The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-27
WoRK1NaMEN AS LEe1s1AroRs.-.

WoRKINaMEN AS LKGIsLAToRs.- An
English workingman, Mr.. Connolly,
having recently addressed meeting Of
workingmen in New York, the New York
World, Commenting thereupon, says:
''The fact that the workipgmen of the
United States, having in their hands the
unquestionable power of sending men
OF their own class to represent them in
State Legislatures and in the National
Congress, have thus for refused to avail
themselves of that power, seems to have
impressed itself very strongly upon Mr..
Oonnolly's mind. There is smell won
der that he was surprised, and the more
he pursues this branch Of his investiga-
tions, the more will his amazement In
crease. Here is country in which uni
versal suffrage, for white men Mt least,
hus long prevailed; neither property
qualification, educational test, nor reli-
gious belief is requisite for holding Of
fice; and still, from the early days of the
republic to the present moment, as q
rule, with no more exceptions than ure
necessary to prove the general correct
ness of the rule,) the Offices of the coun-
try have been monopolized by men taken
from single class. From tho lawyers
office to the Legislative hall the path has
always been open, and men became law
yers in order that they might be in the
way Of becoming members of Legisla-
lures, congressman, Senators and Presi-
dents. Out of the eighteen men who
have been Presidents of the republic,
thirteen were lawyers; we believe there
is not single Senator at the present
moment who did not begin life as law
yer; and there are but three or four
members of the House of Representa-.
tives Of whom the same is not true In
State and municipal offices the same rule
holds good, and the office-holder who is
not, or was not, q lawyer, is rara auis
in te'rds. When we get down to the
lower grades of Offices, we find the law
yers still in the majority; although here
and there may be an alderman or q
mayor who knows not Blackstone. But
we look in vain, in high rs we'll as in low
places, for the workingman who has been
elevated to Office while he was a work
ingman. True, we have had q rail-split-
ter and tailor elected to the presidency,
but it was because they had ceased to
split rails and to make breeches, and had
got into political lifo through the door
of on attorneys Office. Just rs one of
the children of Israel could not become
q priest unless he belonged to the line of
Aaron, SO 1t has seemed that an Ameri-
can could not become an office-holder
unless he belonged to the legal contra
ternlty. We are not complaining OF
this; we do not care at present to eX-
press an opinion as to whether we would
have been letter served had different
state of things existed; we simply wish
to show how forcibly this curious mono
poly of Office by a single class must strike
the mind of an intelligent foreign OBJ
server like Mr.. Connolly.
cit is probable true that there has ex
listed among the workingmen of America
not unnatural jealousy of those of their
own number who aspired to political emil
nence. He knows no moro than we do,
we have heard it said by the fellow work
men of such man; 'and why should he
try to set himself up as statesman
Every man to his trade; let the lawyers
make the laws, and let the shoemaker
stick to his last. This was not the most
elevated or the wisest view to take of the
subject; but it was the one that prevailed
until lately; and to it was joined vague
fear that one not trained to political life,
would be apt either to be deceived by his
more experienced colleagues or to betray
their interests for the sake of social or
political advancement. This feeling has
now in measure given way, and has
been followed to some extent by n desire
and determination on the part of the
workingmen, especially those banded to-
gether in trades~unions, to try the expe-
riment of ser ling their own representa-
tives to State Legislatures and to Con-
gress. We shall be happy to see the
experiment made, and shall rejoice should
it prove success. Glass representation
is not desirable. of course; but we have
class representation to certain extent
now, and the representatives themselves
ore almost oil of one class. a little va
riety can do 40 harm, and it may lead to
considerable good"
If you have Dyspepsia, use ''Solomons'
Strengthening and Invigorating Bitters I"
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