the operations of civilized life, the great object to be sought, the great end to be gained is, not money or property merely, but HAPPINESS. The ultimate object of all the business of life is, or rather should be, the greatest amount of human happiness. This consideration, however, may not always enter the calculations of the merchant; yet it is the true object of commerce. It is the object of life, and therefore emphatically the object of commerce, to make life agreeable, comfortable, happy. The importer of a cargo of teas from "the farthest Indies," however, can hardly be expected to calculate on the happiness the domestic use of that article may or may not produce. He cannot be presumed to go into the consideration of such a subject, in making up his voyage; to estimate all the pleasant little family and social parties which are to be enjoyed over each separate parcel of it; to figure up all the small-talk, the tea-table tattle which may follow the enjoyment of each portion. He rather calculates the chances of profit, or as the hardy seaman would say, the "main chance;" he looks at the prices per pound in Canton, the expenses of the voyage, freight, insurance, exchange, &c., and the state of the market at home. These being satisfactory to his mind, he plans and carries through the enterprise. Whether he prospers or not, the community enjoy the advantage of his labor and capital.

It may be said, we are aware, that if the merchant does not calculate upon the good he may do, in projecting a voyage, he is influenced by a love of gain, by selfish or avaricious motives. But we think this does not follow in the first place, the merchant, when he enters upon his business in life, knows that he cannot labor for himself alone; no man can labor for himself alone, in any profession; and that, therefore, the man who devotes himself to an honest calling, does in some degree, from that circumstance alone, promote the public good. The merchant knows, too, that his vari ous enterprises, whether they result profitably for himself or not, and, even if only partially accomplished, are productive of public benefit, inasmuch as he employs many trades, professions, and a large number of men, in each step of his various operations. So that, after all, the happiness which may flow from his labors, does not altogether, or mainly perhaps, depend on the cargo of his ship, the commodity he exports or imports. But suppose, for the sake of illustrating the point, that a love of gain or avarice does impel the merchant in his undertakings. This very passion, bad as it may be thought, may impel him to do that which will make people happy; and if he makes people happy by a lawful, honest, and praiseworthy enterprise, is he not a benefactor of mankind? The world, however, cares but little about the motives of the merchant, and assuredly has no right to impugn them. He is influenced by similar motives as other men, when they design the accomplishment of a similar object; and they may or may not affect his own happiness, but are not felt in the community.

We were speaking of the results of commerce, and whatever others may say, we are free to acknowledge, and to claim for it, that it has done much for the benefit and happiness of mankind. Nay more; we should almost say that it has done every thing for him. To commerce he is indebted for civilization, and, under Providence, for the spread of the Christian religion; and without these great blessings, what is man? True, it may have produced some evil in the world; what real good has not? Name to us any blessing man has ever enjoyed, which has not been, in some form or other, productive of evil, and we will yield our opinion without further argument. The truth is, there is no such thing as unmixed good in the catalogue of

man's enjoyments or endurances. There is nothing, and can be nothing, linked with man's imperfectness, of unalloyed goodness. Let us not be misunderstood on this point, not even by the designing; some things, nay, many things-indeed, we came near to say, all things-are good in themselves. Truth is good, in itself and of itself; but what is truth separated from every thing besides?

A word more for the merchant it is no fault of his, as we shall contend, after all that has been said, that a consideration of human happiness, does not always enter into his calculations of a voyage. The evidence he consults supersedes this or implies it, and it is manifested to his perception in the state of the market or the demand. The demand is his criterion, and is the only evidence of want which he can know. It is his business to supply the want, and the supply of all the wants of the community embrace the results of commerce. The character of the want, or its moral effect when supplied, are matters which belong to the intelligence and virtue of the community to regulate. It is for society, by a high moral influence, to guide and govern its necessities, and the business of the merchant to supply them. We have seen that he fulfils his duty; that he supplies our necessities, and administers to our comfort and happiness every hour in the day. Let us see, for example, how our account stands with him at the present moment, even in our own little corner. This quill he furnished to us; the penknife, which lies by our hand, happens to have been brought from England in one of his ships; the desk we write upon came from beyond seas, in the timber of a warmer climate; that wedgewood inkstand is also an imported article; the oil in our lamp was once in his ships; and so we might go on; but, thanks to the skill of our own countrymen, we may use of our own paper, and Walkden's British ink powder, we apprehend, will prove to be an exception to one of our first remarks. We are surrounded with articles provided for our use by the enterprise of the merchant, and brought to us from all quarters of the world. If we should go back a few hours, and see how our account stands with him through the day, we should perceive our greater indebtedness. At our meals, whence that beautiful china, that cutlery, the sugar, tea, coffee, molasses, spices, sweetmeats, fruits, and wines? The merchant has supplied them all. He feeds, clothes, and warms us. We live, enjoy, luxuriate, in the comforts he provides, whether he calculates upon our happiness or not; and are hourly enabled to do the business of our hands by the implements and instruments furnished by his agency. Are we not, then, indebted to him? Is not his an honorable calling? Is he not the benefactor of his race? Who does more for the happiness of mankind, who runs greater risks or assumes heavier burdens, who more deserving the praise of the good and the applause of the just, than he who provides for, civilizes, and Christianizes his fellow-men?

WHITE LEAD OF MISSOURI.

The white lead manufactured by Joseph Cherless & Co., of St. Louis, is pronounced by competent judges, to be equal to the best imported article. "So far as we can form an opinion from the color," says the St. Louis Republican, "we cannot discover any in. feriority in this article with the very best brought to this market. They are now manufacturing largely at the above establishment, and are prepared to fill orders to any extent."

ART. VI.-THE MERCHANT SERVICE.-PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR SEAMEN.

We have received the following communication and memorial from an intelligent merchant of South Carolina, upon a subject which we consider of great national importance.

The establishment of a school for the instruction of boys in nautical exercises, who would otherwise grow into manhood without education or the means of honestly subsisting, is an object no less beneficial to society, to the youth thus provided for, and to the commercial interests of the nation, than it is honorable to the whole country, as an enlightened, Christian, and philanthropic measure. We trust that the noble object which is so disinterestedly urged by our correspondent, will receive that attention and support from our citizens at large, and from our government, which it so eminently deserves. We will not pretend to say that it is within the scope of any constitutional provision to establish and support the proposed school; but it seems to us that the broad power given to congress by that instrument in regard to the regulation and encouragement of commerce, ought to embrace the means which are so directly and strongly calculated to promote our commercial interests, as the scheme which is recommended. It is well known that the number of American sailors is comparatively small, and even this limited number is constantly decreasing. While almost every other pursuit in life is thronged and sometimes crowded by our industrious and enterprising citizens, but few fathers can be found willing to suffer their sons to become sailors, and a general dislike seems to exist in the minds of Americans against embarking in that profession. And what is the inevitable consequence? It is to fill our marine service with dissipated unprincipled foreigners, or worthless native born seamen; and to shut out those who would man our merchant ships if they could find sailors to associate with, who were free from vice and immorality.

The naval school recently established by the United States government for the instruction of youth, although in its infancy, has already furnished the most flattering evidences of its usefulness; and we can see no reason why the proposed system of instruction for the merchant service cannot be made equally, if not more beneficial; and if it cannot be constitutionally adopted, and carried out by the general government, we trust the period is not far distant, when individual liberality and philanthropy will be found here, as in France, ready to undertake and effect its successful accomplishment.

We give the communication and memorial of our correspondent entire, and earnestly recommend to our readers their attentive perusal.

TO FREEMAN HUNT, ESQ.

New York, August 12th, 1840.

Dear Sir-I beg leave to address you on a subject, which, I trust, you will not find unworthy a place in the highly valuable work you edit, under the title of "Merchants' Magazine, and Commercial Review," which contains so much interesting commercial intelligence.

This subject is a Primary School for Seamen, on a very simple and economical, though efficient plan, which I am endeavoring to bring before

the commercial community, after having in vain called the attention of the government of the United States, and invited congress to institute such schools in the different ports of the Atlantic and lakes.

It is not for me, a foreigner, although long a resident and adopted citi. zen of the United States, to start such a project; but I hope that this may reach the eye of an influential and patriotic man, who may feel the same interest in it as I do, and recommend the plan to the public authorities, or to some benevolent society.

It would be superfluous for me to enlarge upon the facts, that native American seamen become every day scarcer, that our merchant vessels are mostly manned with foreigners, that captains experience the greatest difficulties in completing their crew, and that vessels are often detained for the want of sailors.

Of this, every one has been long aware, and remedies have often been suggested; but they were either not effective, or not put into operation. Congress has, I believe, passed a law obliging every captain to take a certain number of apprentices; but I believe also, that it is in most cases evaded. The list of the crew shows the quantity of boys, but they are generally cabin boys, or nearly of age, and have been before to sea, while green hands are most always avoided.

This arises from the reluctance of captains to take boys whom they would have to teach before they could be of any service on board. Of this, I had, a few years ago, a good opportunity to judge. A strong, smart, and well educated lad of about fifteen years, the son of an acquaintance of mine, came to me expressing his wish to devote himself to navigation. Being extensively engaged in shipping business, I was well acquainted with many consignees and captains of vessels, and I applied to at least fifteen of them, to take this lad before the mast, without any wages for one year, and offered to fit him out. The only, and unanimous objection of these captains was, that they preferred to take a less number, but all experienced sailors, than to be troubled with a boy who could not understand their commands, and could not distinguish one rope from another.

This remark is conclusive, and many captains with whom I have conversed, have confirmed my opinion, that the chief and only difficulty lies in the ignorance of boys of the technical language, and of the duties they have to perform on board of a vessel. Would it not be the same in our counting houses, if apprentices offered themselves who had not had the first rudiments of reading, writing, arithmetic, &c.?

It is really a singular anomaly, that sailors should be so scarce, and their wages so high, when, at the same time, complaints reach us from every quarter, that all trades are overdone, that distress and want of employment are general, that our streets and prisons abound with idlers, vagabonds, and criminals; while the useful class of sailors diminish every day, and boys cannot be had to fill up vacancies.

It was in March, 1838, that I happened to find in a Havre paper, a description of a school for boys intended for the merchants' service, which had been established at Bordeaux, in France, by two individuals, who, without public aid, undertook the benevolent task at their own expense and risk.

It struck me immediately, that schools of that kind, established in the different ports of the United States, would fully remedy the evil, and I sent the paper to the Hon. Levi Woodbury, Secretary of the Treasury, who

honored me with a very polite answer, in which he approved highly of the plan, and said that he handed the same to the committee on commerce, of the house of representatives.

The subject not being taken up in that session, and feeling very anxious to see so good an example followed in this country, I brought it, in December, 1838, before the chamber of commerce of Charleston, where it was received with general and enthusiastic approbation. A committee, of which I was a member, was appointed to draft the following petition to congress, which was sent for action to every representative from South Carolina, and also to the different chambers of commerce in the United States, requesting their co-operation. The petition was referred to appropriate committees in the senate, and in the house of representatives, where nothing further was done, and probably never will, one of the leading members of the South having expressed himself unfavorably in regard to the unconstitu tionality of the plan, saying that agricultural and commercial schools might be proposed to any extent upon the same principle.

To the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of the United States.

THE MEMORIAL of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce,

Respectfully Represents,

That the number of native American seamen in the employment of the merchant service in the United States has long been, and still is, quite inadequate to the wants of our increasing commercial navy; insomuch as to make it necessary for masters and owners, for the proper equipment of their vessels, to take into employ foreign seamen, belonging to the different maritime nations in Europe. This, your memorialists conceive, is a measure fraught with inconvenience, and in time of European war, might lead to disputes and collision with other powers. These United States, your memorialists think, are now sufficiently populous to afford a supply of sailors, both for our public vessels and the merchant service, if proper means were used, to encourage the youth of our country to embrace the profession of the sea.

That these states are amongst the first nations of the world, in regard to foreign trade; and that this eminence will increase with the growing population and resources of the country, can admit of no question. Our ships of war must necessarily increase also; and to whom ought the people to look for the manning of that navy but to their own sons?

That in the opinion of your memorialists, the best school for bringing up and making thorough seamen, is the merchant service. In proof of which your memorialists need only adduce the instances of superiority, in every respect, which were exhibited by our vessels of war, when opposed by any thing like equal force, in the last conflict with England. These battles were fought by men taken from our merchant ships, and principally from the hardy tars of New England, who soon were accustomed to the duty and strict discipline of a man-ofwar. And thus it will always be, with seamen who have been thoroughly bred. Your memorialists, on these considerations therefore, respectfully suggest, that it would be highly useful and patriotic, if your Honorable House would take the whole subject into consideration, and cause to be framed a bill, making provision for the preparatory education, professional instruction, and maintenance of boys of or over twelve years of age, in all the principal ports of the Union, including the ports on the lakes. That these youths, after one year's instruction, under competent teachers, should be indented as apprentices to owners or masters, until of the ages of from eighteen to twenty-one years, the vacancies in the schools of naval instruction to be filled by others who are fresh. That an old vessel might be purchased and fitted up at each port, for the accommodation