Page:The American Democrat, James Fenimore Cooper, 1838.djvu/174

168 the tendency of creating local feelings, through the agency of the local governments, and of thus endangering the peace of the Union.

It would be difficult to show that a state has more right to petition congress, than congress has to petition a state. This interference of the different parts of a complicated and nicely balanced machine, might derange its entire movement.

ON COMMERCE.

Commerce, in a general sense, is trade, but it is also usual to apply the word particularly to the traffick between nations. Navigation is not commerce, but a means of conducting commerce.

Commerce is merely an incident of civilized society, though there is always a strong disposition in commercial communities to treat it as a principal. The interests of commerce, in a general sense, depend on certain great principles, which ought always to be respected; but, as these interests, by their nature, are also liable to be influenced by the constant vicissitudes arising out of the fluctuations of trade, there is a strong disposition in those connected with commerce, to sacrifice all governing rules, to protect the interests of the day. This disposition is common to man, but it is more active in merchants, on account of the magnitude and precarious nature of the risks they run. The agriculturist who loses a crop, suffers an injury, more or less serious, that another year will repair; but the merchant who loses his adventures, is usually ruined.