The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-02-15
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Auowxun A
On Thurs1sv. August ~. 1887.
We hold these truths 10 b. sslf-svident
that al men are crsAtsd equal tbat thar ~
endowed by their Creator with csrtain ina.
lsnabls rights that among them are llfe,1
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness that
to secure thSse Fikhts governmsnt. arc ~
stitstsd anone men, dsrisine Their 59ss poS1
That there are but two pure forms 81 gov
srnmsnt, ths Autooratic end the Demomstic,
under The former the win Of the individual
sovereign IL the supreme law, under The lat-
ter the sovereignty 10 vested ia the whole
people, all other forms being mobilization
OF the one or the other Of these principles,
and tina. ultimately one or the other Of
these forms must prevail throughout all
ciyilised nations, and it's now for the Amer
loan people 70 determine which OF these prin-
ciples shall triumph.
That the design Of the founders ofthe Re-
public was to institute q government upoa
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 nd talents |;
that when laws are enacted aestructise Of
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and it is the right and duty Of the
people TO alter, amend or abolish them, and
institute such others, founding them upon
the principles Of equity, 40 to them may
seem most likely to effect their prosperity
and happiness.
Prudence will indeed dictate that impor-
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 snferable, than to change the
forms and laws to which they have beenFao-
customed. But when long train Of leglsla-
tive abuses, pursuing invariably the sAme
object, evinces . design to subvert the spirit
Of freedom and equality upon which our in
situations are founded, and reduce them to
state Of servitude, it is their .right--it 10
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 Ia now the necessity which constrains
them TO put forth an organised and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperilled by the insidious
schemes and unwarranted aggressions OF
INSCRIPTIONS bankers and Insurers BY means
Of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hoId-That all property or
wealth ia tha product OF physical or intel
lectual labor, employed in productive indus
try and 10 the distribution of the produc-
tions Of labor that laborsrs ought 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 insuficiency Of production buI
\ from the unfair distribution Of the products
Of labor between non-producing capital and
( labor.
4 That money is the medium of distributioE
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 Il
labor for its productions that the power Il
make money and regulate its value 10 III
essential attribute of sovereignty, the exer
else Of which is by the Constitution of thu
United States wisely and properly granted Il
Congress, and it is the imperative duty o
] OOhH Ooo W AuoNttntC ~ AROu oASA - Who'
and Just basis that it shall be directly unde
the control Of the sovereign people who pro
duce the value it il designed to represent
measure and exchange, that it may be cor
rect and uniform standard Of value, and dis
tribute the products Of labor eqaitably bet
ween capital and labor according to th,
service or labor performed In their pro
duction.
That the law enacting the so.called Na
tional Banking system IL delegation b.
Congress Of the sovereign power to maxi
money and regulate its value to-a class o
irresponsible banking associaffeps, thefeh,
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 0
industry, and 10 inimical 70 the spirit o
liberty and subversive Of the principles o
justice upon which our democratic repub
lican institutions are founded, and withou
warrant in the Constitution (; justice, reason
and sound policy demands its immediate re
peal and the substitution Of legsl-tendel
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency o
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the paren
Of all monopolies-the very root and essenc'
of slavery-rsilroad, warehouse and all othel
monopolies, Of whatever kind or nature, ar,
the outgrowth Of and subservient to THU
power, and the means used by it 10 rob
the enterprising, industrial wealth producing
classes Of the products Of their talents anG
| labor.
! That rs Government 10 instituted to pro
tect life and secure the rights of property,
each should share its just and proper pro
portion Of the burthens and sacrifices ne
cessary for It's maintenance and psrpetuity,
and that the exemption from taxation Of
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and bankrupting rates of interest i
q species of dangerous and unjust class L.
gislaticn opposed TO the spirit OF eur instif
tutlona, - contrary to the principles Of
sound morality and enlightened reason.
That our monetary, financial 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 ia in all their provisions
manifestly a studied design to shield non
producing capital from its just proportion Of
the burthens necessary for the support OF
the Government, imposing them mainly On
the industrial wealth-producing classes,
thereby condemning them to lives Of un.
remunerated toll, depriYipg them OF the or
binary conveniences aud comforts Of life /:
Of the time and means necessary Cor social
enjoy ment, intellectual culture and moral
improvement; and ultimately reducing them
to state of practical servitnde.
We further hold that while these I'M
righteous laws Of distribution remain in
forcs, laborers cannot, by any system of
combination CT cooperation, secure their
natural rights. That the frst and most i'm
portaut step towards the estahlisnme.t az
the rights of lehessF, Is the institution Of
system Of true cooperation between nom
pro6s cling 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 snd just prin-
ciple that instead Of being . power 10 Gen.
tralize the wealth in the hands of . few
bankers, usurers, middlemen and non-pro-s