Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-01-28
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c. l.. SHoLES, EDITOR.
Friday, Jan. IS. IS4S.

IL Our Parisrille correspondent, according to
our way of thinking has very correct notion OF
the matters and things of which he treats. From
the earth springs all wealth. and whilst our legsla
tors have filed statute books TO protect and enrich
the trades and pro esions which depend upon agri-
culure the latter has been left to struggle as best
it might Bnt agriculture asks no protection at the
hands of legislators simply asks that the statute
books may be purged of the manifold laws, which,
serving good end, operate as a continual tax and
drain upon the wealth it produces and which
should belong to it. The world population may
be divided into three classes one half labor and
produce all the wealth and comfort there is, another
quarter are employed about that which is worse
than useless, and the balance, another quarter do
nothing at alive mean that part of the world
which calls itsefcivilized-and the two latter elias
ses have infinitely more of the wealth than those
who produce it. No man needs be told that this
is al incorrect and unnatural state of afairs-the
only question is as to the cause and remedy, and
more particularly as to the latter. Ii is state OF
things growing out of misconception of rights
and duties, and which has been transmitted TO us
with various notifications from early periods. In
the earlier and darker periods of mems intellects
blind adherence and willing obedience on the part
Of the many to the few was demanded and conceded
The mass had no rights and but few privileges
their persons and property both subject to the
accidental lords Of the soil This may be said to
have been the age of force Since then light has
crept in upon the mass of mnd--revouti ms have
been had, thrones have tottered and the knowledge
Of individual rights has attained some progress
Those who would tyrranizc have been compelled
to modify the means. People are no longer will
ling TO acknowledge themselves the property of any
one who chooses to assert such claim, and as
consequence the age of force has been succeeded by
the age of cunning. People are just fond of pos.
sessing all the good things of the earth without la
Dor to acquire them, now as they were then but as
the mass will not submit to open and bold robbery
cunning must take its place. Under plea of pro-
tecting and regulating, we are taxed in every con
ceyable manner and shape. A Gordon of custom
houses stretches from Maine to Texas, our waters
swarm with revenue cutters and ships of war-lO
| 900 men are permanently maintained as a standing
army, and some $4,000 are now temporarily en-
pIoyed in Mexico. But this is all but a trhe com
pared with the burthens which arise from internal
and social Our legislaures are continually
tinkering TO regulate the currency-systems of
banking are created, whose whole existence is
swindlc and which end in grand explosion-use
less laws are created and millions ofuen employed
to administer them, &c. &c, all of which must be
paid for by him who develops the wealth of the
country l. it any wonder that honest labor has the
least of the worlds goods and holds the lowest sta
ton in society.
But what is the remedy and how to be applied
Our correspondent we believe has hit one source of
the difficulty in the way Of reform These ques
tons entrusted to the men whose interests and
whose educations are averse to change. Whilst
the great mass who feel the evil can see the neces-
sity Of reform these feel it not and consequent
y can neither see appreciate such necessity. But
why do not the producers who in this free country
have the strength interpose remedy. The trouble
with us all is that we are much more apt to quar-
rel about the shadow than the substance of things
We will 60 to the death to secure the success of
men who call themselves by certain names, and
thinking we have done our whole duty, sit quietly
down and calmly sec these men violate every prin
ciple which the name implies. Another difficulty
is we arc never sufficiently definite in minds as
to what we wish to accomplish. We talk much
about great and glorious principles and study but
little what these great and glorious principles de
mand of US. The difficulty can be remeded. Let
great and glorious principles take care ofthemselves
they are amply able. Organize for relorm-in
town districts for town reform-n legislative dis
trct' for legislative reform, and in Congressional
districts for Congressional reform; make known
the measures you wish TO accomplish and select
vour men with reference to the ends to be obtained
and your labor will be productive offruits. Great
principles the ultimate of lesser--if the lesser
he guarded, the ultimate cannot come out wrong,
and all efforts which look to the interest of labor
must and do correspond with the highest democra-