The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-04-11

Ndu0nhi LaDef nctofm 1@ty
On Thnrsaav. Auxast -. 1867. a
We hold shess truths 70 BE- self-svidsnt
that oil men are created equal, that they are
endowed BY their Creator with certain ina
nable 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
eminent, the Autocratic and the Democratic;
under the former the will Of the individual
sovereign is the supreme Law, under the lat
ter the sovereignty In vested In the whole
people, all other forms being . modification
Of the one or the other Of these principles,
and that ultimately one or the other %
these forms must prevail throughout ali
civilized nations, and il ID 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 . government upon
the principle Of absolute inherent sovereign
ty in the people, and that would give %
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 and talents |;
that when laws are enacted destructive Of
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and it il the right and duty Of the
people to alter. amend Or abolish them, and
institute such others, founding them upon
the principles Of equity, az 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
people are more disposed to suffer while
evils are sufersble, than to change the
forms and laws to which they have been SC
customed. But when long train Of legisla-
tive abuses, pursuing invariably the same
object, evinces design to subvert the spirit
of freedom and equality upon which our in
stitntions are founded, and reduce them 20
state Of servitude, it Is their right is
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 is now the necessity which constra' rs
them to put forth an organized and united
CnDtt l0I mat1SAAutuk hdSAh notoh ~ ~ ~
which are imperilled by the insidious
schemes and unwarranted aggressions OF
inscriptions bankers and usurers by means
Of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hoId-That all property or
wealth is the product of physical or intel
lectual labor, employed in productive indus
try and in the distribution of the produc-
tions of labor that laborers ought OF right,
and would, under a just monetary system
receive or retain the larger propo- ION 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 insuffieiency Of production but
from the unfair distribution Of the products
OF labor between non-prodlcing capital and
labor.
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, snd what to
labor for its productions that the power Il
make money and regulate its value is ar
essential attribute of sovereignty, the exer-
else Of which is by the Constitution Of the
United States wisely and properly granted To
Congress, and it Is the imperative duty Of
| Cong ess to institute il upon such o wise
and Just basis that II shall be directly under
the control Of the sovereign people who pre-
duce the value it is designed to represent
measure and exchange, that it may be cor.
rect and uniform standard Of value, and dis.
tribute the products of labor equitably bet
ween capital and labor according to the
Sarv;oa iahor IN THAR Dro.
duction.
That the law enacting the so called Ma
tional Banking system is a delegation By
Congress Of the sovereign power to make
money and regulate it's value to q class Of
irresponsible banking associations, thereby
giving to them the power to control the value
or 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 subgersive Of the principles Of
justice upon which our democratic repuG-
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-tendeT
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency Of
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the parent
of all monopolies- very root and essence
Of slavery-relroad, warehouse and all other
monopolies, Of whatever kind or nature, are
the outgroTth of and subservient to this
power, and the means used by it to rob
the enterprising, industrial wealth product Ig
classes OF the products Of their talents and
labor.
Thet as Government is 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 its maintenance and perpetuity,
and that the exemption from taxation oil
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and bankrupting rates Of interest, u
q species of dangerous ard unjust class le-
gislation opposed to the spirit of eur insti
tutions. and contrary to the principles Of
sound morality and enlightened reason.
That our monetary, fnancial aud revenue
laws ere in letter ana spir;s opposed to the
principles Of freedom and equality upon
which our democratic republican institutions
are founded. there is in oil their provisions
manIfestly a studied design to shield On
producing capital frcn 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-
remuuerated toll, depriving them Of the or
binary convenIences and 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 un-
righteous laws Of distribution remain in
force, laborers cannot, by any system Of
combination CT corporation, secure their
natural rights. That the first and most i'm
portant step towards the establishment Of
the rights Of labor, is the institution OF q
system Of true corporation between non-
producing capital and labor. That to effect
this most desirable object, money, the medi-