The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-01-18

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On Thursaay. Auxust ~. 1851,
We hold these truths to BE- self-evidmA
that I'll men. ere cEeated equal, that they sfe
BY their Creator With certain innr
lienable rights that among them ere life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiaess that
10 secure Ahese firhb eovennsuts are in
situated among nSn, arriving thsiF just pow
srs from the consent Of the governed.
That there are but two pure forms Of gov
eminent, the Autocratic and the Democrats;
under the former the will of the individual
sovereign 10 ths Supreme law. under The lat
ter the sovereignty 10 vested In the whole
people, all other forms bang modification
Of the one or the other Of these principles,
and that ultimately enc or the other Of
these forms must prevail throughout all
civilized nations, and 1t Is nov for the Amer
lean peopls 10 dstsrmins 3hi5h6f these prin-
c;ries shall triumph.
That the design Of the founders Of the Re
public was to institute . government upon
the principle Of absolute inherent sovereign
" ID the people, and that woald Ave to
each citizen the largest political and religi-
Gus liberty compatible with the good order
Of society, and secure to each the right TO
enjoy the fruits Of bic labor and talents /;
that when laws are enacted destructise OF
th ese ends, they are without moral binding
force. and it is the right and daty Of the
people to alter. amend or abolish them, and
institute such others, founding them upon
the principles Of equity, a. to them may
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and Happiness.
Prudence viii indeed dictate that impor-
tant laws long established should not be
changed for light aud transient causes, and
experience has shown that the American
people are more disposed to suffer while
evils are snfferable, than TO- change the
forms and laws to which they have been ae-
customed. But when long train Of legisls-
tive abuses, pursuing invariably the same
object, evinces design to subvert the spirit
Of freedom and equality upon which our in
stitusions are founded, and reduce them to
state Of servitude, it is their right-it is
their duty 10 abolish such laws and provide
new guards for their future security. Such
has been the patient suffering Of the wealth
producing classes Of the United Ststss, and
such 10 now the necessity wbicL constrains
them to put forth an, organised and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperilled by the iusidiona
schemes and unwarranted aggrcssions %
INSCRIPTIONS bankers and usnrers by means
Of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hoid-That all property on
wealth 10 the pfoduct OF physicad or intel
lectual labor, employed in productive indus
try and in the distribution Of the produc-
lions Of labor that laborers ought Of right.
and would, under . just monetary System
receive or retain the larger proportion Of
their prodactio-s; that the wrongs, epcres-
sions and destitution which laborers are suf-
fering in most departments Of legitimate en-
terprise and useful occupation, do not re.
suit from insuficieney of production bul
from the unfair distribution of the products
OF labor between non APPROACHING capital snt
labor.
That money Is the medium OF distributior
to non-producing capital and producing
labor, the rate of interest determining whai
proportion Of the products OF labor shall b.
aw -dei TO capital for its use, aud what tG
labor for its productions; that the power e
make money and regulate its value is a.
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer'
else OF which Is by the Constitution Of the
United States wisely and Propefly granted tC
Congress, anu 1T rs the imperative duty Of
Congress to institute it upon such q wise
and just basis that 1t shall be directly uRdeI
the control Of the sovereign people who pro
duce the value it is designed to represent
measure and exchange, that it may be q cor.
rect and uniform standard Of value, and dis.
tribute the products of labor equhably bet
ween capital and labor according TO the
service or labor performed IN their pro.
ductiOn.
That the law enaeting the 80. called Ma.
tional Banking system 10 . delegation b.
Congress Of the sovereign power to make
money and regulate its valne to class Of
irresponsible banking associations, thereby
giving to them the power TO control the value
OF all the property in the nation, and to fix
the rewards of labor in every department Of
industry. and is inmical to the spirit Of
liberty and subversive Of the principles Of
justice upon which our democratic repub
lican institutions are founded, and without
warrant IN the Constitution justice, reason
and sound policy demands its immediate re-
peal and the substitution of legal-tender
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency Of
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the parent
OF all monopolles-the very root and essence
Of slavery-rsilroad, warehouse ana I'll other
monopoiies, Of whstever kind or nature, are
the outgrowth of and .subservient to this
power. and tie means Nsed by il 10 rob
the enterprising, industrial Sealth- prodae-ini
classes Of the products Of tpe'r talents an
labor.
That as Government is instltHsse % pro
tect lie and secure the rights of property
each should share its just and proper pro
portion OF the burthens and sacrifices ne
cessary for its maintenance and perpetuity
and that the exemption from taxation O
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and bankTupling rates Of interest, !;
9 species Of dangerous and unjust class L.
gislation opposed to the spirit Of our insti.
buttons, and contrary to the principles Of
sound morality and enlightened reason.
That our monetary, & .ancial aud revenue
laws are in letter and spirit opposed to the
principles of freedom and equality upon
which our democratic republican institutions
are founded. there Is in all their provisions
manifestly . studied design to shield non.
producing capital from its just proportion Of
the burthcns necessary for the support oil
the Government, imaosing them mainly on
the industrial wealth-producing classez,
thereby coudenning them to lives of un-
remunerated toll, depriving them of the or.
binary convtnieDces aud comforts Of life ;
of the time and means necessary for social
enjoy ment, intellectual csiture and moral
improvement; and ultimately reducing them
to a state Of practical servtude. se
We further hold that while these un-
righteous laws OF distribution remain in
force, laborers cannot, By any system Of
combination CT cooperation, secure their
natural rights. That the frst and most i'm
portant step towards the establishments lof
the rights Of labor, is the Institution 81 .
system of true cooperation between nom
producing capital and labor. That to effect
this most desirable object, money, the medi-
um Of distribution to capital and labor, must
be instituted upon such wise ard just prin-
ciule that inatead of h,sinU n r,ower 90 -,