New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-10-22

champion OF perfect equality has been able 10 de-
sire nothing beyond II, except The wild project Of
distributing lprcper,y on the dea,h of Ire ~, nor.
anens the whole community. Our exoe,;.nc,
assures Us. however, that the most prinecly for.
tuhes revert to the common stock quite ast enough
withoaf any other contrivance than such laws as
have stated, and that grea, leveIler, who come,
sooner or ia'er 10 all men, and places all on per
feet equality
| mere are Instances, 1t is tue ia tins country
OF enormous individual wealth-irrauent instances
OF independent individual fortunes, BUT who ar q
| they that possess them, and whence did they de-
rive tsemf From some old ancestors. who won
broad lands and proud titles in the field of battle
-or in the Sesate--at the bar-or The coun,ins
house If you look for such inherited fortunes
as these, you viii discover that they were long
since Observation-Disclosures with every revolution OF
the seasons they are diminishing in very few
instances can one of their descendants call the
root tree OF his fathers house his own. Mo-
these are the fruits OF indipidaat INDUSTRY skill
or enterprise. And you can seldom trace their
history farther back than to find them commanding
a trading sloop to the West Indies purchasing fur
IN small quantities on the frontier or selling ex-
celient groceries at first rate stand for business
lhey are seit-made mrn-,he architects of their
own fortunes; and yield thousand fold more
respect 10 such as they, than can ever feel for
one who owes his wealth and his standing in the
world, TO the mere accident OF birth ard feel
too, when their names are uttered in the marts OF
commerce, and the country rings from side 10 side
with the story of their success that thoush we
have no titles higher than thar OF Captain. which
is given to the President-no others except those
that glitter upon the azure folds of our national
nag that tins is the country-not for the poor
rnan-not for the rich man-but for MAN
A very important and striking feature in our po-
htlcal and social system, which is indeed the In.
evitable result OF our institutions and laws, is.
that there Is no arstocracy among us--not even
an aristoeracy of wealth. An arisrocracy cannot
exist without peculiar and exclusive PRIVILEGES
and rights, recognised, sanctioned and upheld by
law. There cannot be, in this country, even a
contederacy or combination among the rich men to
acquire peculiar privileges. They have none to
defend. There is no clanship no esprit du corps
among them. They are not like the hereditary no.
bes OF Europe, whose names are enrolled in
heraldic college set apart from the rest of man
kind, designated by titles, marked by badges of
homer, bound together by intermarriases, by
community of interests and of feelings, distinct
order in the State; nothing Of all this, and they
are mutable besides the notes that float in
the summer air. Death is ever busily at work in
Remembering all overgrown fortunes. Misfor-
tunes, too--and, alas they have ruined thick and
fast during the last twelve years-do their share
in the ceaseless work Of diffusion. The rich man
OF to-day is the poor man of Tomorrow. And
while from these causes, mulutudes are passing
out, thousands are, in the land, passing into this
charmed circle, for those who commenced life
with no inheritance but poverty. II line could
be drawn between the two classes, at any given
moment, and then FIVE years pass away, doubs
whether the smaller portion could be recognized
as the same. Hundreds hundreds would be
found to have changed places, And to speak OF
clan of men thus constituted az an aristocracy, Is
as sound and sensible philosophy as to point to
the insects of summer emblems OF eternity.
The condition Of the laborng classes in the
United States, which we are next to consider. is
admitted to be better than in any other
country in the world They are already in that
position which the laborers of other countries are
struggling 10 attain. The rate Of wages IS mcom-
parably higher than in any other countryside
means of comfort, not TO say wealth, more easily
accessible. Owing to their vast numbers, and 10
the possession of all political rights their influence
in the Government is controlling and resstless,
and all Legislation is shaped in promotion OF their
interest. rather than those of any other class.
Without having examined the laws of all the
States, which would be IN Herculean task,
dare 10 affirm, that not statute can be found in
force, in any one of the States, which establishes
Or recognises any inequality of right or privilege
between them and other persons OF if such
statute can be found, it is their fault that it re-
mains upon the statute book single year. They
rave but 70 speak the word and il is done-to com
nand, and it is repealed. Nay, the universal SEN
iment among American statesmen is That the le
,isalon and policy of the Government should be
uch as TO lend aid and encouragement to tho
poorer classes, and leave the rich to take care of
themselves. They have accordingly been ex-
remedy liberal in granting acts Of Incorporation,
~ which men of small means may combine and
compete with The richest capitalists in any branch
If Industry. BY the late Bankrupt Law of the
United States in OF insolvency, the wages Ut
he laborer, up to certain amount, are preferred
md are to be paid--a wise and humane provision,
which was borrowed from Massachusetts. With
he laws of that State | profess to have some ac-
Iuaintance, and in their general bearing and cha
acter ! suppose them to be similar to those Of
,ther States. Aud challenge any to put
lis finger upon statute there, that gives to the
nan of q million one ot or title more Of right OF
privilege than to the laborer thar ploughs his held,
II the needy knife-grinder, that spins his wheel
It his door.
What magic words were those which have been
or years upon the lips of statesmen, to which The
People have responded, as deep calleth unto deep?
Not the Protection of American Wealth, but the
Protection of American Industry. And what
ire all the Societies and Institutes, that are estab-
ished in almost every State, and sustained at
,reat expense, but the voluntary efforts OF the
People, who can afford it, TO stimulate American
industry? This great and splendid Institution
which have the honor tn address is itself noble
PRACTICAL illustration of American policy. Here
ire the merchant princes, the capitalists, nay,
he very arisrocrats of NewYork, giving freely
If their time, of their influence, OF their wealth.
rot 10 obtain special privileges for themselves,