The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-08-21
From Senator NDraeue.

npo among the multitude OF letters from
prominent men, the following s.atesmanlike
letter from Senator Sprsgue, and give it in
this edition. It has lost none OF its merit
by delay:
Providence, R. l., June IL, 1869.
DEAR Sin. received your letter and the
newspaper article enclosed, en- my arrival
here from the South. I have made I'D INV
mind not to answer newspaper articles. There
il but one way Of meeting newspaper a.
tacks; newspaper must be pitted against
newspaper, II man attempts to antago-
nice himself with the newspapers, or answ er
their attacks upon him, he is at such disad-
vantage that, however good bis cause NAV
be, be stands fair chance Of suffering from
the contest in the end. But il his position
is such that editorial comments adverse TO
him are met BY editorial comments in his
favor, step BY step, and day BY day; If his
cause be the better one and urged by pens
equally able with those OF Ills antagonists,
he must win.
Newspapers have great power in this coun-
try; but they are an instrument, like tine
legal profession, that can be easily COM
manded both pro and con. In this. Is in
finance, but recognise the principle Of fight
ing money against money, ideas against
ideas, newspaper paragraphs against news
paper paragraphs, newspaper articles against
newspaper articles. | can not, therefore, an
swer the article you sent INC.
You will remember that the words I ut.
tered in the Senate attracted the attention
OF the labor union organization ut Washing
ton. When those words were uttered was
not aware Of the existence Of such % organ
ization but have found it everywhere in
my travels.
You know that 10 my appearing in Phila-
delphia you acted on On interview You hsd
with me and on the action of the Washing |
ton organization. The compliment Of the |
serenade and address was consequent on nv |
present position; not on anything I had |
done in the past.
Those who attack me With . view of pref |
udicing the working men against me 20 70
past transactions in connection with working
men. They would gather from my past his
tory that am insincere in the position | |
now occupy, and pointing to transactions
growing out OF my business, endeavor to
prejudice the minds Of working men against
me. This 10 their natural e-cry and
battle-ground. II flaws can be found in
the exponent Of an idea his influence is
measuTably weakened. The people have
been 80 cheated in the past BY those who
have raised themselves by the suffraces Of
the people that it is not at all strange thew
should be reluctant to give their approval to
: champions who pretend to work in their
interest. .
am not of the demagogue class. am :
entirely removed, at the present time, from !
desiring the popular support for myself per- !,
'onally, or for any interest have, direct or +;
Indirect. There is no election pending at !
his time. The Republican party has Just
naugurated President; it is all powerful :
he public veal or woe for the next four g
ears rests with it; personal considerations Il
an not possibly, therefore, enter into nv
movements. There is only one probable de-
sct ID It all. and that is whether my plan of
elief and my ability are equal to the coca Y
ion. The people are right in turning to no
unsuccessful agent; and if the one they
hoose has not the attribute OF success they
hould be chary Of going SO far in bis direc-
on as to lnJure their own interests. No =.
ne can recognize this principle more thor. -
ughly thar ], and never would employ in
" own business . uniformly unsuccessful ~
gent.
l have observed that we, as nation, have an
st our ability to compete successfully with
'e commerce Of the world, and that we "a
ava now no shipping on the sea. The bus to
ess and labor attending that great interest
slong TO other people. The agricultural al
terest, excepting cotton, is becoming daily M
ore and more pro6tless, and mus, become
to oil engaged in it, rs Is witnessed BY the :,
les, and mortgages Of farms, and the ab 70
'rption OF lands in great proprietcrs, and 70
70 attempts to farm on large scale, so as to
ID and the seal Of ny once he dav and date .b via
set the tzOf6iishs tsffhs Of ffeiSfts and ! r.
e chesper products Of Europe, where we -
e constantly seeking . market; seeking it
.ainst production on their part OF three IL
four times the quantity per acre produced 40
? US, and against constantly increasing en-
reduction on their part and n constantly
production on ours. re
Turning to the manufactures Of the coun- M
y, illustrate wool, which, with an almost sit
tariff in its favor. is an interest
ore depressed, perhaps, than any other. IN
he wool grower finds Nc profit in his wool, on
he manufacturer no profit on his cloth. &C
Looking ut the mechanical pursuits, find
wv Of them much more than able to meet "
heir expenses. Gold mining IN California 20
gradually giving way to agriculture upon -
virgin soil, which itself becomes every year n
.ss and less productive. Coal and iron
out Of the special opera :.
ions Of the Government in building the 9
acific Railroad stand firmer than the rest. TT TT
their special support has been done II
way with on its completion, and the pro-
uctlons Of the country have diminished
onsequent on the excess Of cost to produce y
nd transport them beyond the price receiv- 20
d, the demand for coal and iron for railroad NJ
will cease, and these interests q
will lsnguish like the rest. "'
These are facts. AS one called upon to
ote for or against measures affecting the q
0 terests Of the whole people, could not q
hut my eyes to them. And looking for the IN
our condition with that Q! o.
be three or four principal Powers of Europe, o
discovered that while the powers among
he people, both governmental and material,
n those countries are gradually and surely ii
undergoing q dsintegralng process, ours, n
IN the contrary, were steadily becoming Q
more strongly centralized and monopoliZing. p
discovered that the absence Of the power d
If money operating to give stability and
to the finances, possessed by the O
nations referred to, was the sole cause Of i
hese results among US. was quite certain 4
hat if our condition continued, the govern n
nent Of the people would not exist long, \
even in name; that these powers would, in .
heir own interest, unite in establishing q n
government that would be measurably Tree
from any interference on the part Of the !
people. A government established in the !.
interest Of privileged and mono2olz ne pow =
ers could not be established, nor attempted
to oe established, without another civil war. !;
This would seem to be sufficient in itself to !.
man, who sincerely believed IN !
the possibility Of such contingency, to ad !
vocate measures to prevent It, regardless Of /
personal to himself. /;
saw in addition to this the certain loss
Of the industries Of the people, and | saw
them unemployed Two results must follow
from Ihis-povertX,snd disturbance. This