The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-03-31

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wise political and social economy has rap
idly swelled the population of his country
holds place in history rs . bencfactor OF
his kind. Every human being is ma
chine of labor Each head and each hand
/ is q producer. The busy brain AID the
active muscles are perpetually adding tc
the storehouses, the eranaries and the
merchant ships of the world. 1t was a
blessing and not curse; it was in mercy
and not in wrath that man was command.
ed TO eat his bread in tie sweat of his face
BY obedience to this command. the glory
/ OF civilization adornS the earth and com
merce penetratcs the most distant seas
The fullillment Of this decree rcdeems tho
savage face Of nature. builds up the great
marts of trade, patron;zcs science and let
ters, crects temples to art and progress.
and Is q torcrunner of the Christian faith.
Labor IS the fountain of all wealth and of
all happiness. Nations and individuals
are alike utterly and entirely dependent
upon it for their prosperity. And nation
al prosperity is simply the result of midi
vldual labor. The humble and obscure
toll Of the honest ploughman. who
"Homewarl pods his weary way"
Sir. aside then from motives OF humani-
ty what shall be said Of an administra i've
policy which Is unnecessarily dcpopulating
the nation? Every unsan@uined field of
strife covered with the noble and one. ami
mated forms Of American citizens. IS an
irrcparajle loss to ihe true wealth Of the
country When the last call for troops
which has been made upon the laborers Of
The lan1s by the Executive, shall have
been complied with, more than two mill
ions Of men will have cone TO the fields Of
death In the year 1850, the number Of
yoters in ihe United States, including AL
the sections was, 4,6Gl ,l93 The States
which remained faithful TO the Union con-
iaincd at the commencement Of this war.
about three millions. This may fairly be
compu ed as the number Of laborers in the
loyal States three years ago, for while
many who vote arc too old to work. yet,
perhaps en- equal number are capable OLA
Dor who are 100 young to vote.
Il will thus be seen that two-thirds Of
the laboring population of the country
have already leen levied upon by this re
morselcss Administration, and drawn away
from the business ofproduction. Figures
cannot lie, and the census tables do not
deceive. The prosperity Of this Govern
ment consists in the labor Of its people
This is its only capital. In proportion as
the population is diminished or diverted
from productive pursuits, in the same pro
portion is The general welfare Destroyed
And no nation ever long survived the shock
which the abstraction of twO-thirds Of it, /
population inflicted upon every branch and
department of industry. A paralysis will
seize every healthful function Of govern
mcnt. The sap pof life will cease to ascend.
and the green tree will withcr and die
The fountains will be dried up. and the riy-
cr Will cease to flow. Sir, L am dealing in
no imaginary picture. Go to the regions
of agriculture on which al else depends |
I on will there hear the cry that the labor /
ers are few. One man cannot do the work |
of three; and two are gone and but one is
left TO sow the seed and reap the harvest
| have seen the wife and the mother til I
ing the soil in my own district, her chill |
drer following in the fuvrow. and their
father away in the army. have seen
broad fertile acres in the West lying waste
and idle for the want of hands to place
them in cultivation How long viii one
third of our usual produce meet the de
mands Of our increased and stupendous
How long can diminished
production and multiplied taxation sol
hand in hand? How long can yon eontin-
ne to destroy the laborer, and at the same
time raise a revenue from the products OF
labor? The tendency and speedy result
Of our present career are plain and ineyi-
table. Soon, very soon, the fruits OF IN
dustry will prove inadequate to meet the
annual demands of tn, National Treasury,
and then the land itself, the farm, the
homestead. must be exhausted and swept
away. Are you ready Cor this? Are you
ready for the land lax upon uneultiyated
fields, in addition to The tribute which (
already pay to ianaticism and corruption.
If you are, then eternal war, vast conscrip-
tons, no negotiation, no reunion, no peace,
will bring with fearful rapidity the realize
ton Of all your hopes. But in this prof
ligate destruction of human life, and wan
ton and wicked overthrow Of the whole ma
tional system of American labor how