The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-01-23
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES
OF FHE
National Labor Reform Party


ON FRIDAY. September IS. 1868.
We hold these truths 70 be self-evident,
that all people are created equal that they are
endowed bv their Creator with certain ina
lieDable rights that among them are life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness; thai
to secure these rights governments are in
stituted among men, deriving their just
powers 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 is vested in the whole
people, all other forms beng a modification
Of the one or the other Of these principles,
and that ultimately one or the other 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 inherent sovereign
~ OF the people, and that would give 70
each citizen the largest political add religi-
Gus liberty compatible with the good orter
Of society, and secure to each the right TO
enjoy the fruits of hls labor and talents
that when laws are enacted des .ructive Of
these ends, they are without moral binding
force, and lt 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 10 them may
seem most likely to effect their prosperity
and happiness
Prudence will indeed dictate that import
L..
changed for light aud transient causes, and
experience has shown that the American
people are more disposed to suffer while
evils are s0fferab'e, shsn to change the
forms and laws 60 winch they have been &C
customed. But when long train Of legis-
tive abuses, pursuing invariably the same
object, evinces a design TO subvert the spirit
Of freedom and equality upon which our ia
stitutions are founded, ard reduce them to
a state Of servitude, it is their right---it is
their duty TO abolish such laws and provide
new guards for their iture security. Such
has been the patient 81 ffrrisg OF the wealth
producing classes o. tine United States, and
such Is DOW the necessity which constTains
them 10 put forth an organized and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperiIled by the insidiOus
schemes and dnwarranted aggression Of an
scrupulous bankers and usurers by means OF
unwise ADD corrupt legislation.
We further hold-That all properly or
wealth Is the Product OF physical or intel
lectual labor, emp Ell in productive indus
try and in the distribution Of the produc-
iions of labor that laborers ought Of right,
and would, unuer a just monetary system
receive or retain the larger proportion OF
their productions that the wrongs, oppres-
sions and desHtution which laborers are suf-
fering most departments of legitimate en-
terprise and useful occupation, do not re-
suit from insufficiency OF production but
from the unfair distribution Of the products
OF labor between non-prodGcing capital and
labor.
That money is the medium Of distribution
to 1on- producing capital and producing la
Dor, the rate Of interest determining what
Of the products Of labor shall be
awarded 10 capital for its use, and what 70
labor for its productions; that the power to
make money and regulate its value 10 40
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer-
Coo Vi which Is by the Constitution of the
United States wisely and properly granted to
Congress, and il 10 the imperative duty Of
Congress to institute it upon such a wise
and just basis that it shall be directly under
the control OF the sovereign people who pro-
duce the value it is designed to represent,
measure aud exchange, that it may be cor
rect and uniform standard of value, and dis
tribute the produ cts of labor equitably be.
tween capital an labor- according to the
service or labor performed 10 their produc-
ton.
T6st the Law enacting the so-called Ma
nonal Banking system 10 q delegation by
Congress OF the sovereign power TO make
money and regulate its value to o class OF
irresponsible banking associations, thereby
giving TO them tie power te control the value
Of all the property in the nation, and 70 tx
the rewards Of labor In every department Of
industry, and Is iniinical to the epmit OF
liberty and subversive Of the principles OF
justice upon which our democratic repub-
.icaa institutions are founded, ard without
warrant AZ ibe Consultation Justice, reason
and sound policy demands It's immediate re-
peal and the substitution Of Iegal-tender
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency Of
the natica
THAT this money monopoly 4 the parent
Of all monopolies- the very root and essence
" utAvoty FatifUaGSe warehouses AND all
other monopolies, of ". stever kind or no
ture, are the outgFowth Of and subserviens
to this power, and the means used BY il to
rob ne enterpvising. iddussrisl wsaith-pro-
ducipg classes Of the products ofatheir tai
snts and labor,
That As Government Is instituted to pro-
teos lifs and secure tho nghts OF property,
each should share its Just and proper pro-
portion Of the burthens and sacrifices
necessary for its maintenance and perpetui-.
", and that the exemption from taxation Of
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and hsr,srupting rates Of interest, Is
aspeciss Of 4aageroas aud unjust class leg
isiation opposed TO the spirit Of our institu-
tons, and contrary 70 the principles Of sound
mortality and enlightened reason. W.
That our % onetafy, financial and revenue
laws are in ittter and spirit opposed 10 the
principles OF freedom and equality upo,,
which our democrats republican institutions
are founded, There " " oil their provisionR
manifesty ssudied design % shiold snon-
producing eapitsl from IFS inst proportion al
the b1rshe0s necessary ri, the snpport of
the Government imposing them mslnlv on
the industrial wealth 2rodueiax classss.
thereby eondsmning them 10 lives "a ur.
Iemunssatsd vol, deprivipe thsm Of ths Or
dlhRy oonvsnisnoss ana comforts Of life !;