The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-12-14

Nation seemed 10 give an unanimous con
curence. The designation of Gen. McCleI-
Ian is therefore in a considerable degree the
selection of the country as we'll as of the
Executive and hence thsre is reason TO hope
there will be given him CONFIDENCE and
cordial support. thus by fair implication
promised and without which he cannot with
so full efficiency serve the country.
It has been said that one bad general is
better than two good ones. The saying is
true If taken TO mean no more than that an
army is better directed by single mind
though inferior, than by two superior ones
! at variance and cross purposes, and the
: same is true in ali joint operations wherein
those engaged can have none but q COM
mon end in view. and can differ only as to
the choice OF means. In storm at sea no
one on board can wish the ship to sink,
and yet not unfrequently all go down to-
gether because too many direct and no single
mind can be allowed TO control. Il contin@
ues to be developed that the insurrectioa is
largely if not exclusively. a war upon the
first principle of popular Governmeni-the
rights of thepeopie.
J Conclusive evidence of this is found in
2 the most grave and maturely considered
public documents, as well as in the tone of
the insurgents. In these documents we find
the abridgement of the existing right of
suffrage, and the denial to the people of all
= participation in the selection of public off
GERS, except the legislative body, advocated
& with labored argument, to prove that large
2 control of the government, in the peopleI
J itself, is sometimes limited at as possible
refuge from the power of the people. In
my present position. could scarcely b.
justified were / to omit raising a warning
voice against this approach of returning
a des potism. Il is not needed here that a
general argument should be made in favor
of popular institutions, but there Is one
point, with its connections not so backward
as most others. 10 which ask brief atten-
ton. It is the effort to place capital on an
equal footing with, if not above, labor, in
8 the structure of government. 1t is sumed
{ that labor is only available in connection
with capital: that nobody labors unless
somebody else owning capital somehow; to
p the use oft, induces him to labor. This
assumed, it isnex considered whether it is
best that capital shall share labor and thus
induce them to work by their own consent,
or buy them and drive them to it without
q their consent. Having proceeded so far,
it is naturally concluded that all labor
ers, are. either hired laborers or what
ed that whoever is once a hired laborer is |
fixed in that condition for life. Now there |
is no such relation between capital and la |
Dor al assumed, nor is there any such thing |
as q free man being fixed for life in the
condition of a hired lsborer. Both of these
assumptions are false. and all differences !
from them are groandless. Labor is prior |
to all, independent of capital. Capital is
only the fruit of labor, and never could have |
existed If la Dor had not first existed.
80 Labor is the superior of capital and de
serves the higher consideration. Capital
has its rights, which are rs worthy of pro
lection as any other rights. Nor IS it denied
that there is, and probably always will be,
certain relation between labor and capital,
producing mutual benefit. The error is in
assuming that the whole labor of commu
nifty exists within that relation. as few men
have capital. aud that few hired labor, and
with their ca pital hire or buy a few to labor
for them. A large majority belong to Meth
er class, neither work for others nor have
others working for them. In most of the
Southern States majority of the people Of
all colors are either slaves or masters. while
in the Northern large majority are neither
hirers nor hired. Men with their families.
wives, sons and daughters, work for them
selves, on their farms, in their houses. and
in their shops, taking the whole product to
themselves. and asking no favors of capital.
on the one hand, nor of nired laborers or
slaves on the other. +
Z It is not forgotten that considerable
number of persons mingle their own labor
with capital. that is, they labor for them,
but this is only mixed and not a distinct
class. No principle stated is disturbed by
the existence of this mixed class. Again, a.
has already been said there is not of necessity
any such thing AS the free hired laborer be-
ing fixed for that condition for life. MANY
independent men in these States q few years
back in their lives were hired laborers. The
most prudent, penniless beginner in the
world labors for wages awhile and saves "A
surplus with which to buy tools or lands
for himself. He then labors on his own ac-
count. and at length hires another beginner
TO help him. Thus the just and generous
and prosperous system which opensihe wayto
all, gives hopa to all and the consequent en-
ergy, progress and improvement of the con
sdition of all. No men living are more wor
thy to be trusted than those who toll up
from poverty-none less to take or touch
aughr which they have rot earned.
Let them beware of surrendering politi-
cal power which they already possess and
which. if surrendered will eurly be used to
close the door of advancement against such
"a tehv, and to fix new divisions aud burdens
upon them until all of liberty shall be lost.
From the FIRST taking of cur national cen
sus TO the last (7o years., We fad our pop
ulation eight times as great as it was IN the
beginning, the increase of those other things