The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-11-13


Indian into King, and is now interfering with
our treaties with those American States, and in
tcrccpting our free Intercourse with our sister
States on the Pacific.
Such is the power and influence of corpora
ton IN 4 monarchical government. Let us now
tu1n to America, where the sovereign power is,
or at least nominally is, in the whole people, and
| see what has been. and now is the power and in
hucnce Of corporations here. The most nuncr-
Gus classes of corporations in this country are
Banking, and Cotton, and Wool Manufacturing
Corporations. Besides these, the Rail Road and
| lron Mongers are becoming somewhat notori-
Gus and clamorous. The antagonist of these
corporations arc Agriculture, with its handmade,
! the Mechanic Arts. These corporations are usn-
ally small. Except the United States B.nk,
which had a capital Of fifty Millions their capt.
al stock usually ranges from $50,O0O up to
$4,000 ,O0o, and, single handed, their influence
would not be formidable; but what may they not
do when they unite their power How was it
with the Banks? Our national currency is gold
and silver. The agricultural interests required
not only soura currency, which had in itself
intrinsic "-;ue, but it required stability both in
the standard value and in the amount, except
that there might be uniform increase of money.
Speculation being the object Of banking its in
terests could bes! be subserved by tiuctuaton in
the currency, and of course prices. This could
be accomplished both by increasing and dimin-
Ishing the amount Of money, and by dvesting
it of its standard, intrinsic value. Paper
best adapted to the purpose. The banks al uni
ted their power to control the currency, and
change it from metallic to paper. A rc-cilnrter
OF the U. States Bank would accomplish it To
effect this, all the banks in the States united
their influence First they extended their loans
till there were $300,GO0,O 900 of paper in circuIa-
ton in the States, at time when there was but
about 75 000 900 ofspecc, all told, in the States,
and not moro than half of that in the vaults Of
the banks. Every wallet was flush; speculation
was rife, and prices enormous. Unable to re-
deem this paper at the call of the people, the
ne Nt move was to suspend specie payments
Their paper became worthless, and confidence
was destroyed. In less than one year, these
banks curtailed their circulation down to &c.
100000, and hustled nearly all the specie into
their vaults. Prices FELL and honest men lost
their dues. But need not depict the result
All remember the political whirlwind of 1870,
as we'll as the bankrupt law which followed it.
to wipe out the promises made on the faith of
an inflated paper currency. Such are some Of
the powers and influences of bank corporations.
Another example is fresh in the recollection Of
every one. | refer to the demand of manufac-
| turing corporations for protcctirc tariff: These
| corporations are less numerous than banks. and
nearly four fit tbs Of them are confined to the six
New England States; and even there, not
in ten of the people are interested in them. And
yet their united power has controlled the action
of our National Legislature, and triumphcd over
The sovereignty Of the great Agricultural part of
the nation. The people arose in their might to
redress their wrongs; but though the tariff of
1916 is infinitely more liberal than that of S42,
yet | apprchcnd that no one will deny that the
corporations won the victory, and slept on the
battle ground In spite Of all Inconsistencies,
agriculture is compelled to pay tithcs to these
corporations. Free trade and direct taxation
have not been established, and cannot be.
duty Of 30 per cent 10 p"u for The express bone
fit Of .l.rsc corporations, and the power Of cor
porations will compel it to be so. The asscr-
ton that the people will not submit to direct
taxation, is libel on their patriotism. 1t is say
ing that the people have not patriotism enough
to support their government, unless it is cheat
ed out of them. Our own State government is
| supported by direct tax, and so is that Of eve
ry other State in the Union; and sound political
economy, as well as equal justice, would require
the General Government to be supported in the
same way. But such system would not only
cut off this 80 per cent protection from these
corporations, but would tax The property of all
corporations to support the government But
| on tins subject, the sovereign power has already
passed from the people into the hands Of these
corporations, or rather the favored few who own
! them.
Such being the nature and power Of corpora
lions, it seems to me the people should be very
careful about surrendcrng their power to them.
AS said in the beginning, every exclusive pri-
vilcgc granted to them is an Infringement upon
the sovcign power Indeed, is not the peoples
government now becoming nugntory by the uni
| ted power of special privileges which have been
granted to corporations. To the great mass Of
agricultnriss and mechanics, 0hc bone and mus
Gle Of the naon,) say, be Jealous fyour ri ghts,
and your sovereignty. Already the corporate
letters of arisocracv are canklng at your heels.
| Their siren song will ever be sounding in your
cars like the voice of the IIarlot to the 'simpe
one,' when s'she caught him and kissed him,
and with an impudcnt face, said, Behold, thou
art fair my love- thou hast doves eyes within thy
! locks have covered my bed with coverings Of
tapestry and fine linen from Egypt; come let
US take our fill Of love together But the voice
of wisdom says, ego not astray in their paths;
they will bite like serpent and sting like an
adder f. w. EASTMAN.
Dramatic Passage Between n Khalir and
Peasant.
| The Khalf Al Mohdi being one day engaged
in hunting match, strayed from his attendants,
and, being pressed with hungar and thirst, was
obliged to bctake himscfto an Arabs tent, in
order to meet with some rclrcshncnt. The
poor man Immediately brought out his coarse
brown bread and pot of milk. AL Mohd asked
him if he had nothing else to give him; upon
which the Arab went directly to fetch him Jug
of wine, aud presented it to him. After the
Khalif had drunk good draught, he demanded
of the Arab whether he did know him: The
other having answered that he did not
g. would have you know then,'' replied AL
Mohdi ''that am one Of the principal lords Of
the Khalifs court
After he had taken another drnught, he put
the same question to the Arab; who answer
ing
" Have | not. already told you that know you
not?'
Al Mohti returned, " I am much greater per
son than have, made you believe
Then he drank again, and asked his host the
third time, whether he did not know him? TO
which the other replied.
''That he might depend upon the truth of the
answer he had already given
"I am, them said Al Mohd 'thc Khalif,
before whom all the world prostate themselves
The Arab sooner heard those words, than
he carried off the pitcher, and would not suffer
his finest to drink any more. AL Mohdi being