Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-06-17
SPIRIT OF THE MORNING PRESS

OK Xh41 VIZ 3aG nOnN1No fhESS.
The Union republishes much of Mr. Buch-
anan's celebrated speech upon the Indepen-
dent Treasury bill to disprove the silly /" ten
cents day" charge against him-that speech
having furnished the pretence for the charge
in question, Of course through an effort to give
his words a meaning never dreamed of by
him, and unwarranted by any fair and gram
NAUTICAL Interpretation Of his language. The
following is the portion Of the speech on which
the charge is founded, which cannot be read
by any fair-minded person without forcing on
his mind the conviction that the allegation Is
wholly unfounded:
ave are also charged by the Senator from
Kentucky with a desire to reduce the wages
of the poor mans labor We have been often
termed agrarians on our side of the house.
1t is something new under the sun to hear the
Senator and his friends attribute to US de-
sire to elevate the wealthy manufacturer at
the expense of the laboring man and the me.
chanic. From my soul respect the lasoring
man. Labor is the foundation Of the wealth
of every country and the free lsborers of the
North deserve respect both for the probity and
their intelligence Heaven forbid that should
do them wrong Of all the countries on the
earth, we ought to have the most considera-
ton for the laboring man. F-om the very
nature Of our Institutions, the wheel of for
tune is constantly revolving and producing
such mutations in property that the wealthy
man Of 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 generation, even If it
endure so long. We must all know instances
of individuals obliged to labor for their daily
bread whose grandfathers were men of for
tune. The regular process Of society would
almost seem to consist of the efforts of one
class TO dissipate the fortunes which they
have inherited, whilst another class, by their
industry and economy, are regularly rising
to wealth. We have all, therefore, a common
interest, as 1t is our common duty, to protect
the rights Of the laboring man and if be-
lieved for moment til at this bill would prove
injurious to him, it should meet my unqual-
ifed opposition
an influence as / could desire, vet, as far as
it goes, it will benefit the laboring man as
much. and probably more, than any other
class Of society. What is it he ought most to
desire? Constant employment, regular wages,
and uniform, reasonable prices for the neces.
saries and comforts Of life which he requires
Now, sir, what has been his condition under
cur system Of expansions and contractions?
He has suffered more by them than any other
class Of society. The rate Of his wages is fixed
and known; and they are the last to rise with
the increasing expansion, and the first to fall
when the corresponding revulsion occurs He
still continues to receive his dollar per day,
whilst the price of every article which he con.
sumes is rapidly rising. He is at length made
10 feel that, although he nominally earns %
much, or even more than he did formerly, yet,
from the increased price of all the necessaries
OF life, he cannot support his family. Hence
the strikes for higher wages, and the uneasy
and excited feelings which have at different
periods existed among the laboring classes
But the expansion at length reaches the ex-
plodlng point, and what does the labOring
man now suffer! He is for a season thrown
out of employment altogether. Our manufac-
lures are suspended; our public works are
stopped; our private enterprises Of different
kinds are abandoned; and, whilst Othere are
able to weather the storm, he san scarcely
procure the means Of bare subsistence
The Lntsltigsncsr continues to mourn over
the dismissal of Mr.. Champion. 1t fears that
Britain will retaliate by dismissing Mr. Dali
as, and that great excitement in the British
popular mind will be the consequence. New
ertheless, the editor does not apprehend a Sc
rlous disturbance Of our relations with Eng
Iand-but Inconvenience only His idea is
that had this Government continued to nut ND
with the official presence of Mr.. Champion a
little longer, Britain, in the pursuit Of her own
interest would certainly soon have withdrawn
Mr.. c. whose personal relations with this Gov
eminent forbade the idea that he co7ld any
longer be Of service here.