Every one will admit the importance of integrity in all his dealings,
for however dishonest he may be himself, he cannot avoid perceiving the
necessity of integrity in others. No society could exist were it not
for the measure of this virtue which remains. Without a degree of
_confidence_, in transacting business with each other, even the savage
life would be a thousand times more savage than it now is. Without it,
a gang of thieves or robbers could not long hold together.
But while all admit the sterling importance of strict integrity, how
few practise it! Let me prevail when I entreat the young not to hazard
either their reputation or peace of mind for the uncertain advantages
to be derived from unfair dealing. It is _madness_, especially in one
who is just beginning the world. It would be so, if by a single unfair
act he could get a fortune; leaving the loss of the soul out of the
question. For if a trader, for example, is once generally known to be
guilty of fraud, or even of taking exorbitant profits, there is an end
to his reputation. Bad as the world is, there is some respect paid to
integrity, and wo be to him who forgets it.
If a person habitually allows himself in a single act not sanctioned by
the great and golden rule of loving others as we do ourselves, he has
entered a road whose everlasting progress is downward. Fraudulent in
_one_ point, he will soon be so in another--and another; and so on to
the end of the chapter, if there be any end to it. At least no one who
has gone a step in the downward road, can assure himself that this will
not be the dreadful result.
An honest bargain is that only in which the fair market price or value
of a commodity is mutually allowed, so far as this is known. The market
price is usually, the equitable price of a thing. It will be the object
of every honest man to render, in all cases, an equivalent for what he
receives. Where the market price cannot be known, each of the parties
to an honest contract will endeavor to come as near it as possible;
keeping in mind the rule of doing to others as they would desire others
to do to them in similar circumstances. Every bargain not formed on
these principles is, in its results, unjust; and if intentional, is
fraudulent.
There are a great many varieties of this species of fraud.
1. _Concealing the market price._ How many do this; and thus buy for
less, and sell for more than a fair valuation! Why so many practise
this kind of fraud, and insist at the same time that it is no fraud at
all, is absolutely inconceivable, except on the supposition that they
are blinded by avarice. For they perfectly know that their customers
would not deal with them at any other than market prices, except from
sheer ignorance; and that the advantage which they gain, is gained by
misapprehension of the real value of the commodities. But can an honest
man take this advantage? Would he take it of a child? Or if he did,
would not persons of common sense despise him for it?
But why not as well take advantage of a child as of a man? Because, it
may be answered, the child does not know the worth of what he buys or
sells; but the man does, or might. But in the case specified, it is
evident he _does not_ know it, if he did he would not make the bargain.
And for proof that such conduct is downright fraud, the person who
commits it, has only to ask himself whether he would be willing others
should take a similar advantage of _his_ ignorance. 'I do as I agree,'
is often the best excuse such men can make, when reasoned with on the
injustice of their conduct, without deciding the question, whether
their agreement is founded on a desire to do right.
2. Others _misrepresent the market price_. This is done in various
ways. They heard somebody say the price in market was so or so; or such
a one bought at such or such a price, or another sold at such a price:
all of which prices, purchases, and sales are _known positively_ to be
different from those which generally prevail. Many contrive to satisfy
their consciences in this way, who would by no means venture at once
upon plain and palpable lying.
3. The selling of goods or property which is _unsound and defective_,
under direct professions that it is sound and good, is another variety
of this species of fraud. It is sometimes done by direct lying, and
sometimes by indefinite and hypocritical insinuations. Agents, and
retailers often assert their wares to be good, because those of whom
they have received them _declare_ them to be such. These declarations
are often believed, because the seller appears or professes to believe
them; while in truth, he may not give them the least credit.
One of the grossest impositions of this kind--common as it is--is
practised upon the public in advertising and selling nostrums as safe
and valuable medicines. These are ushered into newspapers with a long
train of pompous declarations, almost always false, and _always_
delusive. The silly purchaser buys and uses the medicine chiefly or
solely because it is sold by a respectable man, under the sanction of
advertisements to which that respectable man lends his countenance.
Were good men to decline this wretched employment, the medicines would
probably soon fall into absolute discredit; and health and limbs and
life would, in many instances, be preserved from unnecessary
destruction.
4. Another species of fraud consists in _concealing the defects_ of
what we sell. This is the general art and villany of that class of men,
commonly called _jockeys_; a class which, in reality, embraces some who
would startle at the thought of being such;--and whole multitudes who
would receive the appellation with disdain.
The common subterfuge of the jockey is, that he gives no false
accounts; that the purchaser has eyes of his own, and must judge of the
goods for himself. No defence can be more lame and wretched; and hardly
any more impudent.
No purchaser can possibly discover many of the defects in commodities;
he is therefore obliged to depend on the seller for information
concerning them. All this the seller well knows, and if an honest man,
will give the information. Now as no purchaser would buy the articles,
if he knew their defects, except at a reduced price, whenever the
seller does not give this information, and the purchaser is _taken in_,
it is by downright villany, whatever some may pretend to the contrary.
Nor will the common plea, that if they buy a bad article, they have a
right to sell it again as well as they can, ever justify the wretched
practice of selling defective goods, at the full value of those which
are more perfect.
5. A fraud, still meaner, is practised, when we endeavor to _lower the
value of such commodities as we wish to buy_. 'It is naught, it is
naught, says the buyer, but when he hath gone his way he boasteth,' is
as applicable to our times, as to those of Solomon. The ignorant, the
modest, and the necessitous--persons who should be the last to suffer
from fraud,--are, in this way, often made victims. A decisive tone and
confident airs, in men better dressed, and who are sometimes supposed
to know better than themselves, easily bear down persons so
circumstanced, and persuade them to sell their commodities for less
than they are really worth.
Young shopkeepers are often the dupes of this species of treatment.
Partly with a view to secure the future custom of the stranger, and
partly in consequence of his statements that he can buy a similar
article elsewhere at a much lower price, (when perhaps the quality of
the other is vastly inferior) they not unfrequently sell goods at a
positive sacrifice--and what do they gain by it? The pleasure of being
laughed at by the purchaser, as soon as he is out of sight, for
suffering themselves to be _beaten down_, as the phrase is; and of
having him boast of his bargain, and trumpet abroad, without a blush,
the value of the articles which he had just been decrying!
6. I mention the use of _false weights and measures_ last, not because
it is a less heinous fraud, but because I hope it is less frequently
practised than many others. But it is a lamentable truth that weights
and measures are _sometimes_ used when they are _known_ to be false;
and quite often when they are _suspected_ to be so. More frequently
still, they are used when they have been permitted to become defective
through inattention. They are often formed of perishable materials. To
meet this there are in most of our communities, officers appointed to
be sealers of weights and measures. When the latter are made of
substances known to be liable to decay or wear, the proprietor is
unpardonable if he does not have them frequently and thoroughly
examined.
I have only adverted to some of the more common kinds of fraud; such as
the young are daily, and often hourly exposed to, and against which it
is especially important, not only to their own reputation, but to their
success in business, that they should be on their guard. I will just
_enumerate_ a few others, for my limits preclude the possibility of any
thing more than a bare enumeration.
1. Suffering borrowed articles to be injured by our negligence. 2.
Detaining them in our possession longer than the lender had reason to
expect. 3. Employing them for purposes not contemplated by the lender.
4. The returning of an article of inferior value, although in
_appearance_ like that which was borrowed. 5. Passing suspected bank
bills, or depreciated counterfeit or clipped coin. Some persons are so
conscientious on this point, that they will sell a clipped piece for
_old metal_, rather than pass it. But such rigid honesty is rather
rare. 6. The use of pocket money, by the young, in a manner different
from that which was known to be contemplated by the parent, or master
who furnished it. 7. The employment of time in a different manner from
what was intended; the mutilating, by hacking, breaking, soiling, or in
any other manner wantonly injuring buildings, fences, and other
property, public or private;--and especially crops and fruit trees. 8.
Contracting debts, though ever so small, without the almost certain
prospect of being able to pay them. 9. Neglecting to pay them at the
time expected. 10. Paying in something of less value than we ought. 11.
Breaches of trust. 12. Breaking of promises. 13. Overtrading by means
of borrowed capital.