The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-03-21
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National Labor Rsfsfn PARTY
! 81 Ea.al.a.lt -. -. ~ Iss1! 2

We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that ell men are peeated equal, Vat tAs5 are
endowed by their Creator with certain Ina
nsble rights that among them are life,
liberty and the pureuit o. happiness ; tnas
TO Secure thssss rights goternments ~ ind
slitated among men, deriving their Just pow
ere from the consent Of tho governed.
That there .ase bat tho pare ierqe af gov. |
ernment, the Autocratie and the Democratic; |
under the former the viii Of the individual
sovereign 10 the supreme law, under the Las
ter the soveraignty 10 vested in the whole
people, all other forms being q modification
OF the one or The other Of these principles,
and that ultimately one or the other OF
these forms mutR prevail throughout all
ciyilised nations, and il 10 now for the Amer
loan people to determine which Of these prin-
cipleg shah lriapph. z. =.Ass s..zs - !
That ne design Of the fpapdsrs qf fhsKe-
public vas 70 ins1issts q sgoyerpEspk upon
the pfin6ipls of ahselate inherent soserelgn-a
4 IN Athe people, end that Woald give 70
each citixen tho largest political and religi-
Gus liberty compasble with the good ordsr
Of society, and secure 10 each the right 70
esiov the fruits Of bic labor aud talsnts
that when laws are enacted deetruceive OIL
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and il is ths right and daty Of the
people to alter. amend Or Abolish Them, and
institsts saeh others, founding them ppon
the principles of equity. - TO then may
seem most likely to effect their prosperity
Psudencs viii indeed dictate mat fmpcr-
tant laws Long restab lished Should noe be
changed for light aud transient causes. and
experience has shown that the American
people are more disposed 70 suffer whils
evils are sutferable, THAI TO change the
forms and lawsto whfch they have besn 49,
customsd. But when q long srsin of-leeisls-
tive abuses, pursuing invariably the same
objeet, evinces design TO sobvert the spirit
Of free3cn and sqqalitg ppqn which PuF inS
stitnti6ns are founded, And redaDe fkeh I'd.
state Of seryitnde, il is their right Is
their duty to abolish such Laws and provide
new guaEds for tbeif future security. Ssch
has bern the pAtiee1t su fsting % the wsAltk.
producing classes Of the United States, and
sucr 10 now the necessity whicL constraips
them tot pnt forth m. otgtnised And lanised
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperilled BY the insidioos
schemes and unwarranted aggressi0ns OF
uns~upHlsps banksrs and gsuEere by means
Of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hold-Tkat all property or
wealth Is the product OF physical or iptSl
lectual labor, employed in productive DDS
try and 10 the distribution Of the produc-
tiOns of labor that laborers ought Of right,
and would, under q Just monetary system
receive or retain the larger proportion Of
their productions; that the wrongs, oppres-
! sions and restitution which iaborers are suf
fering in most departments Of legitimate en-
terprise aud useful occupation, do not re-
salt from insufficiency of production, but
from the unfair distribution Of the products
Of labor between non producing capital and
labor. satQ4ysafg
That money is the medium Of distribution
to non producing capital and producing
labor, the rate Of interest determining what
proportion Of the products OF labor shall be
awarded to capital for its use, and what 70
! labor fer its productions !. thai the power TO
make money aud regulate its valsis is an
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer-
else Of whichgis by Ihe Constitution sfYsAs
United States Wisely fndpfSpsaly &Euse4 -
Congress, and X u the impexsslv1 aityso q
Congress to institute it upon such . wise
and just basis that It ehall be directly under
the control Of the sovereign people who pro-
! dueethssalse ~ is dsstgnei tS9epresent,
measure and exchange, that it may be . Cor
rect and uniform standard Of value, and DIS
| tribute the products Of labor eqa1tably bet
ween capital md labor aceordiAgato the
service or labor performed IN their pre-
duction.
That the law enacting the SO called Ma
tional Banking system is a delegation by
Congress Of the fseve sgn power to make
/ monev and regulate itstalue to class Of
irrcs ponsble banking associs.,.ses, thereby
giving to them the power to control the valu.
Y CT all The properly in the- nation, and to q,
the rewards Of labor in every department o.
industry. and is inimical to Ihe spirit o.
liberty and subgersive of the principles q
justice upon which our democratic repub.
\ liMnsfnstfptgns7nre founded, .,Aad withsnl
w4rfNnt inthe Cons tituiions lostiee. reason
and sound policy 'dennands rs Mnediate ~
peal and the substitution Of legal-tendel
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency Of
the nation. astn
1 That this money monopoly Is the parent
4 OF all monopolies-the very root and essence
J. okshfeFy-pilrgaa .wasehpdse gna Al Othel
monopolies, Of whstevef Kind Dr. nature, 6rt
the outsrowth of and subservient to this
power, and the means used BY it TO rob
tie enterprising, industrial wealt l. producing
cassesot the spgedpcss OF tbsir talents and
labor.
That as Government is instituted to pro-
tect lie and secure the rights Of property,
each should share its just and proper pro-
! portion " the burthens anHrsserifioss me-
cessary for ice maintenance md rsrpetuity,
and that the exemption from taxation Of
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and bankrupting rates of interest, Is
a species Of dangerous and apjust class le-
gislation opposed to the spirit Of our insti
buttons, and contrary 10 The principles Of
sOuad morality apd enlightened reason. y
That our monetary, f6shtiai aud revenue
laws are in letter and spirit opposed to the
principles Of freedem and equality upon
which our democratic republican institutions
| are founded. there is in all their provisions
manifestly asstudisd sdesiES to shield non-
producing capital from its just proportion of
lhs burthens necessMy for the support of
the Government imposing them mainly on
ttg inaastrial rrsfhrPssaucing uelsssss3
thereby condemning them 70 lives Of On.
remunerated toll, deprvinG them of the Or
binary convsniSnces ssnd tomforts Of life
Of the time and mkaee nessssAry for social
enjoyment, .iaxIlsctu1i 6dl{dre and moral
Improvement sndiplfia41kay reducing them
TO state q, practical segvitnde.
We 'f1rther hold that whih sthsse nm
lishteeas lava OF distflbpti6n remain IN
foress lsbosers sannet, u1sys sny .system af
combination Ct co-opes4tion, secure Their
portans step toWards tke estabfis6m S1f Of
the rights Of labor II tie institatiod Or 4
system Or fae ScYlpuersfcns between non-
producing capitaB and labor. That to effect
shis most dssirsblsohj monsy,i Tie mesdis
nm Of distribAticR, 20 c2pltsl and labor, must
be instifstsds apok sacf Nise and Just pin
ieiple that instead u bsfsG apower 70 can
trahzs the wealth In tHe hands Of few
bankers, usurers, middlsmea .aad non-pro-
dacers generally, a. shall bsa power hat
oerdaucs with the labor reassic e reriornsd
IN their production l-the serya1t and not NE
master of labor. This done It'd natnfal