The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1867-08-03
rHE PREsENT. coNGREsN.

Il
cent struggle in our own AnN siss.g States.
THE PRESENT CoNGREkS
The adjourned session Of Congress has fur
nished another proof, If any were anting,
OF the utter incapaeity OF that body to pro
vide the relief which the people demand from
those oppressive conditions which are the
joint result Of an expensive war, legislative
prodigahty, II not corruption, and stupid
incompetency to comprehend the only meth
DDS By which the nation may issue from lie
embarrassments.
Ii At be the atmosphe-es,of Washington
which dwarfs men who, before they become
members Of Congress have, at least, ordinary
intelligence, the sooner the capita. is remov-
cd the better II the. mere fact Of being .
congressman necessarily stunts the human
faculties, Il becomes philanthropic duty to
abolish Congress, II, indeed, the abolition Of
that body is not demanded by natural law
which expcls everything lifsless from the
living organization. The Congress which
has just adjourned, imagines the nation to
be in exactly the condition which gave rise
to the questions in the popular mind, at the
conclusion Of the civil war, while IN fact the
nation, following in the direction Of those
forces which broke down the right Of pro-
PertY in man has passed out Of the circum-
stances which made these questions peril
nent. The history Of the United States but
marks the steps Of grand revolution. In
1876 it was question OF colonial independ-
ence, born OF the denial Of the right Of re pre-
sentation. In 1860, the question changed
its phase from national to individual indie
psndenOe Jsiferssa's Declaration Of Inde-
pendence was territorial. the new Declaration
81 Independence which the facts Of each day
are writing down, not on parchment, but
upon the human soul, lis individual. The
one proposed to break down the ptssger OF
foreign despohsm, the other the tyranny Of
fa.se princitles- These principles underIy
ing our socinl organization, which distribute
society into classes, dooms some to poverty
and others to affiuence crown tyrant. in
comparison with whose rule the sceptrs of
George the Third was mild
The progress Of the revolution, of which
our history is the Illustration, brought
squsrely before the nation the iegarosias
ship Of man, che night Of absolute property
in = hunan being; and the question tas
changed in the course of the last six years,
from absolute TO qualified property. A man
can no logger buy or sell bis ne'ghOor At
auction, but that feature - g human slavery
xs s..csa allowed the master to hire ous sl'e
services Of bis slase still substantially exists.
When mechanic is obliged 70 work from
one years cad 70 another for hSarelI enough
to pay his honsc rene. J three prices for all
he wesrss on account OF the custom Of pro-
tecting capital employed ia manufacturing
when the farmer finds his crops hardly ST
ice to pay the interest on The assasy lie Dor
rowed e Lug Jug ufs farm with, and the taxes
upon his farm, the government and the caPi-
talists as etfectually hire out the services Of
such mechanic and farmer as did the slave
owner in the south. It's Is much the duty
Of the people to break down this qualified
right or property in the labor OF man Is il
was to break down the absolute ownership
| of one man by another, Tae governments
which, by a system Of legislation taxes the
people out Of their earnings, stands in the
same relation to its subjects Is master to
slave. The law which allows money lend
e. to take for the use Of his money all the
earnings Of his borrower is ~ bad pirscy.
Upon these questions the time for argu-
ment is passed with the people. II is only
congressman who have not jet completed
the logical processes which have produced
such unanimity Of popular opinion. There
is but one motive which will Induce con-
gressmen to consider these questions-that
which leads them to seek reelection.
In the late session not one voice was rails.
cd to correct those abuses which make unne-
ccssary three fourths Of the national taxa
ton. and which, therefore, is . robbery Of
the people 70 that extent. There are con.
tractors ready to equip an army for cam
paign in Idaho, there are plenty Of patriot
candidates for Office, hence appropriations to
quiet the Indians and bring the loyal
blacks" to the polls; but no measure fcr
reduction Of expenses, to remove the exces-