Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1856-07-16
Mr.. Buchanan q Friend Of the Laborel

Mr.. Buchanan q Friend Of the Laborer.
Some of the more inscriptions o.
the Know Nothing press have re-
Gently attempted to cast odium upon
Mr.. Buchanan, by representing him
as~favoring the reduction Of the price
of labor to ''ten cents day." 7 hat
this is abase SANDER and falsehood,
and that tits revived now to injure
the standing Of Mr.. Buchanan v nth
the laboring population, is manifest
to all. But it will not work. The
story is>too absurd to gain credence
with reasonable men; and we allude
to it now for the purpose of making
knowto our readers the real views t
Mr.. buchanan, as expressed by him
in speech in the. Senate while the
Sub Treasury bill was beinsdiscussed ed.
Let working men read and understand
the liberal sentiments Of the Penns.yl'
vanis statesman: !
1--WE are also charged by the Sen
ator from Kentucky with desire TO
reduce the wages of the poor man 5
labor. We have been often termed
agrarians on our side of the house.
1t is something new under the sum to
hear the Senator and his friends at
tribute to us n desire to elevate the
wealthy manufacturer at the EXPENSE
ofthe laboring man and the mechanic.
E0m mi soul Prospect the. laborthy
man. Labor IS the Formulation CT
tie wealM Of ere1'y country; and
the laborcrs~ IF these States deserve
respect for their pr0bity and tmtelE-
gence. Heaven forbid thatt should
do them wrong. OF all the countries
on. the earth, we ought to have
the most consideration for the labor
ing man. From the veryhature ofohr
institutions, the wheel of fortune is
constantly revolving and producing
such: mutations. in property that the
wealthy man of to-day may become
the poor laborer Of tomorrow. -
Truly wealth often takes TO itself
wings and flies away. A large fortune
rarely lasts beyond the third gen
Grafton, even ii it endure SO long
We must all know instances of indi-
viduals obliged to labor for their daily
bread whose grandtathers were men
of fortune. The regular process Of
society would almost seem to consist
of the efforts of one class to dissipate
the fortunes which they have inherit
ed, whilst another class, by industry
and economy. are regularly rising to
wealth. We hare all, therefore, a
common interest, as ii IS or conf
mon duty, TO protect the rights q
the laboring man; and if ! believed
for a moment that this bill would
prove injurious TO him, it should
meet my unqualified opposition. |
"Although this bill will not have
as great an influence rs l could desire,
yet, as far as it goes, it will benefi,
the laboring man as much and pro,
badly more. than any other class Of
society. What is it he ought mosi
to desire! Constant employment
regular acages, and unJo,ma, real
soma6le prices for tile necessariee
and comforts Of life achich he re
quires. Now, sir, what has been
his condition under our system of ex.
pansion and contractions! lie hal
suffered more by them than any Other
class OF society. The rate ofhis wa,
ges is fixed and known; and they are
the last to rise with the increasing ex,
pansion, and the first to fall when the
corresponding revulsion occurs.
f. He still continues toreceive his dol
lar per day. whilst the price of ever,
article which he consumes is rapidly
rising. He is at length made to fee
that. although he nominally earns as
much, or even more than he did for,
meny, yet, from the increased, prizes
of all the necessaries Of life. he can
mot support his family. Hence the
strikes for higher wages, and the I'M
easy and excited feelings which have
at different periods existed among thc
laboring classes. But the expansion
at length reaches the exploding point,
and what does the laboring man now
suffer! He is for season thrown
out of employment altogether. Oul
manufactures are suspended; our pub,
lie works are stopped: our private
enterprise of different kinds are abal,
doned; and, whilst others are able tc
weather the storm, he can scarcely
procure the means Of bare s,lbsist,