The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-05-09
When WIZ There be Peace.


influence and control in the government,
and when they have fully taken possession
Of the Legislative and Executive branches
of our system, then there will be peace in
our midst, and confidence and respect be
shown for US once more abroad. For six
ty years the government has been in the
hands of the consuming classes. WeWere
accustomed to be ruled by men who looked
upon the mere system Of government as
one of the obtuse sciences, which could be
defined and mastered only through the
intricate paths and influences of diploma
cy. The consumer was regarded as the
prop Of the government while the produ-
Ger remained unappreciated, neglected and
often despised Every act of legislation
seemed to tend from, instead of to the
benefit of the masses, until at length the
people, weary of being deprived Of their
full share in the power of the government,
inaugurated new order of politics, by
breaking down old party associations and
bonds, and erecting for themselves such
platforms and policies as they deemed
most conducive to their prosperity. There
Is no doubt whatever that the revolution
in politics has had much to do with the
rebellion in the south, because the changes
which have been made in northern society
within the last thirty years looked to the
elevation of all labor, and made the me-
chanical genius of the people the highest
boast of every community. The develop
ment Of society in the free states was an
other source of evil to the retrograde
movements in the Southland thus as
power after power arose in the path of
this new order Of men, their influence and
might could no longer be misunderstood
by the influence which so long controlled
this government. Hence the rebellion.
The power which had monopolized the
years, could not give it up without a
struggle; and hence again, the pretext
and hypocritical plea of suffering wrong
and persecution. There was no wrong
complained Of in the South, no objection
made to the masses of the people in the
North participating in the franchise as
long as the patronage of government was
distributed among the people of few
particular states. But when the labor
that sustained the government asserted an
equal share in its patronage and emolu-
ments, the rights of those who had grown
fat in places of profit were suddenly jeop-
ardized, and could not be re-assured and
secured by any other means than by a re-
bellion, which the rebels would have the
world believe is revolution to corret
error and vindicate the truth.
When acW there be peace ? When labor
is recognized as the source of our prosper
ity, and the mere possession of wealth not
made merit among those who aspire to
govern. When this is done there will be
peace-and until it is done there will be
an irrepressible conflict, banishing all
hope of peace and harmony in society as
well as government. This is not agrari-
anism 1t is not the refusal to acknowl-
edge the achievements of men, or to
recognize their superiority so far as their
success is concerned. 1t is the stimulus
to effort and ambition, the encouragement
to honest purpose in that which we desire
to have recognized-G6or. Wherever
labor has been recognized and encouraged,
states and communities have prospered
Where the reverse has been the practice,
and labor has been degraded by oppres-
sion and neglect, these twin evils of igno-
rance and Incidence have been the result.
Let the states that are in rebellion cult
vate and encourage free labor, and they will
sooner vindicate themselves from wrong
than they can by carrying on a hundred
campaigns, or fighting hundred battles
Let Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Ken
tucky, Tennessee and Missouri build up a
system of home mechanical production,
hy the encouragement Of free mechanics,
and they viii sool rank with the proudcSt