The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-04
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN, DEC. a. 1861.
many many VIII direct and no sing mind can be al

many many will direct and 10 single mind can be al
lowed to control
IL continues to develop that The insurrection
Is largely II not exclusively >..r upon the first
prihciple OF popular government, the RIGHTS Of
the people Conclusive evidence Of t7s il
iouhd IN the most grave and maturely consider
ca punilc documents as well as in the general
zone OF the insurgents. In these documents we
i I'll the aprldgement of the existing right otsuf
rage ana the denial to the people Of all right
10 participate in the selection OF public officers
except the Legislative body advocated with la
pored arguments to prove that the large control
Oh government by the people is the source of
all political evil. Monarchy itself is sometimes
hinted at as possible refuge from the power
of the people.
In my present position, | could scarcely be
Justihed were to omit raising warning voice
against this approach of returning despotism.
IL IL not needtul nor fitting here that general
argument should be made in favor of popular
institutions, but there is one with its connec-
lions not so hackneycd as most others to which
ask a BRET attention. 1t is the effort to place
capital on an equal footing with, if not above,
labor, in the structure Of government. It is as,
sumed that labor is available only in connection
with capital, that nobody labors unless some
body else owning capital somehow by the use
OF 1t, induces him to labor. This assumed, it
Is next considered whether it is best that ca pit.
al Shall hire laborers and thus induce them to
work by their own consent, or buy them and
drive them to it without their consent Having
proceeded so tar it is naturally concluded that
all laboIcrs are either hired laborars or what VIC
call slaves, and further it i; assumed that Who
ever is once hired laborcr is fixed in that con-
dltlon tor Lille. Now there is such labor as as
sumcd, nor is there any such thing as a free man
being fixed for life in the condition OF slave
laborer. Both of these assumptions arc false,
and all differences from thcm are groundess.-
Labor is prior to and Independent Of capital
Capital is only the fruit of labor and could nev-
Ell have existed iflabor had not first existed
Labor is the superior Of capital, and deserves
much the higher consideration. Capital has
) its rights which are as worthy Of protection as
any other rights. Nor is it denied that there il
and probably always will be a relation between
) labor and capital producing mutual benefits
7 The error is in assuming that the whole labor
s for few men owning capital, and that " few
avoid labor themselves and with their capital
hire another few to labor for them, anda large
majority belonging to an0tllrr class neither
l work for others nor have others work for them
, In most Of the Southern States u ma l0rity o
the whole people Of all colors are neither slaves
l nor masters, while in the Nortl o large MAORI
: ty are neilfer hlrelings nor hired Men with
t their families, wives, oons and dauS htcrs work
T., for themselves on their farms, In their house,
e and in their shops, taking the whole product K
: themselves, aud asking no tavors of capital or
i the one hand, nor of hired labor on the other
: 1t is not forgotten that q considerable humble
d Of persons mlngle their own labor with capita
c that is, they labor with their own hands, an(
Y also buy or hire Others to labor for them, bu
G this Is onig mixed and not distinct class
e No principle stated is disturbed by the exstenc
c Of this mixed class. Again, as has already beer
# said there is not of necessity. nny snch thing
= as the free hired latorer being fixed III that con
: dition for life. Many independent evsrywher
e in these States few years back in their lives
l. were hired laborers. The prudent pennies
n beggar in the world labors for wages while
/ saves surplus to buy tools or land for himself
n then labors on his own account another while
If and at length hires another new beginner
If help him. Ibis is the just and generous an
t, prosperous system, which opens the way to all
o gives hope to all, and consequent energy an
II prog. ess and improvement OF their condition
d al. No men nving are more worthy to
ts trusted than those VINO toll up from poverty
st none less inclined to take or touch aught who
$, they have not honestly earned. Let them bewar
s. of surrendering political power which they
n ready possess, and which if surrendered WI
n surely be used to close the door OF advance
W mens against such as they, and to Tx new dlss
of bilties and burdens upon them till all OF libe
lie ty shall be lost.
IN From the first taking Of our national cens'
ir to the last are ~ years. and We hnd our pc
&c ulatlon at the end OF The period, elshE times
IN great as it was in the beginning. HE increA
a. OF those other things which men deem dcsirao
ch has been even greater. We thus have TT OF
Of view what The population principle applied
n government through the MACHINERY OF the Stat
We ;lnu the Union has produced IN AZ gwen vi
in and also what, it firmly maintained, IT proms
n Tor the future There are already among ,
he those, VINO, ii the UniOa be preserved, Wlll !,
h TO see IL contain 80, 600 900.
The struggle Of to-day is nos altogether
ut to day, il is tor the iutuie also. wan d III
no reliance IN Providence, all the more hrm 4
Iul earnest, iel us proceed IN the great task VIII
llv events have developed upon Us,
IN (Sgned,) ABRAHAAl LINCOLN
he Washington, Dec 3, 1861.