Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-10

ask attention. 1t is the effort to place cap
ital on an equal footing with if not above
labor in the structure of Government. 1t
is assumed that labor is available only in
connection with capital; that nobody Ia
bors unless somebody else owning capital,
somehow by the use of it, induces him to
labor This assumed it is next considered
whether it is best that capital shall hire Ia
borers and induce them TO work by their
own consent or buy them and drive them to
1t without their consent. Having proceed
ed so far, it is naturally concluded that all
laborers are either hired laborers, or what
we call slaves; and further, it is assured
that whoever is once a hired laborer is fixed
in that condition for life. Now there is no
such relation between capital and labor, as
assumed, nor is there any such thing az a
free man being fixed for life in the condit-
ion of hired laborer.E Both of these as
SYMPTOMS are false, and all differences from
them are groundless. Labor is prior to,
and Independent Of capital. Capital is on
ly the fruit of labor and could never have
existed if labor had not first existed. La
Dor is the superior of capital, and deserves
much the higher consideration Capital
has its rights which are as worthy of pro-
lection as any other rig hts, nor is it denied
that there is, and probably always will be,
a relation between labor and capital pro-
duoing mutual benefits. The error is in
assuming that the, whole labor Of COM
munity exists within that relation. A few
men own capital and that few avoid labor,
and with their capital hire or buy few to
labor for. them. A large majority belong
to neither class-neither work for others
nor have others work for them. In most of
the Southern States q majority of the whole
people of all colors are neither slaves nor
masters, while in the Northern large.
majority are neither hirers nor hired
men, = With c their families, wives, sons
and daughters, theyiI work for them
selves ON their farms, in their houses, and
in their shops, taking their whole product
to themselves and asking no favors of capt.
tai ON the one hand, nor of hired laborers
or slave on the other. 1t is not forgotten
that q considerable number of persons min
gle theirllabor with capital, that is, they
labor with their own hands and also pay OF
hire others to labor for them; but this is
mixed and not distinct class Again, as
has already been said, there is not, of ne
eessity, any such thing as the free hired
1aborer, being fixed for that condition of life.
Many indepedent men everywhere in these
States, a few years back in their lives, were
hired laborers. The dependent. penniless
and saves a surplus with which to buy tools
or land for himself; then labors on his own
account, and at, length hires another new.
beginner to help him. This is just, and
generous, and prosperous system, which
opens the wayto all, gives hope to all, and
consequently energy, progress and improved
condition to all. No men living are more
worthy to be trusted than those who
toll up or on from poverty; none less in
olined to take or touch aught which they
have not honestly earned. Let them beware
of surrendering political power which
they already possess, and which, if surren-
rdered, will surely be used to close the door
Of advancement against such as they, and
to fix new disabilities and burdens upon
them, till all of liberty shall be lost.
From the first taking of our National cen
sus to the last, is 20 years, and we find our
population at the end of the period eight
times as great as it was at the beginning.
The increase of those other things which
men deem desirable, has been even greater.
We thus have at one view what the popular
principle applied to government, through
the machinery of the State and the Union
has produced in given time, and also
what, if firmly maintained, it promises
for the future. There are already among
us those who-if the Union be preserved
will live to see it contain $50, 900, 600.
The struggle of to-day is not altogether
for to-day; it is for vast future. Also
with firm reliance, on Providence, all the
more firm and earnest, let US proceed in the
great task, which events have devolved up
on us. -.,,,,,. s.!ltsei,..--t tlt l.a
. a. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
i WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 8, 81.