Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-19
WASHINGTON, April Is, 1853.

To the Editor of the Euening Star:
SIR,-The recent movement of journey
men printers in New Yor K City is an event
that merits the earliest consideration of the
mechanic labor of our country. 1t involves
principle that is important to all of every
profession; and as humble member of the
Corps Topographic, feel an earnest pride to
know that my brethren Of New York are
among the first to bring the matter in
tangible shape before the great bar of pub
lie opinion.
The principle resolves itself into direct
issue between labor and capital. The
former, by mutual, combination, undertake
to establish certain rules for its protection;
while the latter, by the influence of wealth,
endeavors to resist them. To close observ-
er of events, there is certainly nothing novel
presented by this issue, as the efforts of
wealth and capital have ever been directed
towards resisting the advancement of honest
labor, and establishing the right to do as
they please in reference to the affairs of their
dependents. They have imagined it
''divine right to take the poor under their
immediate control and guardianship as
inferior beings, devoid of understanding
and incapable of self-government; and with
this view arrogate the tutor in teaching
them duties, principles, and lessons of
economy; and regard with ''holy horror
the spread of other intelligence than that
which issues through their own channels.
Their peculiar domestic policy" is sacred,
and they deem it s.high treason for mis-
sionaries to preach the rights of man within
the precincts of their caliphate. 1t is against
this imbecile servility that the printers of
New York have directed their efforts, and
they are fast accomplishing what plurality
of the human race have for ages been vainly
striving-an elevation of mechanic labor.
The Democracy of Labor should be
discarded, as vestige of tyranny and
corruption. Under its guise the laborer
has wasted his energies in fruitless at
tempt at elevation-contracted his spirits
into compass that precluded the least
possibility Of ambition-unnerved his very
soul into state Of the most servile bond
age, and lay passive and unresisting, the
mere toy of his taskmaster.
1t is time we had an "Aristocracy of
Labor for it alone has the power to erect
and level, and the resources of our country
are only developed by its agency. A con-
centration Of capital is in the end but
concentration Of labor. The former is
powerless without the latter; and if the
efforts of legislation are exclusively directed
towards the aggrandizement of the former,
let the efforts Of combination be directed
exclusively towards the benefit of the latter
If the 'honest brown face of the mechanic
impales him from the benefit of legislation,
in justice let him legislate for himself The
labors of the rich consist of speculation and
usury, that of the poor in augmenting the
capital of the rich by the sweat of their
brow. If the former is wronged, he seeks
ASNASSS ~ SPSS1oi 1CSioloIiNC CIIiStLuCut.
Who legisates for the latter? Under the
sanction Of law the former become privileged
to rear marble usury halls, and establish
cent. per cent. ''scaze," with power to increase
indefinitely. The ':scale'' of the latter is
framed at the mercy of the former.
Certain presses in New York have under
taken to show the "unrighteousness" of
the late action of their printers. Let us
examine the question fairly, upon the
grounds of sound reason. A class of me-
chanics combine for their protection, and
pass measures which they mutually agree
to enforce, as being absolutely necessary to
afford them that protection. Every indivi-
dual, therefore, in uniting himself with this
league, virtually delivers his liberty to the
will of the majority. The league governs
his actions, that they may accord with the
actions of the league. 1t tells him what he
shall do, and what he shall not do. He is
governed by its majority, and if (as the
Sun laments) ''men not connected with any
particular establishment are made tho