Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-12-13

and yet not subsequently all go down
together, because too many will direct,
and no single mind can be allowed 70
control. 1ze
A WAR AGAINST rHE RIGHTS OF TIE
PEOPLE.
It continues to develepe that the, ia
surrection is largely, if not exclusively,
a war upon the FIRST principle of popu-
lar goyernment-the rights of the pse-
pie. Conclusive evidence Of this 10
found in the most grave and matursly.
considered public documents, as we'll ~
in the general tone of the insurgents----
In these documents we fnd the abridg-
ment Of the existing right of suffrage,
and the denial to the people ofall right
to participate in the selection Of public
officers, except the legislative body ad-
voeated With labored arguments to prove
that large control of the Government in
the people is the source of all political
evil. Monarchy itself Is sometimes
hiuted at as possible refuge from the
power of the people. In my present po
sition I could scarcely be justified were
I to omit raising ? warning voice against
this approach of returning despotism.
1t is not needed nor fitting here that
general argument should be made IN ia
vor of popular institutions, but there is
one point with its connections not SO
hackneyed as most others, to which l
ask brief attention. It isethe effort 70
place capital on an equal footing with,
oh l,h tho ofr nf
government. 1t is assumed that labor
is available only in connection with
capital; that nobody labors unless some
body else owning capital somehow BY
the use of it induces him to labor
This assumed, it is. next considered
whether It'll best that capital shall hire
| laborers, and induce them to work by
their own consent, or buy them aud
drive them to it without their. consent.
Having proceeded so far, it is naturally
concluded that all laborers are either
hired laborers, or what we call slaves;
and further, it is assumed that whoever
is once hired laborer, is fixed in that
condition for life Now there is no such
relation between capital and labor as as
sumed, nor is there any such thing as
freeman b sing fixed fer4life in the4con-
dition of a hired laborer. Both of
these assumptions are false, and all in
| ferences from them are groundless.--
Labor is prior to and independent of
capital. Capital is only the fruit of ia,
Dor, and could never have existed If la-
bor had not frstsexisted Labor Il the
superior of capital, ,sand deserves much
the higher consideration. Capital has
its rights, which are as worthy of pro-
tection as any other rights, Nor is it
denied that there is and probably al
ways will be, relation between labor
and capital, producing mutual benefits
The error is in assuming that the
whole labor of community exists
within that relation. A few men own
/ capital, and that few avoid labor, and,
with capital hire or bug a few to. labor
for them. A large majority belong to
neither class, neither work for others,
nor have Others 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 large maj ajority are neither
hires nor hired. Men with their fani-
lies, wifes, sons and daughters, work
for themselves on their farms, in their
| houses and in their shops, taking the
| whole productto themselves, and asking
no favors Of capital, on the one hand,
nor Of hired laborers or slaves. on the
other. 1t is not forgotten that con
siderable 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 a.mixed, and not
distinct class. No principle stated is
disturbed BY the existence of this mixed
class Again, as has alread j been said,
! there is not, of necessity, any such
thing as the free hired lahorer being
fixed for that condition for life. Many
/ independent men everywhere in these
States few years back in their lives
were hired laborers. The prudent,
penniless beggar in the world labors for
wages while, and saves a surplus with
which to buy tools or land for himself,
then labors on his own account, and Of
! length hires another new BEGINNER to
help him. This is the Just and gener-
4 Gus and prosperous system which opens
the way to all, gives hope to all, and
4 consequent energy progress and i'm
provement OF the condition Of all. No
men living are lore worthy to be trusted
than those who toll up or on from pow
i erty, none less inclined to axe or touch
iaught which they have not honestly
earned.
Let them beware of surrendering a
: political power which they already
possess, and which, if surrendered, will
surely be used to close the door Of ad
vancement against such as they, and to
t fix new disabilities and burdens upon
them, till all liberty shall be lost.
THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.
I From the first taking of our national
census to the last, are 20 years, and We
find our population at the end Of tbs
rhperiod, eight times a. great as i was 4
. the beginning. The increase of those
other things that men deem desirable
has been even greater. We thus hav.
at one view what the popular principle
2 applied to government through the ma
ehinery Of the States and the Union, hai
sprodared in given time, and also what
! if firmly maiptained, it promises for the
future. There are already among vi
those Who,sif the Union be preserved
8 will live to see it contain 258,000, ,00v
The struggle Of TO day Is not aftogetbe,
for to-day; it is for vast future Also.