The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-02-01

On Thursdav, August "a, 1867.
We hold these truths TO be self-evident, |
hat ell men are created equal, that they are
by their Creator with certain ina
ienabls rights that among them are life,
liberty and The purshit OF happiness that |
10 secure these rights governments are In !
stituted among men, deriving their just pow
srs from the consent Of the governed.
That there are but two pure forms Of gov |
ernment, the Autocratic and the Democratic; |
under the former the will Of the individual |
sovereign IL the supTe me law, under the lat
ter the sovereignty is vested In the whole
people, all other forms being . modification
Of the one or the other Of these principles,
and that ultimately one or the other u
these forms must prevail throughout all
civilized nations, and il Is now for the Amer
loan people to determine which Of these prin-
ciples shall triumph. Gal
That the design of the founders Of the Re-
public was to institute = government upon
the principle Of absolute inherent sovereign
ty in the people, and that would give 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 his labor and talents
that when laws are enacted destructive OF
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and il is the right and dnty of the
people to alter. amend or abolish them, and
institute such others, founding them upon
the principles Of eqaity, 40 to them may
seem most likely to effect their prosperity
and happiness
Prudence will indeed dictate that inpor-
tant laws long established should not be
changed for light and transient causes, and
experience has shown that the American
people are more disposed TO suffer while
evils are sufferable, than to change the
forms and laws To which they have been ac-
customed. But when long train of legisla-
tive abuses, pursuing invariably the same
object, eyinees o designto snbvert the spirit
Of freedom and equality upon which our in-
situations are founded, and reduce them to
a state of servitude, il is their right--it is
their duty to abolish sach laws and p, wide
new guards for their future security. Such
bias been the patient suffering OF TIL wealth
p:v1ucing classes Of the United States, and
sIeh is now the necessity Which, constrains
them to put forth an organized and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperilled by the insidious
schemes and unwarfanted aggressions OF
INSCRIPTIONS bankers and usurers BY means
of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hold-That all property or
wealth is the product of physical or intel
lectual labor, employed in productive i1dus
try and iu the distribution Of the produe-
liions of labor that laborers ough: Of right,
and would, under just monetary system
receive or retain the larger proportion Of
their productions; that the wrongs, oppres-
sions and restitution which laborers are suf-
fering in most departments of legitimate en-
terprise and useful occupation, do not re-
suit from insutficiency % production .bAi
/ from the unfair distribution Of the products
I Of labor between nen-producing capital and
( labor.
That money is the medium Of distributor
to non producing capital and producing
labor, the ate of interest determining whaI
| proportion of the products OF labor shall bs
awarded TO capital for its use, and what Il
labor for its productions that the power tC
make money and regulate its value - ar
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer-
else Of which is by the Constitution Of the
Uni ed States wisely and properly granted tc
Congress, and 1t IS the imperative duty o.
/ Congress to institute il upon such q wist
aud just basis that it shall be directly under
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 equItably bet
ween capital aud labor according to the
service or labor performed in their pro.
| duction
That the law enacting the so called Ma
tional BANKING system 10 a delegation By
Congress Of the sovereign power to make
money and regulate its value to class d
irresponsible banking associations, thereby
| giving to them the power to control the value
of all tho, property in the nation, and 10 fiz
the rewards Of labor in every department Of
J industry. and is inimical TO the spirit 81
liberty aud subversive Of the principles o.
justice upon which osr democratic repub-
lican institutions are founded, and without
warrant IN the institution; justice, reason
and sound policy demands its immediate re-
| peal and the substitution Of legal-tendel
I Treasury notes as the exclusive currency d
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the parenj
OF all monopolies-the very root and essence
OF slavery-rsilroad, warehous. and all Other
monopolies, Of whstever kind or nature, a.t
the outgrowth of and subservient to this
power, and the means used by il to rob
the enterprising, industrial wealth producing
classes Of the products Of their talents ard
! labor.
/ That as Government is instituted to pro-
tect lie and secure the rights Of property,
yach should share its just -a.sd proper pro
portion Of the bufthens and sacrifices ne.
ee5sa7y FOR its maintenance and perpetuitv,
and that the exemption from taxation Of
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and banAruptins rates Of interest /.
species Of dsngercl 10 and unjust class le-
! gislation opposed to the spirit of our iasti
tutions. and contrary 10 the principles Of
sound morality and enlightened reason.
That our monetary, fiaanclal and 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
mahifestly a studied design to shield non
producing capital from its jus: proportion Of
the burshens necessary for the support Of
the Government, imposing them mainly on
the industrial -prodpaoaGs classes
thereby condemaiaBg them to lives of un
re,eraaerated toll, depriving them Of the OF
binary convtniences aud comforts Of life
of The time and means necessary for socia
ENJOY ment, intellectual culture and mora
Improvement; and ultimately reducing then
TO q state of practical servixude.
We further hold that while these nm
righteous laws OF distribution remain il
force, laborers cannot, BY any system 0
combustion CT cooperation, secure thei
natural rights. That the first and most i'm
portant step towards the establishment Of
the rights OF labor, is the Institution or 1
system Of tire cooperation between nou-
producing capital and labor That to effect
this most desirable object, money, the medi-
um Of distribution to csS ital and labor. mus,
be instituted upon such wise and Just prin-
ciple that instead of being power 10 Gen.
tralize the wealth in the hands Of a few
bankers, usurers, middlemen and nen-pro-
dacers generally, il shall be power that
viii distribute products to producers IN &C
cordance with the labor or service perform ed