Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1843-10-07
Inv Prgrrsp Fr5a, .Ie Marion County Wing.
The old Farmers Appeal to the Laboring Class
of Community.

of Community.
The laboring class produce the wealth-consti-
tute the detence-and occasion the prosperity OF
nation. la short, they are "the bone and sin~
CIV" of country. Aud 1t IS in proportion as
their interests promoted-as their energies
awakened, and their moral, intellectual and
physical faculties developed, that nation
becomes truly great and prosperous. Let q gov
ernmen', by its fostering care raise up an intel
iigent laboring class, that feel that they hold a
rank IN the scale OF beng above that OF being
merely "hcwers of wood and drawers of water"
for the rich that they not drudges and tools
for purse proud aristocracy, and above all, let
them feel that they WELD the destlntes OF great
People, and that country is safe from toreig inva-
sion, internal commotion. 10 you then, fel-
low laborers, ! appeal. Ours is republic gov
ernmeut of the PEOPLE, and as you are the most
numerous class, the power is In your own hands,
you control The government of this country,
and you accountable If 1t IS not properly ad-
ministered. Unless you shut your eyes, you can
not be ignorant of the :nisrule that ls land.
Our government the hands Of an ARIsroC-
RAcY-those that live on the products OF your
iabor--men who know bat little IN relation to
your interests, and care LEss--who have no sym
PATTY for You, and instead Of legislatlng for your
interest, wrauge for the spoils of office. | pay
abou, Ell CHIT dollars tax annually, which is Jns,
enough to pay Congressman for one day,
hut | canno, obtain 1t by sixteen days labor
Surely this is not right that sixteen Of our class
should not equal one of theirs. | have been for
Il years pretty much of silent observer OF these
things, and Judging of the future by the past,
should think, that if the present rulers suf-
fered TO hold the reins of government few years
longer, that twice sixteen laborers would not be
equal to Of their class. My object, fellow
laborers, is to endeavor to induce you to take Up
the matter al once. exercise your own rights and
bring back the government where IL properly be
,nok a. VIZ
object Of all governments should be to produce
the greate amount of happiness to the larges
number. And as you constitute the majority
why should YOU be excluded from an equal voice
in the halls oflegisIa,ion? do not say that you
should hold all the Offices, but | say you should
hold equal share IN proportion to your numbers
Are not the mechanical, manufacturing and agri
cultural interests, the CHIEF Interests of our coun
try? and who faithfully represent, and SC
fully guard those great interests as mechanics
manufacturers and farmers
That laborng men are capable of legislating
experience proves. A large proportion Of the
the mos, talented men Of the country have beer
+ found in this class. Such among The
trainers Of our Constitution, which has never
been surpassed By man; and Rome was never
more prosperous, than when she called mat
/ from the PLOUGH to guide The affair. of the
ton At Ieas, we ough, no, to let Office seeker:
make the nominations, and they have too long
/ exercised mat usu1peu pfFiiege' "A CeIkali SO
a, the county seats usually control the nomna
tons. Ii MUST have aristocracy TO rule
over US, let US, lat least as long we are allow
ed the right Of suffrsge,) assert the privilege o
selecting such choose, this CAN do, fol-
if they will make their NOMINATIONS we can lie
them do their own voting, and we will vote fo
whom we please. | think il is time for Us to be
gin TO act 10 this matter. | have not yet maturec
any plan, but will merely suggest the outlines o
one, and wish any one who feels any interest ID
the object. TO reply TO it and give his views Inc
plan which would suggest is the following A
the first township meeting after the plan can bt
ma;ured let each township adopt Constitution
with suitable officers. Something Ike this, tha
at the annual township elections, at a suIta bit
hour say Ii o'clock, proclamation shall be made
at the door of the house where the election IS he'll
that the voters of this nsbip present III pro
coed 10 elect on motion, a certain number Of del
egates lie, the number OF each township be pro
portlonate TO the number of yo.ers) TO meet will