I have passed hastily over all these classes, although the ways and means by which each one of them contrives to turn a panic to their advantage, contain a fund sufficient for a long evening’s entertainment. But my descriptions are not intended to be wire-drawn, and, besides, I wish to leave room for future lucubrations, without the necessity for gleaning too closely.
CONSEQUENCES OF PANIC.
The consequences of a panic are those portions of it which “may be felt;” and they begin to be felt, when people begin to count their losses, I have before said that a panic was like fire, and the simile holds good, except in one particular. The fire destroys—the panic only changes property. In both cases people are prodigiously frightened; many wounds and bruises are received, and not a few are driven from their business, and made houseless, and homeless. In the panic, as in the fire, also, there are both incendiaries and thieves, and it is a matter of doubt, which requires the most vigilance to protect one’s self from.
HOW TO PREVENT PANIC.
The scenes exhibited when a pestilence has passed through the city—bringing suffering and bereavement to hundreds—when a storm has swept along the coast, strewing its shores with the ships and the treasures, which the day before floated securely on the bosom of the waves—when the locusts have passed over the fields, leaving nothing but the ravages of destruction behind—and when business men have passed through the ordeal of a panic—are of one and the same character, with this difference only; the first are events directed by Providence, which men have not the power to avert, and the last is the result of their own folly, or the wicked designs of a few. But it will be said that no single voice, nor even many voices, can control the multitude—very true; but when a mob takes place, if every man would go straight about his own business, instead of stopping to join in the hue and cry—there would be no mob. And if the magistrates join in the mob themselves, there is no authority left by which to control it. When a panic in money matters begins, there seems to be a predisposition in the bystanders, either from want of employment, the love of story-telling, or the desire of mischief, to aid all they can in spreading it.
A WORD TO CERTAIN EDITORS.
I might add, too, that many newspapers are not among the least, in bestowing their influence in this way. Some of them wish to appear wise above their fellows—and I consider it not at all derogatory to the general character of ability which they possess, to say that, in money matters, some of their editors really know very little of the things about which they prate. I believe it often happens that what they publish, is but the proclamation of those who design to increase the panic—and if they are to be believed themselves, some of them have published things contrary to their better judgment, and perhaps their own knowledge.
They can all point to the right quarter, and none of them will consider this a slander, but such as know they deserve it.
If, therefore, when a panic begins, men would improve what they know for themselves, instead of giving their neighbors the benefit of what they don’t know, but have only heard or surmised—If the magistrates, the leaders and controllers of the money market, would consult something else besides their own interest, in promoting it, or their immediate safety, by escape—we should have a less frequent occurrence of panic. And, being convinced of these facts, every man can easily understand, and no doubt does understand, what he ought to do in such a case.
A DARK PICTURE.