The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-12-04

any candidate o, any question. Kentucky,
tor, for sometime in doubt, iSnew decidedly
and MECHANICALLY on the side Of the Union.
Missouri is comparatively quiet, and L be.
lieve cannot again be oveFun by the insur-
gents. These three States Of Maryland,
Kentucky and Missouri, neither Of which
would promise single soldier at first, have
now an aggiig ate of not less than 10000 in
the field for the Union, while of her citizens
not more than third in number are among
the Insurgents, and they are Of doubtful
Whereabouts and existence.
After somewhat bloody struggle ofmonths
winter closes en- the. Union people OF West.
ern Virginia, leaving then masters OF their
own country. An insurgent force OF about
l 500, for months dominating the narrow
reninsular region constituting the counties
of Accomac and Northampton, and known
as the eastern shore of Va. together with
some contiguous parts Of Maryland, have
laid down their arms, and the people there
have renewed their allegiance to, and accept
ed the protection Of the flag. This leaves
no armed instruction north Of the Potomac
or east of the Chess peaka Also We have
obtaineda footing at each of the isolated
\
Port Royal, Tybee Island. near Savannah,
and Ship Island, and we likewise have some
general accounts of popular movements in
| b ,half of the Union in North Carolina and
| Tennessee. Those things demonstrate that
he cause of the Union is advancing steadily
Southwark
Since your last adjournment, Lieut.. Gen.
Scott has retired from the head of the army.
During his long life the nation has not been
nnmindful Of his merit, yet on calling to
mind how faithfully, ably and brilliantly he
has served the country, from time far back
in our history, when few of the now living
had been born, and thenceforward continu.
ally. cannot but think that we are still his
debtor. submit, therefore, for your con-
sheraton, what further work Of recognition
is due to him and ourselves as greatful
people. With the retirement of Gen. Scott,
came the executive duty Of appointing in
his stead a General-in- Chief Of the army
1t is fortunate circumstance that neither
in council or country was there, SO far as
know, any difference of opinion as to the
proper person to be selected, The retiring
chief repeatedly expressed his Judgment in
favor Of General Mcclellan for the position,
and in this the nation seemed to give an
unanimous concurrence. The designation
Of Gen. Mcclellan is therefore, in conside.
rable degree, the selection of the country, as
well as of the Executive, and hence there is
reason to hope there will be given to him the
confidence and cordial support by fair inn
precation, promised. and without which he
cannot, with so full efficiency, serve the
country. 1t has been said that one bad
General is better than two good ones, and
the saying istrue, if taken to mean no more
than that an army Wis better directed by a
single mind, than by two superior ones, at
variance and cross purposes. And the same
is true in all joint operations wherein those
engaged 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 ur-
! frequently, all 60 down together, because too
many will direct and no single HAind can be
allowed to control .,gss q. rr..t
4 1t continues to be developed that the in
surrection, if largely, is not exclusively a
war upon the first principles Of popular gov
eminent, the rights Of the people. Conclu.
sive evidence Of this is found in the most
grave and niaturely considered public docu-
nents, as well as in the general tone Of the
insurgents. In these documents we find
the abridy nfert of the existing right of suf-
frage and the denial to the people of all par
ticipation in the selection OF public officers,
except the Legislative body advocated with
labored arguments to prove that large con-
troll ofthe government, by the people, is the
source of all political evil. In my present
position could scarcely be justified were
to omit raising worning voice against this
approaching despotism. 1t is not needed
nor fitting here that general argument
should be made in favor Of popular institu
tons, but there is one point with its connec-
tons not so hachneyed as most others. to
which ask brief attention. 1t is the effort
to place capital on an equal footing with, If
not obope, labor, In the structure of govern
ment. It is assumed that labor is available
only in connection with capital That no
body labors, unless somebody else owning
| capital, somehow, by the use OF it, induces
1 him to labor This assumed, il is next con.
sidered whether it is best that capital shall
hire laborers and thus induce them to work
By their own consent, or buy them, and drive
1 to If, without their consent. Having pro-
ceeded so far, it is naturally concluded that
4 all laborers are either hired laborers, or what
we call slaves and fuather, it is assumed
| that whoever is once hired laborer is as
!
is fixed in that condition for life. i,
\ Now there is no such relation between
capital and labor as assumed, nor Is there
any such a thing as freeman being fixed
for life IN the condition of a hired laborer.--
Both of these assumptions are false, and all
differences from them are groundless. Labor
is prior to and independent of capital. Cap
| ital is only the fruit of labor and never could
have existed If labor had not FIRST existed -
Labor is the superior Of capital md deserves
the higher consideration. Capital has its
rights which are as worthy of protection as
any other rights Nor is it denied that
there is and probably always viii be rela[
ton between labor and capital, producing
mutual benefit. The error is in assuming
that the whole labor of a community exists
in that relation. A few men have capital
and that the 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 or have others work
for them. In most of the Southern States
a majority of the people Of all colors are nei-a
Their slaves nor masters, while in the
Northern, large majority are neither hirers
nor hired. Men with their families, wives,
sons and daughters, work for themselves on
their farms, in their houses and in their
shops, taking the whole products to them
selves and asking mo favors of capital, on
one hand, nor Of hired laborers or slaves on
the other. 4i
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 to
Ioh,- 81. eI,o.vr Dag Ike 80 o,,l,,