Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-22
From the Washington City Constitution,
THE PLUMBER PRINCIPE g.


THE PLUMBER PRINCIPLE.
There are antagonizing principles and
forces throughout the whole moral as well
as material world. Falsehood IS opposed
to truth-wrong 10 lusiice--yiolence and
outrage to peace and order. And in a
state Of society, there are always few,
whose objects and interest are ever OPP
posed to that Of the many. The whole
history of our race shows that there is all
ways portion Of society-and that In
variaby the smallest poriion-who seek,
for ambitious aggrahdizement or sordid
qualification, to appropriate to themselves
the results of labor, and to WELD, for like
purposes, that power which legitimately
resides in the body of the people. The
right and the will of the many is the great
Democratic principle, as developed in
our happy political system, aud is opposed
now, as 1t ever has been, by the selfish
ness and sinister objects of the few.
The freedom of the human will and
the right to its unfettered exercise, were
the object and result of our Revolution.
That divine principle. worked out by the
exertions and sealed by the blood of its
martyrs, was applied in all its energy, by
our forefathers, in setting up our political
systems. Here, in the United States, of
all the countries which the sun in his cir.
cult looks upon, can man be said TO be free
in the enjoyment of his social, political,
and religious rights. And yet here, even
here, we see the proof and the illustra-
ton, that poper is allcays stealing from
the many to the fen. We cannot always
trace the manner or the means, by which
it is effected; but still, like the invisible
but unceasing law of gravitation, The VI
cious principle is always drawing from the
circumference to the centre.
Wealth clans for itself peculiar privi-
leges, and enforces its demands by the in
fluence of corrupting nature. It is diff
cult thing to find a man of wealth, who
does not think that his influence in the So
cial and political system ought to be in
proportion to his riches. And he CONT
nully uses his wealth to increase his
wealth, and to advance his interests in the
State. The rich, from common instinct
and a common object, invariably unite in
common league against the most numer-
Gus, but poorer class Of society. The aris-
tocrdtic in feeling, the proud and the do
mineering, are always attracted TO the
rich, and together, they make up that class
which ever has been, and ever will be,
opposed to the rights Of the many. Their
whole policy and purpose isto live without
labor-by artificial means; whilst the ma
ny live according to the command of their
Maker-by the sweat Of their brow. The
fer, here characterized and defined, not
only constitute class, but party. It is
immaterial, however, what party designa-
ton they may for the time take, they seek
TO live and attain their purposes by policy
and plumber. Hence they are the advo
Gates of banks, corporations with cxclu.
sive privileges, protective tariffs, and in,
Vulnerable other schemes, which result ir
the plumber of the many for the benefit o
the few.
The unjust and pernicious influences o
these principles in their practical opera
tons, upon classes, interests, and section,
il shall be our business to show hereafter
II is our purpose to pursue this subjec
from time TO time, when matter more ur
gent is not pressing upon our attention.
We shall first endeavor TO exhibit the ma
ked deformity Of the plumber principle
through the operations of high protec
tive tariff