East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-12-10

Of all csses 70 participate in tn Ssclcction of
public officers, except the Legislative body, adj.
vocated With laborcd argument sto prove that
largo control OF tho Governmcptin the people,
is tho source Of all political csii Monarchy
itself s sometimes limited at as "A possible
refuge tDm the power Of the people. In my
present position | could scarcely be justified
were | . omit raising warning voice against
this approach Of returning dcspotism. II Is
not neesed, nor fitting here, thai, a. general
argumcnl should be made III favor Of popular
institutions, but there is one point with its con-
nections not so hackneycd as most others, to
which :sk brief attention. It'is the efotf
to place capital on an equal footing with ! r.
not aboyl labor in the structure Of Government.
1t is assumed that labor is available only in, !,
connection th.cnpital, that nobody ibors hihs1
less somebody else owning capital, somehow by |.
the use OF il induces him 10 labor. !, This an 1
sumed, it is nxt considered whether it is best
that capital sh;ll hire Iaborers aud thus induccD
them 10 work by their own consent, or buy
them and drive them to at without thor con.
sent. Having proceeded SO far, it is naturally
concluded that all laborers are either hired
laborcrs or whai we call slaves, aud further. il
is assumed that whoever is once hired laborcr =,
is fixed in that condition for life. Now there
is no such relation between capital and labor as I.
assumed, nor Is there any such thing as a froe
man being liked for life in the condition Of a
hired laborer. 10th of these assumptions are
false, and all inf.renccs from them are ground
less. Labor is prior to and independent OF -
capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor. and
could never have existed if labor had not first e.
existed Labor is the superior of capital, aud
deserves much the higher consideration. Capt. =.
tai has It's rights which are as worthy of pro.
lection as any dher rights, nor is ID denied that
there is and probably always will be, a relation h
between labor and capital producing mutual
benefits, The error is in assuming that the
whole labor o. community exists within that
relation. A few men own capital and that few
avoid labor, and with their capital hire or buv,,
few to labor for them. A large majority be-
long to neither class, neither work for Others
nor have othes working for them. In most, Of
the Southern States majority Of the whole
people OF all colors are neither slaves nor
masters, while in the Northern States a large
majority arc neither hirers nor hired men,
With their amlies, wives, sons and ,daughte
they work for themselves on their farms, in
their homes and in their shops, taking the whole
product to themselves, and asking no favors of
capital on the one, hand, nor of hired laborers
or slaves on the other. II is not forgotten that
considerable number of persons mingle their :,
own labor With capital, that is they labor with
their own hands and also buy or hire Others to
labor for them, but this is only mixed and not
a distinct eiass.s No principle stated is dis =
turbed by the existence of this mixed class. - y
Again, as has already been said, there is not of
necessity any such thing as tbe.,free hired
laborer being fixed for that condition for life. j
Many independent men everywhere, in these
States, few years back in their lives, were ..
hired labcrers. The prudent, pennilesss be- y
glnncr, IN the world labors for wages awhiIc.s
and saves surplus with which to buy tools or I, t,
land for himself then labors on his own account,
and at lcngth hires another new beginner to .
help him. This is the just, and generous, and
prosperous system which opens the way 70 allN
gives hope TO all, and consequent energy, pro-
gress and Improvement of the condition TO all.
NO men living are moro worthy 10 be trusted ~
than those who toll up or on from poverty.
none less lpclped TO take or touch ought which, d,
they have not honestly earned. Let them be-
ware OF surrendering political power which
they already possess, and which, if surrendered.
VIII surely be used to close the door of adj
yancement against such as they, and to fix new
disabilities and burdens upon them .tl all Of
liberty shall be lost.
From thefirst taking Of our National Census.
10 the last are seventy years, and VIC find our !,
population, at the end of the period, eight,
times as great as il was at the, beginning, The
increase OF those other things which men deem
desirable, has been even greater. We thus have, .
AT one view what the popular principle applied.
c. &C, government through the machinery Of thc'a
states and the Union has produced in given ,
time, and also what if firmly maintained. 4
promises for the future. There are already
among us those who, if the Union be preserved
VIII i've to see it contain $50 900 900 people.
The strugglc of today Is not altogether for
to-day. Eitiis tor aSast future, also. With A. A
urn reliance on Providence, all the more firm
ma earnest, Jet US proceed in the great task
which events havesdoyolved upon VS. 80.
-, (Sisned)A'tsoa ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
wAsiiSoro y December 8. 1861. Is .v,-'ssss
QUAKEns DoNG War DurY.4Thc Ouakers
If Montgomery and Frederic Counties. Nd
ave formed sewing societies for soldiers and
re laboring with an alacrity which would aston.
sh George Fox: lit is said that when somo W
were going the rounds in their
lelghborhood TO get blankets, &c.. for the sol.
iers, they came TO Quaker household where
ne first thing that arrested their eve wasa
able loaded with blankets and quilts. The
ommittee modestly preferred their request and
placid lady replied: o"Friend.s we cannot
ssist thee in the work of bloodslcd, even So
If as to help those. engaged in it,, but there
re some things on that table, and if thee choose
steal them, it.is equally against our princi-
les TO use violence TO prevent thee p Con.
need that the articles were. very carefully
laced where they. could be stolen the com.
ttee took the sin upon their own shoulders
40 left amid the most explosive laughter of
'e Vaakeresses assembled, inwhich they joined