Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-12-05

of all political evil Monarchy itself. is SHINE
times limited at as possible refuge from the pow
er of the people. In my present position. lcoud
scarcely be justified were to omit rasipg warn
ing Voice against this apProsoh Of returning dcs-
potism. Ii is not needed nor fitting here that
general argument should be made in favor Of pop
uIar institutions, but there is one point, with H.
connections, not so hacsneycd as must Others, 60
which ask brief attention. II is the effort to
place capital equal footing with, if not above
labor in the structure Of Govt. II is assumed
tiat labor il available only in connection with cap
ital; that nobody laIors unless somebody else.
owning capital, somehow, by the use of il iniucea
him to labor
This assumed, il is next considered whether il Is
best that capital shall hire laborers uld thus induce
them to work by their own consent or buy them
and drive them to il without their consent. HAY
ng proceeded so far, IL is naturally concluded that
Ill l,borers are either hired laborcrs or what
call slaves. And further. it is assumed. that who
ever Is hired la,oper is liked in til 1t condition for
life. Now. there is no such relation between cap
ital and labor, rs assumed, nor is there any such
thing as freeman being hxed foe life In the condi-
ton of i hired laborcf Both OF these assumptions
are false. md all inferepces from them ground
| less.
Labor is prior to and Independent of clpital.-
Capital is only the fruit of labor, and never could
have existed IL labor had not first existed Labor
is the superior of capital. and deserves much the
| higher consideration. Capital has its rights which
arc as worthy of protection ~ other rights
Nor is it denied th,t there is, and probably always
will be- relation between LABOR and capital, pro-
drcins mutual benefit The error is in assuming
/ that he whole labor of community exists within
that relation. few men have capitll, and that
few avoid labor aud with their capital hire buy
n few to labor for th0m. A large minority belong
to Neither class--ncthcr work for others have
othcrs working for them. In most of the South
ern States. majority Of The people of all coors
neither slaves masters; while in the North
eFn large majority are neither hireis nor hired
Men with their families, wives, sons and dAugh-
ters- work for themselves their farms. in theF
houses and in their shops, taking the whole pro-
duct to themselves and asking no fivors of capital
on the one hand, of hired laborers slaves or
the other. 1t 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 labor for them; but
this is only mixed and not distinct class. No
principle stated is disturbed by the existence OF
this mixed class Again, as has already been said
there is not of necessity any such thing as the free
hired laorcr being fixed for that condition OF life
Many independent men, every where la these
States, few years back in their lives were hired
hborcrs. The most prudent, pennilcss beggar IN
the world labors for wages awhile, and saves y
surplus with which to buy tools or Land for himself
He then labors on his own account, and at length
hires another beginner to help him. This is the jGs
and generous and prosperous system which opens
the way to all, gives hope to all, and the con
soquent energy, progress and improvement of the
condition OF ALL Ne men living are more worthy
to be trusted than those who toll up or on from
poverty. None less inclined to take or touch gugh
which they have not earned. Let them beware o.
surrcnderng political power which they already
possess, and which. If surrendered. will surely be
used to close the door Of advancement ag,ins
such they. and to fix new disabilities and bur
dens upon them till all of liberty shall be lost
From the first tuking Of our national census t
the last 20 years. and we find our population
the end Of the period times las great it was a
, the beginning The increase of those other thing
which arc deemed desirable has even been greater
We thus have at one view what the popular prin
ciple applied to Government. through the machine
~ Of the States and the Union, has produced in
given time, aud also what. if fiji mly maintained. j
promises for the future. There are already among
US those who. if the Union be preserved, win lv,
to see il contain 259 00000o. The struggle O! tc
day is not altogether for today. 1t is Tor q vas
future also.
With firm reliance on Providence. all the
more firm and earnest. let proceed in the grea
task which events have devoived on us.
(Signcd) ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WASHINGTON. Dec. 81. 1861.