The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-10-02
WAsHINGToN, Sept. 18th, 1910.

lccs, and assuring me that they are not put for the
purpose of uniriendy criticism, but from sincere
desire to have my own views on the subjects re-
ferred to.
In reply to your first and last questions, send
you copy of letter recently addressed to sever
al citizens of Elizabeth City County, Va. in which
You will find the information you desire.
In answer TO your second question, send you
statement OF my entire course in the New York
Convention upon The subject Of the elective fan
chise. Ii was prepared by my friends at Albany,
having access to the best means of inlormation of
their own accord, without previous communication
with me, and published there under their own sig
natures. Upon careful examination of this doc
unicnt, find it contains true and fair exposition
of my course in the Convention, upon the subject
referred to, and send II TO you as such.
Your remaining question is, whether 'am in
favor of reducing the standard of wages
Not comprchending precisely the idea you de-
sire to convey by the term the standard of wa
ges, it will be necessary, in order to meet your
wishes fully that should give my general views
on this branch of your inquiry.
! The labor of an industrious man is, in my judy
mcn, only adequately rewarded, when his wages,
together with the assistance of those members of
his family, from whom assistance may reasonably
be required, will enable him to provide comiorta-
bly, for himself and them, to educate his children,
and lay up sufficient for the casualties of life, and
the wants of advanced age.
| 10 accomplish these objects, il is necessary that
the pay of the aborcr should bear a just propofon
to the prices of the necessnries and comforts of
life; and all attempts to dcprcss them below this
equitable standard are. in my opinion, at war us
well with the dictates of humanity, as with sound
and rational policy. Left to itself, and free from
M hlUbtn inin Of rti al nti m
nopolies, congrcgatcd wealth, and interested COM
binalions, the compensation of labor will always
preserve this sauary relation. 1t is only when
the natural order of society is disturbed by one or
other of these causes, that the wages Of labor be-
come inadequate
The people of the United States may be truly
denominaed nation of laborcrs A vast proper
ton of them live by the sweat of their brow, and
the continued exercise of pnrsGvernp ind us'ry;-
II was with proper regard to tins condition. That
the system of go.ernment under which we now
live was originally devised. 1t should therefore,
in my opinion, be always so administered as TO in
sure to them, as far as possible. a just and ade-
quale reward for their eyerli0ns, as well as II full
enjoyment Of The fruits of their industry
| In the distribution of wealth. resulting from the
union of labor and capital, il is too often the case
that an undue proportion falls to the share of the
latter. The disconlinuancc of partial legislation,
which have always advocated, would be an i'm
porlant step towards correcting this inequality.
1t has been ever my design to keep these objects
constantly in view. So far from being in favor of
reducing the wages of labor, or attempting TO rem
der the services required dsproporlionale to the
rewards received, it cannot be unknown to You
that what is called the ten-hour system originally
devised by the mechanics and laborers themselves,
has by my directions been adopted, and uniformly
carried out, at all the public establishments, and
that this mitigation of labor has been accompanied
by no corresponding reduction of wages
also caused it to be distinctly minated, in the
month of March last to the officers of such of these
establishments as might contemplate reduction of
wages, that in my opinion the present peculiarly
uncertain state of things, which it is believed re-
suits from circumstances that cannot be permanent
in their operation, does not present just and prop
er basis for reduction of wages.
am far from wishing TO contribute, in the
slightest degree, to the embarrassment and depres-
sion of the aboring classes 1t is, on the contrary,
my most earnest and constant desire, that their IN
duslry should everywhere and at all times, be am
ply rewarded, and that the blessings of plenty
should be literally diflused among those who con-
tribute most to their production.
am, gentlemen, very respectfully,
Your obedlent servant,
NJ. VAN buren,.
Messrs Isaac Lippincot, William X. Potts, &.
IIanes, n b. Evans, A. 5. German, J. Prayer
The Pennsylvania, remarking upon this cores
pondence, says -
81 will be seen that in reply TO question ad-
dressed TO him, Mr. Van Buren, takes occasion TO
give his views at some length upon the subject of
the wages of labor, showing what in his opinion is
the natural and proper compensation which should
be commanded by the workingman in return for
his toll, and explaining how it is that through the
medium of unwise and partial legislation. the true
order of things is so far disturbed as often TO leave
to the productive classes barely the means of an
uncertain subsistence. 1t has rarely been our for
tune to meet with more admirable exposition of
the only sound doctrine IN this respect, than that
which is furnished by Mr. Van Buren,. lis simpli-
city and clearness are such that no one can fail to
comprehend it at a glance, and it is as convincing
as it isplain.
| Furiously as this administration is assailcd and
reckless as its opponents have ever proved them
selves 10 be, there is perhaps no point upon which
it has been more grossly or more scandalously be-
lied than in regard TO the very topic upon which
Mr. Van Buren, now speaks. The democratic par
ty, which has the general good for its sole object.
and which is chiefly composed Of the yeomanry of
the land and of those who their bread BY their
daily toll, has been most preposterousy charged
with an intention TO njure the very class upon
which it relies for support, when in fact AL its
measures have for their object to correct the very
evils which deprive labor of its reward, and render
the community the sport of fluctuations; aud what
renders the accusation the moro outrageous, is the
fact that it comes from the very monopoly party
the special privilege and special legislation party
the expansion and contraction party,-which not
only by its general course, but by its specific acts
of panic and PRESSURE has during the last few years.
done the very deeds which il would attribute TO
Others not only by reducing wages. bu, by actual
ly causing state Of things which threw the work.
insmen ont of employment altogether
! But the Presidents letter Is so admirable in it.