252 



NEW ENGLAISTD FARMER. 



June 



For the New England FuTmer. 

 INFLUX OF GOLD. 



Mr. Editor : — I should like to inquire what is 

 to be the probable and permanent effect of the un- 

 precedented and continuous influx of gold into the 

 United States ? In other words, in what respects 

 will our agricultural and commercial prosperity 

 be promoted or retarded thereby ? Without pre- 

 tending to any uncommon sagacity upon this sub- 

 ject, I would make a few brief remarks for the 

 consideration of others. 



Wo know already what were the effects upon 

 Spain, after the discovery and conquest of Mexi- 

 co and Peru ; that the influx of gold tended great- 

 ly to national degeneracy, by introducing luxury 

 and extravagance, and by paralyzing the industri- 

 ous and virtuous habits of the nation. The chief 

 cause of this national decline in wealth and pros- 

 perity was the relaxation in the industrial habits 

 and pursuits of the people. But, for reasons 

 which are sufficiently obvious, v.'e anticipate a dif- 

 ferent result in our case. The only evil we expe- 

 rience at present from the influx of gold, is the 

 advance in the price of labor and of all the neces- 

 saries Qf life. If the farmer has to pay a higher 

 price for labor, so, in return, he receives a higher 

 price for all the articles which labor produces, so 

 that the various departments of industry were 

 never in a more healthy or satisfactory condition. 

 In all departments of business, work is abundant, 

 and laborers are constantly employed at good 

 wages. And, notwithstanding the high price of 

 provisions, and of all the necessaries and con- 

 veniences of life, yet all laborers receive a full 

 equivalent by the higher price which they are 

 paid for their services. 



Such is the condition of things in these United 

 States. The influx of gold has already raised the 

 price of everything ; and it will ultimately make 

 these United States the most prosperous and 

 wealthy nation on the face of the globe. In pro- 

 portion as gold abounds, so is the price of every 

 thing enhanced. And we have no reason to an- 

 ticipate a different result. It is true, upon the 

 first announcement of the auriferous discoveries 

 in California, so great was the rush of adventur- 

 ers to that locality, that, had our population been 

 stationary or self-dependent for its increase, the 

 consequence would have been most injurious to 

 the agricultural industry of the country. But the 

 broad stream of emigration from foreign countries 

 constantly pouring in upon us, more than makes 

 up the loss by our south-western emigration. Be- 

 sides, there can be no doubt of the beneficial in- 

 fluence of the gold discoveries upon the com- 

 merce of the United States, The accession often 

 or twelve millions annually to our circulating me- 

 dium, is of vast importance to all our public in- 

 terests. 



Taking, now, a more enlarged view of these dis- 

 coveries, a political effect is likely to arise out of 

 them, far more momentous, extensive and per- 

 manent in its consequences and future bearing on 

 the destinies of the New World, It does not re- 

 quire the foresight of a prophet to predict, that, 

 at no distant period, the Anglo-Saxon race is to 

 have control and reign supreme throughout the 

 North American continent. It is, in fact, but a 

 question of time and expediency ; the result, how- 

 ever, seems to be certain. And this will be ow- 



ing, in a great measure, to the discovery and in- 

 flux of gold, which has thrown into the hands of 

 the Anglo-Saxon race nearly the whole supply of 

 the precious metals. And believing, as we firmly 

 do, that these United States are destined to play 

 an important part in reforming the institutions of 

 civil government, and in civilizing and evangel- 

 izing the world, we cannot but consider this fact 

 as most strikingly significant and sure. What- 

 ever may be the designs of an overruling Provi- 

 dence in this arrangement, we trust that these 

 United States, which are now, in some respects, 

 like the children of Israel in the wilderness, trav- 

 elling to the land of promise, and passing through 

 some of the most fiery trials in order to prepare 

 them for their future duties, will be enabled to ac- 

 quit themselves manfully and discharge all their 

 duties faithfully, especially those bearing upon 

 the future liberties and happiness of mankind. 

 John Goldsbury. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE TBUE TEACHEB. 



It is the duty of the teacher not only to edu- 

 cate, to draw out what is in the mind of the pupil, 

 to bring into exercise his faculties, to develop, 

 uncover, inifold his powers, which lie folded up 

 like tlie wings of a bird for future use, but he 

 must also teach, instruct, impart of his own sub- 

 stance, communicate from his own store, accord- 

 ing to the power which he has, the light within 

 him. The true teacher has his own mind and soul 

 so illuminated, so full of light, that it shines into 

 every mind and soul that comes within its sphere 

 of radiation, and lightens it up so that its owner, 

 and all others looking on, can see what is in it. 

 Perhaps teachers differ in no respect more than in 

 this power of radiation. Some teachers Avho have 

 a good deal of illumination, always thrust a screen, 

 consisting of a net work of technical v/ords be- 

 tween themselves and their pupils, and only the 

 few straggling rays that pass through the chinks 

 and meshes of this screen ever reach the minds of 

 the pupils. Technical terms are only the names 

 of ideas or things. They have their use in help- 

 ing us to arrange and classify things or thoughts, 

 but in themselves are of no value. 



If we have ideas, there will be no difficulty in 

 finding names for them, or terms by which to ex- 

 press them. Some teachers require of their pupils 

 the outlay of more force in the acquisition of 

 names, than would be needed to gain a tolerable 

 knowledge of things. A thing may be the better 

 for having a name, but a name without a thing is 

 of no worth. In this way of teaching, there is a 

 great waste of time and force. And besides this 

 waste, there is this other disadvantage, that as 

 the child can not fully understand the name until 

 he has first obtained an idea of the thing intend- 

 ed by it, he Avill never be quite sure that he un- 

 derstands what is meant by the name, and Avhen 

 it is spoken, he will have no confidence in his 

 knowledge of the thing meant. The teacher who 

 can teach one thing, is worth more than that oth- 

 er teacher, who can teach the names of twenty 

 things. Some teachers, not very intensely illumi- 

 nated within, have yet souls so transparant, that 

 other souls have the full benefit of the light they 

 have. They are not enveloped in mists and fogs. 



