Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-06-07
From the Cincinnati Gnzette.l

! From the Cincinnati Gazette.l
| The True Question OF the Canvass.
Among all our political signs, that
which gives fairest promise is that the
people "re beginning to see more clearly
than ever before, the nature of the ques-
tions which they arc called upon to decide.
Nor would single doubt remain in regard
to the result Of the election If the people
of the North could be brought to under
stand the real issue which is presented to
the country.
That issue is precisely this: SHALL THE
LAGonERs OF THIS LAND BE COMPELLED TO
TAKE THE POSITION OF a DEGRADED CASTE?
| This, and nothing less, is the question
which the workers of this nation are call
ed upon TO settle; and it concerns directly
every laborer of the land, but especially
! those of the Free States, and indirectly,
! every public man who stands i'll any Gu
pacity TO represent the working population
! of the North-for just in proportion ms
| constituency is degraded, will the repre-
! sentative of them sink in the scale, when
in the presence of such an aristocrncy as
the slnYeholding class.
Underneath the beguiling doctrine of
Popular Sovereignty, by which millions
now seem willing to be cheated out of
every right belonging to a freeman, be-
meath Drcd Scott decisions and platforms,
! beneath all discussions Of the meaning
and intent of The Constitution, lies this
ultimate question; Shall our lahorcrs be
permanently degraded and treated as an
| inferior class, to be gradually stripped of
| political rights, and sunk in the end to
| serfdom2
This is an inevitable result of the doc
trnes of the miscaIled Democracy of the
country. Should they be called TO prac-
! ~. Tt t11OU II
cling clnsses of our Republic to Il lower
point in the social scale than any lnborcrs
of Europe now are, not excepting the scrts
of Rrssin:
The doctrine of the great party which
called itself Democratic, aud which claims
control of every Southern State, is nothing
less than chattel servttude for the working
men, the Iaborcrs, and that without re-
spcct to color. If they are workers, they
must be content to be degraded.
The idea that four millions of l"borers
eau be held in slavery at the South with
ont degrading the white laborers both
an impossibility The principle which
underlies the system of the South, and
which in the name of Democracy they are
struggling to establish over the whole
country, knows nothing of colors. 1t has
reference to the working man, whatever
his color may be.
The distinction isnotin essence between
white and black, but between the gentle
| man who does not work and the Ia
borer who does 1t is demand that all
who work, the hard -handed men, shall be
treated as belonging to an inferior condi-
ton, aud rs constituting nn inferior caste.
1t is simply an attempt TO establish in
this land tie old relation of Europe, the
4 81, 4 lIssa
against the black man as the means of
| ctFecting the object. Nothing is more GER
! tain that depends upon inevitable law,
than that the permanent establishment OF
! Slavery in this country as q recognized
| national institution, will crush the white
workman at length. They who are eager
now to opprcss the black laborer, and who
! crush him with the weight of their pTcju-
diCes and scorn, are simply preparing the
bitter cup for their own children, if they
suffer the South to succeed in their at
tempts. Slavery perpetuated means
| Slavery for the trorkmaH, white or black.
| To show that we do not misrcpresent,
we make some extracts from the views of
| Southern statesmen, as they themselves
have expressed them.
! In 1929, distinguished statesman of
| Virginia thus expressed himself against
granting political franchises ro the labor
| ing classes:
| .tThcre must be some peasantry, and as
the country fills up there must be more
that is. men who tend the herds and dig
the soil-who have neither real nor per-
soual capital of their own, and who
earn their bread by the sweat of their.
brows. ask gentlemen to say whether
they believe those who depend on their
labor for their daily subsistence can or
ever do enter into political affairs. They
never do, never will, never can.
In 1895, Mr.. Pickens of South Carolina
said:
| :'All society settles down into classifi-
cation of capitalists and labOrcrs. The
| former ,cHL o.cm the latter" ..-...
/ These are samples of the opinions of
| Southern leaders, aud this is the one steady
aim and tendency of the system of society
which the South is endeavoring TO force
upon the whole country-the ultimate dis
| rranchisemeut and degradation of the la
/ boring classes, without respect to color.
This object they nre certain TO accomplish
unless speedily checked by united up
rising of the lahorers of the Free States to
nrevcnt their triumph. 1t is right, say
they, that capital should control, and even
own. the lab0rer; there mnst be gentlemen
and servants-a ruling and servile caste.
This is the true Southern doctrine, and
having, except through present circum-
stances, no special refer ience to black men.
In this view of the great question before
/ the country, we esteem it most Fortunate
circumstance that such Il man as Mr.. Linz
coin, has been selected as. the standard
bearer of the party whose aim is to defend
1 and ennoble labor-to secure for the work
man all his rights, aud a due reward Tor
his industry. l
1t would have been difficult to have