The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-05-09

We hkd tho5o tru&h1 70 ~ 89iL~ey1Qeb
that aIi men are cf66ted' equel, thae they trp
endowed BY their Creator with certain ina
! nable riehts that among them axe life,
liberty and the pursuit Oh happiness that
10 secure these rights governments are In
stituted anon. men. deriving their Just pow
~ from TIE consent az the foyerned
That there are but two pure forms Of gov
eminent. the Autocratic and the Democratic;
under the former shs will Of the individual
sovereign IL the supreme Law, under the lat
ter the sovereignty ID vested Ia the whoie
peoplc, al other forms being MODIFICATION
of the one or the other Of these principles,
and thnt ultimately ono or ths fother OK
these forms must prevail throughout oil
civilized nations, and il Ia now for ia Amer
lean people 10 determine which OF these prin-
ciplss shall triumph.
That the design Of the founders Of the Re-
public was 10 institute government nPop
the principle of absolute inherent sovereign
" in the people, and that would give 70
each citizen the largest political and rsligi-
Gus liberty compatible with the good order
Of society. and secure TO- each the right to
cnjoy the fruits Of his labor and talents |;
that when laws are enacted destructive OK
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and IL IL the right and daty OF the
people to alter. amend or abolish them, and
institute such others, founding them Spon
the principles OF equity, ~ to them may
am most likely to effect their prosperity
and happiness.
Prudence will indeed 'ictate that impor-
tant laws long established should not be
changed for light and transient causes, and
- u h.
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 t1e sans
object, evinces design to subvert the spirit
of freedom and equality upon which our IN
situations are founded, and reduce them 70
state Of sergitude, it 10 their eright-it ID
their duty to 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 States, and
such is now the necessity which conssrainl
them to put forth an organized and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights
which are imperillsd by the insidioui
schemes and unwarranted -aggfessions Of
unscrupulous bankers and usurers BY means
Of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hold-That all property OF
wealth 10 the product of physical 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 g Just monetary system
receive or retain the larger proportion o.
their productions; thai 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 insufiiciency OF production bu
from the unfair distribution Of the products
Of labor between non-producing capital AM
labor.
That money is the medium Of distribution
to non-producing capital and producing
labor, the rate Of interest determining wha
proportion Of the products OF labor shall b.
awarded to capital for its use, and what t
labor for its productions that the power t
make money and regulate its value 10 n
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer
else Of which is by the Constitution Of tn
United States wisely and properly granted y
Congress, and it Is the imperative duty Q
Congress to institute it upon such. wis
and Just basis that II shall DO directly nnde
ths control Of the sovereign people who pro
duce the value it is designed to represent
measure and exchange, that it may be cor
| rect aud uniform STANDARD Of value, and dis
| tribute the produc. g Of labor equitably bet
ween capital and labor according to tn
service or labor performed in their pro
| duction,
| That the law ell Ig the SOL called Ma
tional Banking sys.em is q delegation b
| Congress Of the sovereign power to max
money and regulate it's value to class Q
irresponsible banking associations, thereb
| giving to them the power to control the valu
Of all the property in the nation, and to q
the rewards Of labor in every department 3
industry, and is inimical to the spirit Q
liberty and subyersive Of the principles q
justice upon which our democratic repub
lican institutions are f"'--'', nd withou
warrant in the Const..- g9-.se, reaso
and sound policy demands its immediate re
peal and the substitution Of legal-tende
Treasury notes rs the exclusive currency 3
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the paren
OF all monopolles-the very root and essenc
Of alavery-rsilroad, warehouse and all othe
monopolies, Of whatever kind or nature, ar
the outgrowth of and subservisnt to thi
power, and the means used by it TO ro
the enterprising, industrial wealth. producing
4 cc.lssss::s Of the products of their talents an
labor.
tt ~ Government 10 instituted to pro
| tect hfe and secure the rights Of property
each should share its just and proper pro
portion Of the burthens and sacrifices ne
| For - sntn frrsk x
and that the exemption from taxation 3
bank capital and government bonds, beafin
double and bankrnpting rates OF interest, J
. species Of dangerous and unjust class le
gislation opposed to the spirit Of our inst
buttons, and contrary to the principles o
sound morality and enlightened reason.
| That our monetary, financial aud revenu
laws are in letter and spirit opposed to Ii
principles Of freedom and equality upoI
which our democratic republican institution
are founded, there is in all their provision
manifsstly studied design to shield non
producing capital from its just proportion D
the burthens necessary for she support 0
the Government, imposing them mainly o.
the industrial wealth producing Glasses
thereby eondemning them to lives Of un
remunerated toll, depriying them Of the or
binary conveniences and comforts Of life
of the time and means necessary for socis
enjoyment, intellectual culture and mora
| Improvement and ultimately reducing then
to state Of practical setvitude.
We further. hold that while. these I'M
righteous laws Of distribufioa remain Il
force, laborers cannot, BY any system o
combination CT cooperation, secure thei
naturalSights. That the FIRST and most i'm
portant step towards the establishment
The rights Of labor, 10 the institution Of
system Of tire corporation between non
producing capital and labor. That to effsc
this most desirable object, money, the medi
um Of distribution to ca pital and labor,mua
be instituted upon such wise aad Just pfin
cipIe that instead of being power to cen
tralizs the wealth in the hands OF q fe,
bankers, usures, middlsmen and nen-pro
ducers generally, il shall be power cha
will distribute produc to prodnoers In a
cordaice with the labor or service performs,
IN their production the servant end not obi
/ master Of labor. This done the natura