The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-20
SATURDAY, JUNE %, 1858
THE sPIKIr OF THE AGE.--II.


instead Or the divine right Of Kings. This
doctrine was authoritatively announced in
the Declaration Of Independence. Our faith
ers we're enthusiastic in the belief that II
would ultimately supercede every other sys-
TEN # government. But strange as it may
appear, while they were theoretically IN Ia
vor Of tie new doctrine they were praetie'
ally and uncompromisingly opposed to 1t.
Hence, they made chill Of rights" brist-
ling at every point With human rights, yet
negatived the whole, by adopting as funda-
mental. the common and commercial class
laws Of England. Hence, too, the President
and Vice President are the product Of eject
ors-they represent states, not people. The
senate, state egislatures-secret1ries, land
other executive officers, are appointees IN
which lie President, heretofore, has been
supposed to have a voice. This power OF
late. has been somewhat abridged. How
much there is no political thermometer to
indicate. The real and practical character
Of this complicated government machinery
is a nameless nobility OF aristocracy, over
which the people have no control. Govern
ment is not, therefore based upon the SOW
ereignty Of the individual man, but upon q
sovereignty Of states-a soulless, corporate
man. Hence the interests Of this divine
man, in pace Of the real man, are the espe-
cial objects Of governmental care. In the
North lnsrcial and commercial corporations,
ia the Sou.h African or "bIute slavery"
better known g. "the domestic institutions"
~ the South.
Under this system slave may be defined
Ia bc 4 being, in form-a man, but man
without rights, His person and the fruits
of his toll belong to another, called master.
The origin OF his governmental monstrosity
was kng-craft-puro and unalloyed selfish
ness, CLOSED over by human enaetments ano
thereby dgniied by the imposing name Of
Law IL came here by the authority and
under the patronage Of kings and parliA-
ments. Even the name oil slave is not
found il the constitution, nevertheless slave
~ existed under tie Constitution yet, like
all other laborrobbing class laws, though
nameless il was not powerless. 1t was
backed by the whole executive and Judicial
power Of tho Government
TIE fruits Of this enforcement Of slavery
has been bitter antagonsm between the
North and South, which finally eliminated
In secession rebellion. Its expulsion cost
the nation million OF lives, six thousand
millions Of dollars, and interminable confu
sion, disaster az ruin, for years to come.
Although "brute slavery" has NORMALLY
eperished, il is only to be succeeded by a
more complicated and universal slavery /:
81 a s0uiless corporate money power. 1t is
4 slavery Of young and old, white and black.
Il knows neither East nor West, North or
South, All who labor are to be its victims.
Its us0rious exaetions and occult power have
heretofore been welded priac paIly under
state authority. 1t is now to be national
lied. Like every other form Of slavery
which has preceded, il IS based upon class
and caste. il i perpetual lease, q letting
out Of the government for private gain. Its
pretended object is to furnish a medium OF
exchange--its real object is the rent to be
obtained ky the favored lessee OF this gov
ernmental power.
Il il thus thSt money which should be =
public certificate or value, service or use
"A check-tally or counter indicative of
value, duly authenticated BY the govern
ment, becomes instead, merely private prop
erty--a private institution, regulated and
controlled not by law, but by the lust of
gain. In the place Of being rs it ought to
be, just medium of exchange, it is gov
ernmental grant Of great power created by
extremely partial laws-rendered essential in
the transaction Of business, by Law and cus-
tom, aud let out to individuals and corpora
tions-at a. triBing rent, and thereby arming
them With an indefinite power to plumber
and rob the industrial classes at pleasure
This unjust power is power behind the !
throne, which is stronger than the throne
Itself The evil effects wnich fow from this |
power would take many volumes to UNI
fold. II rendersan equitable distribution !
of property among the people impossible.
It makes . monopoly Of manufacturing and |
Of every usefu. occupation. Imitation, col
IApse and ruin follow in their train. Hence
industrial pursuits ere deranged--pIenty apd |
scarcity Of product spend, mot so much up
on the natural law Of supply and demand, As
upon the manipulatiOns Of ths useney-chAng-
Eers- These periodical disturbances are very
argSy the ptOdpCt of this unjust money
power. The contractions and expansions
coupled with exorbltant and usurious rates
u interest renders q continual emigration
On these new fields, the North
nd the South came 10 deadly conflict. In
his conflict slavery neminaIIy persisted, but
vii be replaced by tie crushing sscOnsoIs
ysten.
A most complicated systsm of usurious
layery, not 50 gross a. African slevary, bat
more refined, oyerreedhing, cola. bIoodsdii + +
Iespotsn. Isa origin and its hOnns ID 10 the
British enpirs--hg thla essol policy Rag
and fhla the world. .''.ss-s.
Engli1k policy and Enghsh 6nanes hsvurla
Onohes ) na.ion but u destroy. The potent
Of her power are, gold coin
a aa-..s - -