Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-06-08

Degradation OF the Laborer.
For the last two or three years the dem
oCratic editors throughout tho Union have
been swelling almost TO bursting with pat
riotic indignation, and their papers have
been loaded with pathetic sermons on the
"irrepressible conflict" text between free
and slave labor, furnished them by Gov
Seward; when it is so plain "that he who
runneth can read" that all tho teachings,
acts and practices Of this same democratic
party have been wholly and solely tending
to tho degradation of the laboring classes
of this country. 1t has been their sole and
great aim for the past three years to intro
duce and establish slavery in the territories,
where il the free white man whether from
South or the North should settle to erect
for himself home, he would be compelled
to labor by the side Of the slave whose la
Dor is unrequited. While the democracy
have been believing about the "irrepressi-
bic conflict" they have wholly overlook ed
the fact thatthe prominent men Of theirown
party have openly md without any reserve
proclaimed sentiments which are repugnant
to every freeman whether in the North OF
South, yet such declarations are passed over
by them as matters of small moment for to
contradict them was to place themselves
outside the party's confidence. Now look
at the two extracts below, and see how they
compare with the "irrepressible conflict" Of
Mr.. Seward In 1929, distinguished
statesman of Virginia thus expressed him
self against granting political franchises to
the laboring classes:
There must be peasantry and as the country ellis
up there must be morethat is who tend the herds
and dig the sowho have neither real personal capi-
tai Of their and who their bread by the sweat OF
their brows. ask gentlemen to say whether they be-
eve those who depend their labor for their daily sub
sstence ever do enter into political AFFAIRS
They never do, never will, never can.
In 1885, Mr.. Pickens of South Carolina,
said:
All society settles down into classification Of capital
lists and laborers. The former rOiH OpH the latter
We ask honest, thinking democrats to
look again at those sentiments, for they are
but samples of the opinions expressed by
their Southern leaders, and their object is
to bring about the disfranchisement and
degradation of the laboring classes without
respect to color. This object too, they will
accomplish, unless the people Of the north
enter upon the present contest with a de-
termination that laborers shall be respected.
In this view of the great question before
the country the Cincinnati Gazette we'll
says, awe esteem it a most fortunate cir
cumstance that such a man as Mr.. Lincoln
has been selected as the standard bearer of
the party whose aim is to defend and enno-
bic labor--to secure for the workman all
his rights, and a due reward for his industry.
at would have been difficult to have
found another man who would more CON-
pletely represent in his own life, character
and principles, the exact antagonism to the
Southern idea of servile laboring class,
than ABRAHAM LINCOLN. In his origin, in
his early life, in courage, selfrespoct and
high aims, in his long-enduring labor, in
his integrity, in his success, in his present
eminent position, honestly won by virtue of
his sterling personal qualities, Mr.. Lincoln
presents an embodiment of the true Amer
ican idea: he is great result of the sys-
tenn which honors the laborer No mere
politician, however able, could have occu-
pied the exact position demanded in the
present struggle. A political leader would
not have stood so near the popular heart
Mr.. Lincoln comes emphatically from among
the workers, and is himself noble exam
pie Of what that system of free labor can
do Of which be stands the champion"