The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-07-23
THURSDAY MORNING, JULY %.
BUCHANAN AND Low WAGES

Although Mr.. Senator Buchanan and the sfBl
Authority" press, have thought proper heretofore
to deny their Loco Foco doctrines of reducing
the wages of labor, the truth of the matter i:
established in such manner to remove all
doubt upon the public mind.
This eeletter out" of s'democr attic blood" in
company with Vice President johnson, dined
with the Federal Destructives, at Reading, Pa,
on the late anniversary of our independence,
about the time Van Buren, signed the Sub-Trea-
sury bill, giving him the control of the whole
money power of the nation. The object was to
aid in the absence of Mr.. .NitbIen5erg, in arrest
ing the movements of our Allegany ball, which
is SO heavily rolling upon the Destructives of
S'Old Berks," under the patriotic guidance of the
untired and uncsnquerable Wings, in that coun-
ty, aided by the sound in principle, of many of
the original supporters of Gen. jackson.
In addressing his loco foco rethren, he spoke
vehemently in favor of the advantages which
would result from the reduction of wages, and
the consequent reduction Of the necessaries of
life, and gave utterance to the following remarks
in favor of his doctrine:
eff the day laborer receives one dollar as his
dollar for bushel of grain, and for other neces-
saries in proportion, he will then have no higher
wages than when he receives but fifty cents per
day, and at the time pays but fifty cents
for grain, and other necessaries in proportion
There is no mistake in this extract from his
address-no backing out from it. 1t is pre-
tended "Whig falsehood or slander;" but VERT
able Van Buren, doctrine, designed to illustrate
"a of "A,
that it is copied from one of the organs of their
own party, called "Alt Berks" (Old Berks) ed
tied and published by Nm. Schooner, Esq. one
of the elestoral candidates on the Van Buren,
ticket.
The doctrine, facts, contained in this ex-
tract are unquestionably true, abstractly consi-
dered, but they must be viewed in connection
with other matters, from which it is utterly i'm
possible to separate them, unless their operation
could be transferred beyond our country, and
made universally applicable.
We avail ourselves of the following illustra-
tons of the editor of the Berks and Schuylkiu
Journal, by way of showing the effects of this
loco foco scheme of Eereducing wages" to 'scover
our land with blessings" upon the poor:-
"Suppose the case of a man who receives sc
week, as his wages
He cxpends for certain quantity of home
productions, $500
Foreign productions, such as tea, coffee, &c, 100
On hand Tor other uses, 100
So ,oC
E'But suppose Buchannans plans take effect
his wages go down to 80 per week, and hom
productions in proportion; then
He expcrs's for the former quantity of home
produ d ms, $40
Foreign articles, (Which will not be reduced
in price, 1,0
On hand for other purposes, 0,C
$50
FEAgain, suppose mans wages amount
$500 per annum;
He owes debt, and can pay it, $1,000
He purchases home productions for 1000
He has left for rent, tea, coffee, sc, 1000
$780,
esBut reduce his wages one half, that is, b
S150, we shall see how it will affect him
He pays his debt SlOO,0t
PURCHASES home productions for half the
former prices, 5000
And ne has left for rent, tea, coffee, Sc, 0O,Ot
$4,000
We will add another illustration materially
interesting to the mechanic and working man;
hundreds Of whom it would seriously affect in
our city, who, perhaps, never gave the subject a
essober second thought"
Suppose A. B. owns a snug, comfortable tene.
ment, erected by the joint labor and economy oil
himself and wife, to shelter themselves and Their
little ones, and hare permanent home The
ground upon which it stands, from an inability
to purchase it in fee, has been leased at or 81
foot front; say ne pays only $50 per annum,
ground rent Now let his wages be one dollar
day, of course he must work 30 DAYS every
year to pay the annuiting; but reduce his wages
one half-to so cents day, and you oblige him
90 toll 60 days-double the time, annually, tc
discharge that claim.
In addition to this increased drudgery to pa,
his ground rent, he may have borrowe
900 or $500 from the owner of the soil, to er
able him to finish his dwelling, under reasons
III, hope, in year or two, to iquidate it by HI
labor Reduce his wages, and it will take hil
double the time to pay it.; admitting he will eve
have it in his power to satisfy his creditor
without sacrificing the home of his wife an
children. Thus the reduction Of toages, ho
operated to increase the soealth Of the rich LAM
lord, who cannot be prevailed upon to receiv
payment in the ratio forced upon the workin
man by the infamous scheme of low wages
Vet the party who concocted it has long an
loudly professed 70 DO opposed to the rich an
friendly to the poor. 70 saa .i4aw
~ Let mo-, therefore, the mechanic and worAin
man, thus circumstanced, make leap In Ii
dark, by aiding and oountenancing his owl
worst enemiees bat carefully survey the a6ys