The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-05-02

i Those who take this position do not
| understand that the object or design Of
money is to measure the value Of all
other property, or else they are aiming
| to practice fraud on the unsuspecting.
| Now the planters land and all that it
| yields, in the island of Cuba under the
! bank system supposed in my last num-
Der, will be trebled in value. But does
| the supposed bank in fact make money
j plentier, or enable the planter to clear
another acre ofland or to build anoth-
er house! Let us test the truth ofthis
matter. b I.s,,s ..f, ,..., -.,,..s. H ts.,s
/ Under the old or specie system the
! planters surplus products sold for say
4 $500. Under the new or bank system
| his land raised to three times its former
price and his surplus products to $500
instead Of $500. Now the planter, un-
der this new state Of things, calls on a
laborer to clear five acres of land for
which he formerly paid SIS Or three
dollars per acre. The laborer now
asks $40 or nine dollars per acre for
clearing five acres. Why, says the
planter, you formerly cleared five acres
for me for SIS. True, says the labor
er, but you then paid me in the pro-
ducts ofyour land at one third less than
they now sell for. could barely live
| then and cannot take less now. Well,
says the planter, but will pay you in
money, That says the laborer, will not
alter the case for must. exchange the
money [bank notes. for something to
| live on at. three times its former price.
] The planter next calls on carpenter
to build house. His bill proves to be
three times as large, as formerly, for
the same work. The same coloquy
ensues and ends in the same results
the planter gives nominally three times
as much for his home as it would have
formerly cost him, and yet, in fact pays
no more, as the mechanic is not bene-
fitted by the increased price because
it must again be expended for articles
\ at the same ratio. What is true in
these two cases, is true in all others.
UNLESS it be an exception against the
lwages Of common labor. -'
4 0Inow appeal to the good sense ofthe
industrial classes and ask if it is the
banks that clear forests, build houses
and make, varied improvements which
rise in majestic splendor.
"Where late yell'd the savage and wolves how'd
! forprey"
! Why, Sir, the assertion is an insult
to the common sense of mankind, which
no one but bank aristocrats and their
cringing vassals would dare to utter in
country Of equal rights. Again it is
said that men will work with more as
siduity if their wages as laborers and
| artisans, or their profits as farmers are
| only NORMALLY HIGH. This is theory
which, if true, proves the industrial clas-
ses to be incapable Of discovering their
true interests evenin pecuniary point
ofview. This | cannot believe, though
| grant that the toiling millions have
been duped into the belief that it is their
pecuniary interests to have banks as
means of increasing the profits of their
various pursuits. And this is the very
deluson which | yet hope TO see oblit-
Grated from their minds. This delusion
| is the love of their prosperity-a Stun
bling block which prevents them from
coming up to the rescue Of their own
dearest rights. fst. The abuses Of
Government, in aiding capital to op-
| press labor, have been SO cunningly di-
| vised that more time is requisite to dis.
cover and expose them than has here
tofore been given to the subject. Cd.
These abuses, have become sacred by
time. srd. Every advocate Of remov-
ing these abuses, one advocated By the
whole democrdtic party, is denounced
as a dangerous innovator on the long
established customs Of the country, by
the whole monied arstocracy irrespec-
tive Of party, for the reason that their
craft is in danger. 4th. Party ties bind
the Whigportion Of the producing clas-
ses to- their party organizations, and
render majority Of them deaf to all
arguments against the favorite policy
their leaders, which is sustained by all
the arguments and sophistry that talent
and ingenuity can invent. 5th. The
Democratic party, though claiming to
be the party of progress, by taking
stand against ALL MoNoPoLIEs necessa
| rlly subjects itself TO the charge Of
changing its principles. 9th. The love
ofoaice too MAY POSSIBLY prevent some
from taking stand in favor Of the
rights Of labor, as The issue is SAID to be
SO unpopular that Todd will be beaten
fifty thousand votes, z
TO remove this delusion from the
minds Of the people then must be the
work Of time. Error. sustained bv