754 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 12 



enterprise carries them into all parts of the coun- 

 try, and the world; and if the usual traits ofthe 

 Yankee character go with thetn, their enterprise 

 seldom disappoints their calculations. 



I trust it was not mere prejudice — for of that I 

 shoulii feel quite ashamed — that in travellinii 

 through th.e new parts ofthe country, I persuaded 

 myself that I could, in most cases, point out a 

 Yankee settlement or homestead, without inquiry. 

 In several instances, where I attempted the 

 experiment, the inquiry confirmed my conjectures. 

 There was a certain air of carefulness about the 

 house and out-buildings, which distinguished them 

 from most others. I am farfrom thinking their ways 

 are always best; and as it respects agriculture, 

 they are Jar behind the Pennsylvania farmers; 

 but in the capacity "of getting along" on small 

 means, and wuh honor, comlort, and independence, 

 no people surpass them. 



The Yankee too has an ofRciousness in other 

 men's matters, which if it has its evils, as it is 

 sometim'es complained of, it is not without its 

 advantages. He no sooner plants himself in any 

 situation, than he has a "notion" that the com- 

 munity would be better for good roads, secure 

 bridges, a school house, an academy, and a meet- 

 ing house; and these matters, in general standing in 

 pretty close connection, usually, thouixh silently, 

 announce who presides over the municipality. 

 The Yankees have a propensity too to have their 

 houses painted, their yards neatly secured, their 

 gates on the hitiijes and shut, and the pigs kept 

 out ol'the hall and the front parlor. 



This appearance of neatness, care, frugality, 

 and thrift, indicates generally the residence of a 

 Yankee settler; and leads us back to the circum- 

 stances under which such a character is usually 

 Ibrmed. 



With a hard and un propitious soil, a severe 

 climate, and a populalion which if confined to its 

 own resources, would press sorely upon its means 

 of subsistence, he is compelled to labor and exer- 

 tion, that he may live; obliged to gather up the 

 fragments that remain, so that nothing shall be 

 lost, lie is trained in habits of extreme frugality; 

 and his invention is continually toned and stimu- 

 lated by the great spur of necessity, and a spirit of 

 enterprise aroused and cheiished, that he may 

 increase his resources. When the Yankee emi- 

 grant carries these habits with him to his new place 

 of residence among the fertile lands ofthe west, 

 success and wealth are certain; but it too ol'ten 

 happens, that when he finds himself in a situation 

 where such constant and strenuous exertions are 

 not required, and he discovers that even moderate 

 exertion is most amply rewarded, fiir beyond his 

 experience and even his imairination, the love of 

 ease, almost an essential element in the human 

 constitution, prevails over his early habits of indus- 

 try ; abundance begets extravafjance and waste ; 

 he sinks into the negligent habits of those around 

 him ; and slops short in the very midst of improve- 

 ment, 



H. C. 



January, 1837. 



A BnOOM COUN MANIA 



Is getting up in this region, and the coming 

 epring, from appearances, little else will be seen 

 in the meadows. Broom brush is unexampled 

 in price, selling readily at 15 centsj and ashes to 



put on broom corn land, sell at twenty-five cents 

 per bushel in this village. The produce of an 

 acre ot broom corn was sold the other day in this 

 town lor .^130 \— Northampton Courier. 



THE TRUE AND THE FALSE DOCTRIIVES RE- 

 SPECTING HIGH PRICES OF PROVISIONS. 



[We first read the excellent work from which the 

 following chapter is taken, near twenty years ago — 

 and then admired this portion for its clear, yet ex- 

 tended views — its sound common sense, and practical 

 wisdom. Concise as it is, for so copious a subject, it 

 serves admirably to expose the ignorance (in this re- 

 spect) of the learned, and of governments, as well as 

 of mobs. But much as we then approved tl.e opinions 

 presented, and wished for their dissemination through 

 the more benighted portions of the earth, we had no idea 

 that such lessons would become necessary in this more 

 happy and free country. But the recent movements of 

 a mob in New York, (as stateii-at length in the previous 

 pages of this number,) together with the very general, 

 and always existing, but heretofore harmless belief in 

 the wickedness of receiving high prices for provisions, 

 seem to indicate that these truths, though half a century 

 old, may be no less useful than new in this country. 



Views accordant with these, (as are all views that 

 are derived from the same sound principles of political 

 economy,) are presented in a previous article in this 

 number, (at p. 742,) on the " Morality of high prices." 

 There are not yet many persons in the United States, 

 who would consent absolutely to hang speculators in 

 grain, or to rob them of their stocks, or burn their ware- 

 houses, barns or mills : but a very laige portion of the 

 community admit the truth of the theoretical principle 

 out of which, all such outrages spring. This theory is, 

 that it IS wrong and wicked to demand, or receive, very 

 high prices for bread, meat, or grain. The seller at 

 high prices is deemed a vile offender — and the only 

 question to decide, is what measure of punishment 

 does his offence demand. The more virtuous and in- 

 telligent part of those who condemn, will merely ex- 

 press their opinion of the guiltiness : but the brutish 

 mob, acting upon the same opinion, and when suffi- 

 ciently excited by hunger and love of pillage, will first 

 rob, and then murder the speculators ; and thence the 

 transition will be easy to all other persons guilty of 

 possessing wealth. 



If the whole community could possibly be governed 

 and directed, through a single year of scarcity, by this 

 prevalent opinion and mawkish sensibility, which are 

 strengthened in effect by the most contagious of all 

 kinds of charity — that which is exercised at other peo- 

 ples' cost — if, in accordance with this doctrine, grain 

 could be sold at half the price that it would otherwise 

 have commanded, the efl^cts would be, first, great waste 

 oi provisions, and next, famine. Speculators in bread 

 stuffs (or monopolizers, if that name is preferred,) 

 individually, are neither better nor worse than other 

 persons : but their operations, (no matter what their mo- 

 tives and objects may be,) are more efficient than any 

 other cause, to mitigate the evils of scarcity, and to 

 prevent famine — and on the general average, even to 



