The daily union., 1854-12-28


We would call the attention of the reader to the very
ably-writen communication which will be found In an
other column in review and defence of the army bill re-
ported to the Senate by Gen Shields chairman of the
COMMITTEES on Military Affairs.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE INTERESTS OF
LABOR
Every page of the history of the democratic party
ered bright by the struggles made and the victories won
by its udomitable hosts in defence Of the rights and inter-
es of labor against the aggressons and exactons OF con-
cenraed and incorporated capital The warfare carried
ON for so many years against the american system was
warfare against the power and the tendency of concena-
ted wealth to oppress and yrannize aboring men,
The greatest victory ever achieved for labor that in
which the united democracy oyerthrew and forever prosa
ted the United States Bank The American system was
composed of the bank protective tariff and general
system of internal improvements The bank was the
potent engine through which the whole machinery
was upheld and kept in motion. Located in Phila-
delpha with its branches diffused the Union
it exercised despotic power all the State
eyed Institutions and regulated and controlled the mon
etay affairs OF the country according to the sovereign
pleasure of few directors in the mother bank In strict
combination with the incorporated capital (and often fur
was the efficient power sustaining high protective ta
riff whilst the policy of squanderng money upon wild
and exavagant system of internal improvements furnish
ed the most plausible preext for heavy exactions from the
people The whole system combination of capital
TO enrich mpower itself the expense Of labor The
profits of the bank exactons wrung from the sweat
and labor of the olng millions The dividends made by
the manufacturing companies derived from legislative
oPl
proposed be aquandercd upon internal improvements
were to be drawn o burdens imposed by Congress upon
the energies and the industry of the working classes
may be useful at this point to pause and reflect upon
prominent feature the machinery by which capital sought
to make permanent its dominion labor 1t was to all
nens and purposes effort to erect in country
secret despotism which should control the government
itself who then knew the policy of the board of bank
directors in regard monetary affairs until it was de-
vcoped in its eects9 The order to expand which food
ed the country with bank issues and stimulated spirit
of wild speculation was secret order known only
TO the few initiated favorites If an election to
be carried by bringing the money power to bear upon the
democratic candidates. the order for its cohsammaton
concocted in the secret of the bank If prom-
nent democrat obnoxious to Mr. Bdde and to be
overwhelmed with detacton and abuse the order which
procured the assaults be made prepared in the
crccy of the bank paror The whole machinery which
capital relied for the oppression of labor operated in
secrecyin this respect furnishing the model after which
the present know nothing organization has been formed
Nchoas Biale mas The first great political hnow-nohing,
and like those o. Tie present dy he relied upon the secrecy Of
his plans for success This principle adhered to with
such bold pertinacy that The power of the government
itself was defed when Gen. Jackson determined to bring
10 Itch dial don cteriea off hank Daro
There was another feature in that contest which de-
serves to be noticed The present time. When General
Jackson declared war upon The bank the head of the
combination there democrats who ered in the face
of SO formidable an opponent they in the field.
Some of them recovered from their Detection but
fell Off from the democratic party and after taryng short
while at the half-we house. finally became absorbed by
the opposition to the democracy In this great issue be-
tween the rights of labor against the grasping exacons
and aggressons of Incorporated monopoes it never oc-
CURED to the leader of the democracy his strug
gle with the power wealth resort secret associations
for the purpose of securing triumph The democracy OF
that day marched the open day with their principles
emblazoned on their banners The whole nature of An
drew jackson was open, frank and straightforward He
despcd all secrecy in political apsaeons and he impress
ed his own noble characteristics upon the democratic hosts
wealth. and he relied for upon the outspoken
timents ard judgments of democrats. He would have
spuraed the suggestion Of secret combination as wholly
inconsistent with the first principles Of true democracy
He put his trust in the unbought judgments Of the honest
masses and with these his friends he entered into the
conflict with the bank The victory in that contest
far crippled the power of incorporated wealth. that it
was succeeded in due time by other democratic ramphs,
which still further checked the encroachments of capital
and gave freedom and independence to labor.
To suppose that party which gories in such record of
openness fairness and boldness in all its political conflicts
could now seduced into abandonment Of all its no
BILE attributes by retiring into cellars, garres
erns, to concoct schemes of political power in the
darkness of midnight and under revolving oaths Of
secrecy, is 10 offer TO the democracy gross insult The
insult aggravated when this invitation proceeds from
an organization which has allied itself to the worst
foes of democracy and has deemed il disgrace form
combinations with every faction which has sought the
overthrow of the democratic party But when this
organization comes forward from its coalitions with
abol;tonism and free-sosm and whgsm, to set up the
claim that it is the peculiar friend of labor and upon that
preension TO seek an alliance with southern democrats the
measure of its impudence and wickednes is nl TO over
flowing Its very organization is stolen from the grea'