The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-08

ON Thursdav. August -, 1867.
We hold those truths to be self-evidsnt,
hat all men are created equal, that they are
endowed By their Creator with certain Ina |
enable rights that among them are life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness that |
to secure these rights governments are in |
stituted among men, deriving their just pow |
ers from the consent Of the governed.
That there are but two pure forms OF gov |
ernment, the Autocratic and the Democratic;
under the former the will Of the individual
sovereign Is the supreme law, under the lat
ter the sovereignty 10 vested in the whole
people, ell other forms being modification
Of the one or the other Of these principles,
and that ultimately one or the ether OF
these forms must prevail throughout all
civilized nations, and il Is now for the Amer
lean people to determine which OF these prin-
ciples shall triumph.
That the design Of the founders Of the Re-
public was to institute a government upon
the principle OF absolute inheren: sovereign
" in the people, and that would give to
each citisen 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 and talents
that when laws are enacted destr'.s tive OF
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and Il 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, as to them may
seem most likely to effect their prosperity
and happiness.
Prudence viii indeed dictate that ippor-
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 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 the same
object, eyinces design to subvert the spirit
of freedom and equality upon which our in
solutions are founded, and reduce them to
a state Of servitude, il is their right-it is
their duty to abolish such laws and provide
new guards for thei- future security. Such
has been the patient suffering of the wealth
producing classes of the United States, and
such is now the necessity which. constrains
them to put forth an organized and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperiiied by the insidious
schemes and unwarranted aggressions OF
INSCRIPTIONS bankers and usurers by means
Of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hold-That all property or
wealth is the pfoduct 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 Just monetary system
receive or retain the larger proportion Of
their productions; that the wrongs, Oppres-
sions and destitution which laborers are suf
fering in most departments Of legitimate en-
terprise and useful occupation, do not re-
suit from insutiiciency Of production but
from the unfair distribution ct the products
Of labor between non producing capital and
labor.
That money is the medium Of distribution
TO on-producing capital and producing
Dor, the rate of interest determining what
;. proportion Of the products OF labor shall be
awarded to capital for its use, and what to
Dor for its productions that the power to
IKE money and regulate its value is an
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the eXer-
else Of which is by the Constitution Of inc
United States wisely and properly granted to
Congress, and it Is the imperative duty OF
Congress to institute IL urcn such a wise
and just basis that it shall b. directly under
the control Of the sovereign people who pro-
dAce the value it Is designed to represent,
measure and exchange, that il nsy be a cor
rect and uniform standard Of value, and dts
tribute the products Of labor equItably bet
ween capital and labor according to the
service or labor performed IN their prs
duction.
That the law enacting the so called Ma
tional Banking system is a delegation b.
Congress Of the sovereign power to make
sioney and regulate its value to class oil
irresponsible banking associations, thereby
giving to them the power to control the value
Of all the property in the nation, and to fix
the rewards of labor in every department Of
industry, and is inimical to the spirit Of
liberty and subversive of the principles Of
justice upon which our democratic repub-
lican institutions are founded, and without
warrant in the Constitution; justice, reason
and sound policy demands its immediate re-
peal and the substitution of legal-ten Ter
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency OF
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the parent
of all monopolies-the very root and essence
Of slavery-raiiroad, warehouse and all other
monopolies, Of whatever kind or nature, are
the outgrOwth of and subservient TO this
power, and the means used by ii TO rob
the enterprising, industrial wealth producing
classes Of the products Of their talents and
labor.
That as Government 10 instituted to pro-
tect LIE 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 perpetuity,
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 unjust class le-
gislation opposed to the spirit o. our insti
buttons. and contrary 10 the principles OF
sound morality and enlightened reason.
That our monetary, iDancIal aud revenue
laws are in letter and spirit opposed to the
principles Of freedom and equality Hpon
which our democratic republican institutions
are founded. there is in all their provisions
manifestly q studied design 10 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 oondemning them to lives Of IN
remunerated toll, depriving them Of the or
binary convt niences auc comforts Of life !;
Of the time and means necessary for social
enjoyment, intellectual culture and moral
improvement; and ultimately reducing them
to state of practical servitude.
We further hold that while these IN
righteous laws Of distribution remain in
force, laborers cannot, BY any system Of
combination CT co-operat, ~, secure their
natural rights. That the first and most in
portant step towards the establishment of
the rights Of labor, is the institution Of
system Of true corporation DC recn nom
producing 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 and just prin-
ciple that instead Of being power 10 cen
tralise the wealth in the hands OF few
bankers, usurers, middlemen and non-pro-
ducers generally, it shall be power that
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