The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-30
RaAicnlism-La Commune.

The leaders of the Radical party OF the
United States have taken new departure.
Having accomplished the emancipation and
enfrauchisement OF the slave, they propose
(" to adjust, settle and define the exact re-
Citations of labor and capital, and to pro-
"tect the ill-paid, or over-worked, laborer
from the oppression Of the employer. F"
Wendell Phillips had already told the party
that they needed rallying cry, and this is
announced by General Butler in the words
we have quoted. The Abolition party be-
comes the party of so-called Labor Re-
form. Radicalism, in its latest development,
is an embryonic Commune.
AS begins General Butler, so began the
international Society. Ten years ago that
organization ostensibly had for its first OBJ
ject the improvement OF the condition OF the
laboring classes, especially in their relations
towards their employers. 1t proposed to
regulate strikes. General Butler, going fur
ther, condemns strikes as useless, indefensl-
Bile and illogical. But, in 1864, the Inter
national indicated its intention OF attaining
political results, and, two years later, this
change Of purpose was distinctly confirmed
at Lausanne. By degrees the International,
growing in power, in numbers and in money,
yentured to throw of the mask which it had
assumed at its origin. 1t continued to pur-
sue The economical questions achich had al'-
peared at first to be its sole end and object;
but it began to publicly advocate the sup
preston OF religion, OF marriage and OF
property, and to show itself in its real char
acter of aa institution which intends to rev
olutionize the world. N. Jules Fayre de-
scribes it, in bis letter OF the 9Th June, 1871,
to the French diplomatic agents (printed, in
part, in the July number OF Black~ood,) to
be- "a society of war and hatred; its base
"is Atheism and Communism; its object,
"the destructioa, of capital, and the annihi-
"lation OF those who possess it; It's means
"of action, the brute force OF the majority,
which will crush all who resist it." This
definition cannot be considered to be eSag-
gerated for it is in rigorous conformity with
the statement published in 1869, by the dl-
recting committee OF the International IN
London, which tells us that "the alliance
"declares itself atheist; it demands the
abolition Of religion, the substitution oil
"science for faith, OF human justice for
"Dlvine justice, the Suppression OF mar
"riage." Elsewhere they say, " We call
"for the direct legislation OF the people by
"the people, the abolition Of inheritance,
"the constitution OF land as collective
property"
Now, it is clear that General Butter con-
templates the very " destruction OF capita" :"
which is the first real aim Of the 1nterna-
tional and the Commune. As an astute
leader, desirous OF Turing on his followers,
he simply asks, to begin with, that the Ia
borer shall get even with the capitalist BY
reducing his hours OF work in the proportion
in which the capitalist increases his wealth
by the use of improved machinery. Aud
this is to be accomplished by the ballot; IN
other words "by the brute force of the ma
"jority." General Butler tells the AEeri-
can workingmen that they can e2act tneIr
Gown laws, and choose their own ruiers;
" they can compel the State to do its duty in
"this behalf, give to labor its rights, and
"restrain capital within its privileges. 5"
This is covert Communism. 1t is the array
ing OF labor against capital-it is the begin
ming Of on agitation whose end is expected
to be "the destruction Of capital, and the
" annihilation Of those who possess it." Rad
icalism, which has camped for years outside
Of the constitution, which would change this
Federal Republic into consolidated despot-
ism, busily encourages the poor to hate the
rich, prompting them to "wish to possess
"without earning, to use without acquiring,
'to enjoy without laboring." This is the
devilish creed taught by Batler, Phillips and
the rest. They dare not pause, or 90 back.
They preach Labor Reform, which, as they
expound it, is not the gradual and sure ele-
va.ion of the honest laborer, but the sever.
ance OF the social and religious tie, and the
accomplishment Of Communistical revo-
luton.