The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-06-13
From the Columbia Spy, (neutrai)
The Reign OF Capital.


We have had pretty well electrified win
accounts OF the enoTmes committed under me Reign
OF Terror. Tyranny has terrified the world IN an ages
and in various forms. The career oil the bloody Nero
reign OF errora terror so nhuman tha us cIueiy
spared his mother The vicegerency OF herod
The Iearch ended IN reign Oh terror, ~h snd 'ne cue
with vain hope of destroying rival prince, in person
of the babe OF Bethlehem And so we might go on emu,
which the page of history in all past ages is stained
But there reigns of terror in our day, and
in own land' True, we have no Neros nor Herods-
no Bases Spanish inquisons-bn terror not less
mighty because silent and nsidious than those of
the dark ages is even now dealing oppression and ruin
around us.
This is the reign of tapitds
So long are free from the throes Of civil war; the
struggles Of revolutions, apt to fancy ourselves
free from the shackles of tyranny. But in this we are
often mistaken The progress OF the mightiest evil is
often silent as the gathering rain cloud Which pours its
torrents on the astonshed earth beneath We fear it is
thus with the rapidly increasing power Of capital is
growing evil whose unmlsakable results must sooner
or later be greatly depored The power of capital is
almost omnipoient 1t already sways the destnles of
millions with iron rule and the genius OF liberty in
vokes this the government she delights to call her own,
place all restrictions upon compatible with the spirit
OF democracy
That the reign Of capital in all or most corporate bodies
is reign OF terror, is but too fearfnly illustrated In the
history of every day. A charter is granted to body
which does not possess som II may be invested with
the power to issue pro'ses to pay TO build railroads,
or to erect cotton factories Thus incorporated, it pos
the power body contract debts and enforce
payments. Oh course, the profits arising from such
combination OF capital are very great, otherwise our
legislature would not be flooded with SO many applca-
tons for charters. But when such body Is unable or
unwilling to meet its liabilities, It's poweress CREDITORS
begin to feel the tyranny OF the reign Of capital The
directors of "bfpken bank may live In luxurious
sPlendor the rest OF their iiveshemselves and families
enjoying the ll-goten gains of combined capital while
there is no redress Tor those who were SO unfortunate
TO receive their fraudulent proises 10 pay" The body
is dismembered and the sou 10 nowhere to be found
The too frequent recrfcnce OF such disastrous results
calls loudly fer The adoption OF the individual liability in
all chartered institutions When commercial firm fails
10 sustain their credit the private property of such indi-
there is good reason why this should not be in all
corporate bodies. Ii would to the creditor his
rights, while it would deprive the corporation Of no
privilege which honest men would wish 10 enjoy. 1t
discreet in the management OF their affairs Having a
soul which is liable to be punished for the oehces of the
body, they would be cageul to avoid all errors which
might lead to such an infection.
The tyranny Of the reign of capital sorey felt in our
cotton factories The prosperity and enterprise of dis
,ric judged by the number and strength of its manufac-
turing houses but is fact too plain to be denied that
the capital combined in such enterprise rapidly becoming
the devilish engine Of oppression.
Woman is dragged from her proper position in society
to endure prvaions from which the but less self
sacrificing would shrink back in despair By this tyr
reign OF capital the pure young girl is drawn
from the bosom OF her vftuous though humble home
and placed in close contact with the most Communicating
| Influences
Those finer shades OF feeling and delicate sensibilies
which much adorn the heart of woman become blast
ed and too often entirely destroyed by the moral MAS
ata which surrounds her in the magnificent pureus of
capital The calm retreat of home is the sacred province
of woman and whatever power drags her from thence is
tyrant, whose reign becomes Reign of Terror" II
becomes the duty OF all to raise their warning voice
against its aggressions