Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-12-16
TFor he Union end 1merieah. /
ARIsT0CRACY rs. DEM0CRACY-PAPER MON
Eyes. GOLD AND R-CHARTEREDP PRIV
MEGES Vs. EQUAL RIGHTS.

AHeeres's anu happiness OF the common people, and
not responsible to them for the abuse Of said power
A democracy consists in a government of equal
rights and privileges. 1t confers the law-making
power upon individuals for limited terms, and holds
them strictly accountable to the PROFESSIONALLY
at the balIOt-bOx, for all improper acts or Inalad-
ministraion.
The privilege of manufacturing paper money and
of receiving interest for its as money is at war
with every principle of justice and equality. 1t is
privilege, if extended to every individual. would
be grossly absurd-if granted to a few, would be
grossly unjust. l t
Money, with the privilege to make interest there
on is power enough; but add to this, the power to
make money out of paper, and to loan it out at in
terest Also the result WILDE to make the rich rich
er, and the potent more powerful.
Glove of money is the root of all evil" political
aud social 1t widens the distinctions naturally
isting in society," and where it predomnates, may be
palaces and prisons, pOmpand poverty, and the
needy robbed Of his mite, to feed pampered arts
tocracy.
The whole banking system is the invention of
arisocracy, and its strongest advocates are invaria
bly, found amongst the soft-handed non producing
class of society.
What need has the working for banks? If
he has land to cultivate, he can live without them,
or even without money He can make his bread as
Adam was commanded to do, "by the sweat Of his
brow"
Labor, properly applied, will always procure the
necessaries of life, especially if protected by wise
and frugal government, which shall restrain men
from injuring another. The idle can not lire
without government protection, or some exclusive
favor to enable them Oget share of the products
of industry.
Interest on real money enable men TO live in idle
ness, but not satisfied with that privilege the
producers have invented banks, by which they are
enabled to manufacture money, not out of gold and
silver, but out Of paper r-r
Strike money out Of existence, and the idle, nom
producing class win starve Whereas the Industrious
farmer and manufacturer, could have all the neces-
saries of life
Productiyeness Of soil depends not upon money,
but upon labor, in sowing and cultivating and the
productivsness of useful mechanical employments
depends not upon money, but upon skill and indus
try.
To place wealth, or the means of subsistence, in
the hands of the idle, requires wrong to be com
mitted-a tax to be imposed upon industry. A d-
rect tax for such purpose is too glaring an impo-
sitiOn-but chartered privileges and mOnied mOnop-
Olies, secured by unjust legislation, enable the
producer to live in pomp and splendOr
ale that doth not work, neither shall he eat"
The proper reward for honest labor, is the full
joyment Of its products The just penalty for idle
ness, is starvation. This law, rigidly enforced,
would promote the greatest possible good of society,
and upon this alone depends the very existence and
perpetuity of free government.
Give to aristocracy an "inch, and they will take
ell" Give them the privilege to loan three dol
lars in paper, for one they have in gold and silver,
and they will loan forty to one. Attempt then to
deprive them of their charter, and they will tell you
to do it at your peril
They will remind you that their paper money is
out in the hands of the people, and that forfeiture
of their charters would depreciate or destroy its
value, and thereby prove ruiuOus. They will remind
you that the people are accustomed to paper money
prices, and that their contracts and promises are
made accordingly, and that if paper money is ruled
down to a gold and silver standard, that great
sacrifice of property by those who indebted will
power discovers it has created power superior to
itse-tha instead of establishing equality of rights
and equal protection, it has built up aristocracies
with special privileges to enable them to perpeuate
their power and to live at the expense of honest in
dastry.
Money, simply as a medium of exchange without
the privilege of usury interest, is harmless. The
love of money in that simple state, do no HARM
but when it was discovered that money could make
money, the love for it then greatly enhanced,
aud the evils arising therefrOm soon manifested
themselves. Giving forth money upon usury or in
crease, became the common practice of individuals
and nations, and with this evil kept pace the desire
to grow rich without manual labor until finally this
practice of usury, or lOaning money out at interest
has grown up into splendid establishment of ia
vorei individuals, who enjoy not only the legalized
privilege of loanng real money at interest," but the
privilege in addition thereto, of manufacturing mon
ey out of paper-three or four dollars for one they
have in gold and silver and of loaning that also at
interest; and to cap the climax, their individual
property is not liable for the redemption of their
paper dollars.
Unlocking around US, we discover men every where
eager in pursuit Of m0Re-incessantly in pursuit of
m5asy, and their avarioe increasing their gold
and other treasures accumulate. Money is monop-
Oizei, land is mOnopOized, even the necessities of
life mOnopoGzeL Twenty thousand human be- |
ngs in the city Of New York alone are thrown out
of employment and deprived of the means of sup |
port But hope of better times springs up afresh, |
in view Of the general and increasing intelligence of
the people, manifested by their present rigid and
thorough investigation of existing evils. Light has
a. length broken in upon them. A chance for de- |
lverance from merciless aristocracy is approach
ing, determination that equal and exact justice 10
all shall rule and that acts of legislation having
partial bearing, oppressive TO one portion and adj
vantageous to another, shall cease to control the
means on which depends even the blood of life. The
struggle will not be brief, nor the victory easy.
'Gainst equal rights, 'gainst freedoms cause,
Stand Aristocracy;
They disregard the peoples voice,
They hate Democracy!
They want protection for the rich,
That they may richer grow;
And crush to earth the very hand
That Yields the spade and hoe.
The poor man with his little pile,
OF dollars three or four,
May ask protection for that sum,
But fails for want of more.
Whilst on the other hand we see
The rich mans pile enlarged,
For every thousand is made three,
And he from debt discharged!
J. A. s.
MitcheIlsville, Dec. IA, 1857.