but largely concentrated in the seaboard cities. 

 Alliances between cities and with the protectionists were efifected. 

 The auctioneers fought this by a counter publicity campaign 



^^" Citizens' Committee, N. Y. ; Niles, 34 : 258. 



^^Niles, 19: 131. 



''^■'Annals of Congress, i6th Congress, ist session, p. 2175; 2d session, 

 p. 1529; N. Y. Assembly Journal, 1829, p. 393. 



''^^ Niles, 34: 261; "Remarks upon the Auction System," 44-6. 



^^^ Niles, 18: 420; "Ruinous Tendency," 13; Annals of Congress, 13th 

 Congress, Vol. Ill, p. 1853; Bolles, 113; N. Y. Senate Document 44 

 (1832), Vol. I, p. 6. 



"' N. Y. Senate Document 44 (1832), Vol. I, p. 7. 



^^ New York Assembly Journal, 1829, p. 530. 



