The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-06-12
SPRAGUE.
fas ADDRESS TO THE W. <iHcMEN OF
MEMPHIS.


The Memphis AraIancte of the 2lst inst,
publishes the following interesting report Of
a speech made by Senator Sprague to the
workiDgmen Of that city:
NJ Ny FKIESDs,-I am no orator. and that
you viii discover before | take nv seat
Speech making has not been my trade.
have addressed the wOrkingmen of Wash
ington when they have assembled 70 express
their appreciation Of the words uttered 10
my place in the Senate. / met the working
nlen Of Philadelphia, who greeted me kind
lv, and testified their appreciation of these
words. Ii was intended that | should meet
the workingmen Of New York, who wished
To express like appreciation Of my course.
was astOnished when | learned that the
wOrkiDgmen in these localities were organ
lied with power, independence and ability to
express themselves ia the manner | heard
them express themselves here to-day You
have listened ID an address difficult for me
Or any one else 70 equal, a. il touches the
vital point Of the wurkingmen's int rest here
and throughout the country. On that pOu-
there j. common ground In tie north The
the south, the east and the west, on which
men can stand and fight. No other question
/ could possibly arise in which there would
not be a vital difference Of opinion But on
this thi-, the question Of the interests Of the
w0rklngmen, there is q common ground On
which every man in the country can stand.
VI ben ! see he WHO j. the foundation or sO-
c-ely at work, tbeB, | say, il is strong AZ
wei a. it can make al else in society strong
and virtO0Is. If the wOrkiuzmeC are cor
Tupt, weak and dissatisfied fhen all alss Ia
he community - corrupt, weak anu dissa-
usned- % when those w0rkingmen com
mtnce organic Iti0n In their own interests,
assemble I'D exp e. their opinions 0n tbs
Yernicl1us legislation az present going on,
ana also the corruption n society. With A de-
termination 10 seek a remedy, let them be
reminded that there Is strength and vir-
tue among the working classes and the last
ieaturc " society crumbles into dust When
the foundations Of society, be working ur0-
ductrs are weak and governed by prejudices
and passion, -here D. no safety for life 04
property. II j., therefore, necessary tl en-
courage the workingmen in their own way
Let them have Improvement IN education
and IN Profitable occupation. When We de
TQte ourselves to these interests we4gisc
sscengthste the wosklugman, and hs becomes
q true lover. Id consequence heretofore NJ
v Influences directed fix selfish ends. the work.
ingnen have en Ted IN one siGs With this
man or this party, often against bis own in
te. .sts. 1t is when through the fl lrt 10 "a
ueate themselves, their determined effort to
make themselves strong and exert them
selves 10 their own Iaterests again thsy feel
safe and sure oi profitable employment aud
good government, and the saf WI Of rep1bi-
can Institutions y secured. TCheers.l II
y sald that republican g0vt Iment il not
strong enough 20 rule such large pOpua-
tlOn as : nov In the United States, covering
such vast territory vita diverse interests.
and there are those who, 10 the name of pre-
serving the country, wcold constitute a mo-
narehy or "a empire. Laughter. Wheu
| say 70 y0a thAt I'D no eyaHtrY under heaven
there is nu executive VITO has such power ~
the president of the United States. DON'T I
conf0Und their doctrine? When | say that
no Legislature in any country has such poll
ticai POKER "a the senate Of the United
States, while the courts possess a more arr
bltrary ani tyeannical power over and above
that experienced BY any courts id the world
asa, 40 We want a stronger government
II = certainly strong enough to govern an
Intelligent people Cheers SO far tie
the great M sses Of America have had little
TO do 10 iae management of their affairs
little 70 DO Nith the prospects or policy Of
naTty- "a nas belonged % party Or TO the
press. rh0 have governed this country. And
-lss erted it ~ the senate, and now assert
it ?. Tore you. that j my deliberate iudg-
ment that individuals "a the United States.
as row regulated, have lar less to do with the
government than any individual in any gov
eminent. know II Is not from the indivi-
dual action ot the people hat their interests
are MT protected and their governmrn. loes
not secure tor them prosperity, freedom fri IA
war, strife and injury.
do not know whether these terr,s a.a
understood thoroughly Dy this ass r4bly or
throughout the States. vii therefore.
make an explanation. Capital Is mon by
whieh labor = employed. II Is not the
weekly, the monthly, or yearly paw tlat
money bears - labor, but Il " the relations
Aad connections 4 has with the building 0f
your manufactures, steamships, cities. rail
roads-oi eVrrythsng through which you are
abe 10 OBTAIN employment. Whep capital
or money Is held alOof IN its relation 20 labor.
Or - boarded, then labor is Impoverished.
There never has been conflict between can
Itai and labor except wn,a c-pital refused wv
JOIN hands with labor. ID rey-r wil rarttsr
except when the condition n things rraw-
capual into iew Eands. and that tendency
and ina. certainty which slilic;s shs situation
1rawn away from the people. from labor. in
20 a few hanas, wh0 keep II FOR the purpose
ot specuiatIug On Itself or On pruparty.
In this country With the splcndid resource.
beyond that a any other, no man should w
without emplUyment, and with proper
check to prevent the locking up Of capital
by few persons, II this we're done. say br
proper legislative power, IL would give snfetv
70 capital, rather than jcopardiEs iL Orinr
10 the want % this power 10 present thi,
boarding up. labor has been derriTed w ~.
material element VI this countrr where men
never ought to be out OF employment or
without home, which has often been toe
case when men have been compelled 10 live
on mere p'ttance. am, however, not
inclined personally 90 find fault with this
man or that man, or this party or that party
Tor this taking place. | believe II ii NV
ission 20 Point out the course aud suggest
o remedy ! would never nave rase1 nv
voice on this subject until | could present
laii any safe remedy. Applause. W.
N the United States, have ma ie ourselves
believe mat there are no rAon'e a cient or
modern equal 20 yourselves daughter Thus
10 q mist Ae. We have been permitted ~
occngv the most magnificent domain ever
giver 30 any people. and II we will examine
into the uses made II it, we will not be
pleased with the results of thet examination
We have destroyed our forests; we have
destroyed our fisheries and our game, we
have impoverished our land, while other
wel-regulated Governments have preserved
ail that we rave lost When come 10 be-
lieve from statistics that can Be depended
on, Tat the product Of our land has been