The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-08-21

Ihe ,omp1aints of the 1aborer.

complaints of the LabOrer.
TOR OF THE PRESS: To the
- .ders of history there is nothing
unfamiliar in the sound of the waken-
ing organizations of labor in the
Western States. 1t is the same old
slogan that summoned patrician and
plebian, him who sweat and him who
did not, in past civilizations. 1t is
the ''come into court" that has been
heard over and over again, sand try
titles to the wealth that has been
earned"-rough hands and Drowned
features on the one side, and gloved
fingers and delicate skin on the other.
Both sides have had their ups and
downs; yet it still remains and is
likely to remain, that the few who
earn nothing own the whole, or what
is the same, the nett proceeds of the
whole, which endows them with ex-
emption from toll and ample means
ofluxury and enjoyment. 1t is as much
question to-day as it ever was !:
Shall ''the rich and well born" rule 2
Jefersons and Hamiltons have al
ways existed and always will exist, it
is feared. In our new, moneyless and
unendowed country it was to be ex-
pected that Hamilton's idea would be
rejected at first. 1t would have been
strange if our poor colonial ancestors
had favored the idea that "the rich
and well born should have perma-
nent share in the government" Hence
Jefferson and his party had compare
lively an easy time of it in our early
and impoverished condition. The
struggle, however, was even then very
bitter and severe. Yet the few then
were not themselves quite rich
enough in resources, aud well enough
organized, to attain their ends. They
had to wait. Time and time again
have they planned to ensnGre the un-
suspecting masses, but circumstances
never so wholly favored their cause
as in the year 1860. The chance for
political craft to form a coalition with
extreme fanaticism, and overthrow
the government it never had liked,
was seen and improved, and white
slavery was inaugurated and estab-
lished in the senseless cry of "Union
and liberty to the negro"
It is amusing Cor would b., if it
was not so serious a matter), to Hes
the late paraphrase of our old Decla-
ration of Independence, which the
farmers of the West have fixed up a
little, and used to impress more forei-
bly, upon the public heart their great
grievances. They have finally gone
back to Jefferson's words and ideas.
They now invoke Jefferson again, and
old Virginia, after having for twelve
years desecrated everything that wore
the name of either. Why could they
not find something in Massachusetts,,
in John Adams, or in Alexander
Hamilton that should answer their
purpose? Why could they not use
something in the old Sedition Law,
or in Lincoln's late one, which, after
all, was but copy of the old one
What business have the farmers of
the West, just having worn out their
blue army oYercoats, with the doc
trine of ''the assent of the governed ?'
When Virginia through her statesmen
in 1861 quoted that doctrine as an
heirloom from the revolution down
to that time peculiarly hers, the
Northwest laughed her to scorn and
cried treason. It seems shamefully
soon to appeal to Virginia and Jeffer-
son again for help from the clutches
of the monster tyranny which they in
partisan madness have suffered to be
fastened upon them. Better call on
their own greenback gods and idol
stocks which they have lately set up,
and burn their incense where the
memories of the past are not yet
vivid and fresh. After a while it
would be more modest and allowable
to do penance to the tomb and senti-
ments of Jefferson and Virginia.
Now, that myriad-handed labor
and successive generations of it have
improved and enriched our country
the fight for the ownership has be-
come a very different thing from what
it was when the two great American
parties had their origin. No man
ever saw so clearly as Jefferson the
character of the struggles that were
to come. No man ever uttered SO
many remarkable sayings or gave SO
many cautions. No man was ever
used by people SO ungratefully.
What use have the farmers of the
West made of this sentiment: otter
nal vigilance is the price of liberty"
Had it not been as well to have re-
flected calmly upon its deep meaning
for the last twelve .sears, as to have
been singing about the "Soul of John
Brown" which went to the eternal
judgment from the scaffold in Vir-
ginia for murder and treason? Can
not the distressed laborer invoke
something of the history of that
bloody invader of the homes of the
Washingtons to help him in his Ca
lamity. AGRICoLA.
IT must be confessed that with the
mercury in the Thermometer up among
the nineties it is little hot and un-
com mfortabIeweather for laborino men.