The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-02-22

ihe Aounuhtiun Stone or modern ph1lOsO-
ply is Doubt. This basis is SO thoroughly
grounded and 50 universally recognized that
il would be waste Of time to reason With
those who refuse to accept it. II We can
rely upon anything, il must be the deliver
snoeS Of human consciousness. All the
skeptics from Pyrrho down to Hume, have
started out from a hypothetical syllogism-
n these original principles Of cognition be
so ald SO, say they, then such and such mus,
be the result. Their arguments are all 10
conformity with the laws which condition
the logical connection Of thought; for the
possibility Of all knowledge and belief is
dependent upon the validity Of these origi-
nal principles. If the utteranecs Of human
consciousness be false, what are we to be-
liege5 If these deceive US, then indeed is
cur nature deiusion, and its author is the
father Of lies.
Il is far from cur intention TO at emptto
state al Of these original principle Ills
is the task OF another department. But
We viii give some OF . y, which have 3
direct bearing on The point we wish to pre-
sent.
We put an extreme case. If poor Ia
borer should be murdered by capitalist,
for the purpose Of robbing bin Of the few
dollars that be had il bis poke. all The
Work. woGlugive vent to its fury- nae 4s.1;s
ion. Why IL Ihisi Do we Eeed any
fsoVf to make Is fesl that to cilse is &c
serving ~ the seyerest penalty rhe law can
ihaetf Certainly not When we see four
millions Of people toilIns for lheir masters,
Who take Che proceeds Of their labor With
Gus rendering them sn equivalent, We call II
African slavery, aud say ID il wrong. Does
tbs require any further demonstration shan
cur nalaIal II tiact The sentiments ~
mankind prove that il does not. When We
SEE men toiling for their employers, and the
em1 loyer making al the profit and leaving
tie man who does the WORK 70 sJarye ard
ole, We SAY that this is wroug. When we
see the few reyeiing 10 luxury sud see those
to whose toll they eve their al Soldering fei
peeessaries Of life, se say that tits also is
wrong. These instincts ere common % the
aorlan race. Il is the voice Of God that j.
speal'ng through them, end We cannot De
deceived
~, thon, Nc arc justified in making any
distinction between right and wrong, and i
W. feel t5at wrong, wherever found, should
be otusbcd cut Of existence, we have settled
tha most important point in TIL problem.
The ground work > laid and the working
out of .le details i merely a question q!
time ana expeAeuey.
We know, end We feel, that tLe cXis'ing
organization Il society is uojrsi AMI op-
pressiye. This conviction j. " deerly root
"a rs thc conviction that murder and slavery
aIa ~ ines. Wha., then, remains be 1-ne
I2tirpate Ia wrong, ana re-orgauiae sosis-
w upsn Tie basis Of insties. BY placing
them selves upon this plaforu, the friend.
of Labor oceury an impTegnabia POSITION.
They are plauted upon TIE rock " imnHta
table and eternal Truth, and che waves OF
vrath shall dash themselves in pieces
against i.
Modern science, founded upon a doubt
Itself, can aeceIt nothing which does NOT
Justify its claims before the trIlgaaR II rea.
son' iAstcad OF reeeNing Tue - i'ns o'ae'
OF iniDss as Just, We begiu Witl sriicisAii
ana tolefate ~ lnssi'G'ion' however veneer II
bic AK eonee Grated, That cannot demonstrate
Sc rsht t. 5xistence- tbs a. iHe meihoo
That has been aQFiled 10 the Ohuien ana V
Government and We know Win ~hA' II
suits lhe nmid shrinN ION app'Sihg y
v rs hey < kNN