The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-11
ST. LOUIS.
Declaration Of Principles OIL '"o
National Labor Party.

ST.. Louis, August lo.-The declara
ton of principles with which the Ma
tional Labor party propose to 60 before
the Country next year as q political
organization 10 as follows Referring
to a call for q National Convention, tc
nominate President and Vice Presi
dent, they say: "In making this call
and presuming to enter into comPetl
ton with existing parties, it is mee'
that we should give to the world oui
reasons, as well as the remedies we
propose for the wrongs OF which we
complain. Starting then with the max
inns that our Government is founded on
the sovereignty and consent OF the
governed, and its purpose to prolect
the property and enforce the Nation
rights, and thus give to all an equlta
BILE chance in the race of life. The
land, water, air, and all natural elements
are common gifts, and governments
are only trustees to guard against their
misapplication, and that as trustees
they have no right to ALLEVIATE without
the consent OF the owners was freely
given, that all class legislation whereby
these original and common elements or
the proceeds OF the came, enhanced by
intelligent labor, and made to inure to
the benefit of non.producers and injury
OF the producers is wrong and subver-
sive of the purposes OF good govern
ment that all able bodied and intelll-
gent persons should contribute to the
common stock by useful industry,
sum or quantity equal to
their own support, and legislation
should tend as far as possible, to the
equitable distribution of the surplus
products. If these propositions are true
our Government is wholly perverted
from its true design, and the sacred
names of Democracy and Republican.
ism are synonyms of despotism, and
parties represented thereby, as now or
ganized, are engines Of oppression,
crushing out the lives Of the people,
We need only point to the facts that in
this benefcent country Of unlimited re.
sources, with the land annually groan-
ing beneath the products Of human
efforts, the mass of people have no sup
ply beyond their daily wants, compelled
from the unjust conditions in sickness
and misfortune to become paupers and
vagrants. The pauperism and crime
prevailing are the questions OF all
modern craftsmanship, and it is with
these we have to deal. How far these
evils are connected with the abuses in
flicted on labor and superficial states
manship seems not to perceive that
chattel slavery has been abolished, but
the rights and relations of labor stand
just where they did before the emanci-
patton. In respect to the division OF its
products, the difference lies only in the
method of. abstracting the results, and
concentrating them on the few capital.
lists now master and dictate terms, and
thus all labor is practically placed in
the same condition as the slave before
his emancipation. In thus placing it,
the interest of all labor becomes COM
mon, and they must fight the battle in
unity if they would succeed What,
then, are the instrumentalities by which
those wrongs are inflicted?
First-Banking and monied monop.
olies, by which, through ruinous rates
of interest, the products Of human labor
are concentrated in the hands Of nom
producers. This is the great central
source of these wrongs, in and through
which all other monopolies exist and
operate.
Second-The consolidated railroad
and other transit monopolies. whereby
all industries are taxed to the last mill.
They will bear for the benefit Of the
stockholders and stock jobbers.
Notwithstanding nonopolies,
whereby small operators are crushed,
and the price of labor and it's products
are determined with mathematical Ger
tainty in the interest Of capitalists.
Fourth-Land monopolies, by which
the public domain is absorbed by few
speculations and spectators.
Fifth-Commercial and grain monop.
olies, speculating and enriching their
bloated corporations on human neces-
sites. We propose to restore the gov
ernment to its original purpose, and as
far as possible to remedy these evils and
remove their results.
First-By establishing monetary
system, based on the facts and resources
OF the nation in harmony with the ge-
MUS OF the Government and adapted to
the exigencies OF legitimate commerce,
and to this end the circulating notes OF
the National and State banks, as we'll
as all currency that is not a full legal
tender, should be Withdrawn from circu.
lation, and a paper currency issued by
the Government, which shall be legal
tender in the payment OF all debts, pub
lie and private, duties on imports in.
cluded, and declared to be the lawful
money of the United States. The cur,
rency or money to be interchangeable al
the pleasure OF the holders OF Govern
ment bonds, bearing three per cent. in,
terest, the Government creditors to have
the privilege Of taking the money or the
bonds, at their election, reserving to
Congress the right to regulate the rate
OF interest on the bonds and the value
OF the currency. 30 as to effect the
equitable distribution Of the products o.
labor between money or non-producine
capital and productive industry.
Secondly paying the national deb
in strict accordance with the laws under
which it was originally contracted, golc
where specifically promised, but al
other forms OF Indebtedness, including
the principal of the $40 bonds, shall b
discharged at the earliest option of tn,