12 Dec: 1801

Maximum

Beginning

Terms[?]

1

The mention of the article of money as one among the falsely supposed cases in

point against the limitation of the price of corn /a maximum for corn/, brings

to mind an incident which at the time was matter of some amusement to me. In

combating I know not what unnamed antagonist, a Conductor of one of the

Newspapers A newspaper conductor who /who with views such as I have been above

disclaimed /just disclaiming as above// at the time had stood /been standing/

forth as an advocate for a maximum, finding himself incommoded, as it should

seem, by some reference that had been made to the Defence of Usury. Having thus

been brought into disgrace with the self-appointed diurnal Censor, this harmless

production innocent certainly of any such crimes as were attempted /thus

imputed/ to be fastened upon it, was to be tied about the ancles of the monsters

/harpies/ who were seen praying upon the country in the shape of farmers and

corndealers, and with them consigned to the pit of infamy. Abhorrence with its

consequences was to be the doom of those to whom we are indebted for the

necessaries of life, contempt was to be the portion of the “specious economist”

in despite of whose theoretical reveries about money Judges had continued all

along to do their duty. Little did he think than in this ebullition[?] of his

zeal to destroy an imagined adversary, he had been aiming so cruel /desperate/ a

stroke against an advocate on the same side.

+ Times 20 Novr 1800