Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-10-15
Aristocracy VS.. Labor.

In the Democratic procession last
Thursday was seen a large wagon,
on which were represented the indus
trial arts, workmen being engaged in
picking stones, blacksmithing, DC.
We suppose the design was to rep
resent Democracy as the friend and
patron of the laboring classes, that
being rallying cry of the party in
the present campaign, as it has been
for years.
Did werkingmen ever take the
trouble to find out what blessings the
Democratic party has ever bestowed
upon free labor, in what way it has
worked in the past, and still works to
ennoble the poor man and make labor
respectable. 1t has never benefited
it an iota. An examination of its
past history will show it to have
been, not the friend of the masses,
but the toel of an aristocracy, work
ing for the triumph of principles,
that would raise the few above the
many, and degrade manual labor.
From the birth of this government,
when, unfortunately, slavery was re-
tanned, till the beginning of the re-
bellion, the history of the Democratic
party has been identical with the
struggles of lordly Southerners to
convert this government into an aris-
tocracy. The struggle was between
government of the people, and of a
ruling class to the exclusion of the
people. The working of such a sys
tenn is seen in England, where 80
900 aristocrats own all the lands, and
the farm laborers are the most de-
graded and british class in the coun-
try, stepped in ignorance, laboring
for bare living, and only too happy
If Saturday night finds them with
few pence to spend at the beer shop.
The workings of like system were
seen at the South in the condition of
the 'peer whites" the only class that
represented free labor there, and
acknowledged to be the most de-
graded portion Of our people. To
maintain this aristocracy, the South
and the Democratic party manipula-
ted by it, struggled for years. The
advance of the masses in the North
and the increasing power of free
labor here, finally left them only the
alternative of forcing their aristo-
cratic system over the whole country,
or giving up defeated. Their attempt
to do the former is seen in the exer-
tions made, to which Democracy was
party, to force slavery upon the
territories. That failing, the South
inaugurated rebellion as the only
means of preserving their system in
their own section, and the present
leaders of Democracy, now claiming
to be the only friends of the laborer,
were in full sympathy with the views
of Southern aristocrats in that con.
test. Such has been the real posi-
ton of Democracy with regard to
the laboring classes OF this country,
and now this same desire for aris.
tocratic government, not destroyed
by the war, only silenced for the time,
is sroused to life again, and again re-
celving the support of the Democratic
party. The present attempt to rein
state Southern leaders in power, to
restrict the political privileges given
into the hands of free labor, in the;
South, and to drive out all Northern
emigrants, is auether struggle of
Southern aristoeraey against free
labor, and, as such, receives the
hearty support of this party.
Let workingmen remember that all
heir hopes of social standing, pecu-
nisry success, and political privile-
ges, depend wholly on the advance
ment of the masses, on the opening |