Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-28
president Lincoln the Friend
Of fIic working Man.


President Lincoln an honorary member Of
the Association, and at meeting held Jan
uary 5th, letter to him was adopted, and
the committee on correspondence directed
to forward to him the address, with other
papers of the Association, and in return
they record the following ....
I REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT. .r
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE: The
honorary membership in your association,
as generously rendered. is gratefully accept.
ed t
You comprehend as your address shows,
that the existing rebellion means more and
tends to more than the perpetuation of Af
rican slavery--that it is, in fact war upon
the rights Of all working people. Partly to
show that this view has not escaped my at
tention aud partly that cannot better ex-
press myself read passage from the mes
sage to Congress in December, 1861:
1T continues to devel0pe that the inYur
rection is largely if not exclusively, war
upon the first principle of popular govern
ment, the rights of the people. Conclusive
evidence Of this is found in the most grave
and maturely considered public documents,
as well as in the general tone of the insur-
gents In those documents we find the
abridgment of the existing right of suffrage,
and the denial to the people of all right to
participate in the selection of public off,
GERS. except the legislative, boldly advoca-
ted, with labored arguments to prove that
large control of the people in government is
the source of all political evil Monarchy
itself is sometimes hinted at as possible
refuge from tha power Of the people
I'm my present position | could scarcely
be justified were to omit raising a warning
voice against this approach Of returning
despotism. t ''- aH
ut is not needed, nor fitting here, that a
general argument should be made in favor
of popular institution; but there is one point
with its connections, not so hackneyed as
most others, to which | ask brief atten
tion. 1t is the effort to place capital on an
equal footing, if not above la6or, in the
structure of government. 1t is assumed
that labor is available only in connection
with capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else, owning capital, somehow by
the use of induces him to labor. This
assumed, it is next considered whether 1t is
best that capital shall hire laborers. and
thus induce them TO work by their own con-
sent, or buy them, AMI drive them to it
without their consent. Having proceeded
so far, it is naturally concluded that all la
borers are either hired aborers, or what we
call slaves. And, further. it is assumed
that whoever is once hired aboreor, is
! fixed iD that condition for life. Now there
is no such relation between capital and la.
Dor as assumed, nor is there any such thing
as free man being fixed for life in the con
dition of hired laborer. Both these as
g., Ill -, t.@
them ave groundless.
g Labo, is prior to, and Independent of
capital. Capital is only the fruit OF labor
and could never have existed if labor had
not first existed. Lsbor is the superior ol
capital, and deserves mucn the higher con-
sideration. Capital has its rights, which
are as worthy of protection as any other
rights. Nor is it denied that there is, and
probably always will be, relation between
capital and labor, producing mutual benefits.
The error is in assuming that the whole la
hor Of u community exists within that rela
ton. A few men own capital, aud that few
avoid labor themselves, and, with their cap
ital, hire or buy another few to labor fol
for them. A large majority belong TO nei
ther class-neither work for others, moi
have others working for them. In most Of
the Southern States a majority of the whole
people of all colors, are neither slaves no
masters; while, in the Northern, II large ina
jOrity are neither hirers nor hired. Mel
with their families-wives. sons and daugh
ters-work for themselves, on their farms
in their houses, and in their shops takinJ
the whole product to themselves and askinI
no favors OF capital on the one hand nor Q
hired luborers or slaves ON the other. 1t i
not forgotten that a considerable number u
persons mingle their own labor with capital
that is they labor with their own hands, an
also buy or hire Others to labor for hem
but this is only a mixed and not a distinc
class. No principle stated is disturbed b
the existence Of this mixed class,
again. as has already been said, there
not, of necessity. any such thing as the fre
hired laborer being fixed to that conditio
for life. Many independent men everywher
in these states, few years back in thei
lives were hired laborers. The prudent
penniless beginner in the world labors fG
wages while, saves surplus with whic
to buy tools or land for himself, then labor
!, . on his own account another while, and q
g length hires another new beginner to hel
/. him. This is the just and generous an
i prosperoussystem whichapcns the wayto al
b gives hope toall and consequent energy an
. progress, and Improvement OF CONDITION
!, all. No men living are more worthy to /
| trusted than those who toll up from poyert
J. none less inclined TO touch or take augl
e which they have act honestly earned, Il
:, them beware of surrcndering polite
> pewerwhichthey already possess, and whicl
if surrendered, will surely be used to clo'
I, the door Of advancement against such
D. they, and toifixnew disabilities and burden
upon themp till all of liberty shall be lost.
The views then expressed remain III
changed, nor have much to add MOI
are so deeply interested to resist the presc
rebellion as the working people. Let the
beware OF prejudices working division al
. hostility among themselves The most n
table feature of disturbance il your ci
last summer was the hanging ofsome wor
. ing people by other working people.
should never be so. The strongest bond
IN human sympathy, outside of the family
lation, should be one uniting all worki
people, of all nations, and tongues, and XII
dreds. Nor should this lead to war up
;, property or the owners of property. Pro
= erty is the fruit oflabor, propertyis desil
BILE; is u positive good intbo world. Th