The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-01-24
TIE CITIZEN AND THE STATE.

whether arising from P'ii'i'"i
social decentralization, or some great mar
tional calamity, there is suggested t" the
minds 81 men certain line of duty when
they deem essential 10 pursue. S"ine' &C
I c,riino tn their conscience or ambrlon,
Y believe II lies IN dispensing charity among
III, poor while others consider themselves
selves inspired by special call to be the
political leaders of the distressed, and inn
agine that they alone are possessed with
the tact or ability of opening a passage
through the "Red Sea of their trials and
fluctuations. Let us take the present time,
ior instance. There are those who believe
and preach the doctrine that the estate is
bound to provide employment for the citi-
zen. This proposition bears ON its face
such an air Of plausibility, that assertion
70 the contrary would seem both irrational
and illogical. While We admit its compar-
atIve truth when applied to an autocratic
government, where the subject is the mere
vassal Of the despot, dependent on him for
every privilege he possesses, where he is
denied a voice in framing the laws which
govern him, and consequently not respon-
>ible for any state IF affairs which exist by
virtue Of them, when multItudes are
thrown out Of employment, and are starv-
M, with a prospect Of a slow and lin.
ing death before them, they have the na,-
ural right to rise in their might and L
mand ,rork, and t,od, and clothing, anu
shelter, and not only t. den.t,,d It, but to
take il forcbly, if they have the physical
power To do So. But when We look at 1t
from republican standpoint the scene and
circumstances change. Here We have no
/ kings or autocrats To contend against. Each
citizen Is a sovereign, and is more or less
\ responsible for results, because he had a
D voice in the selection NJ those that made
/ the Laws ~ which he Is governed. In a
/ republican government the citizen is the
| State, therefore We ms st that, under a
republican form Of government, the State
is not bound to ind employment for the
/ citizen. Here We have all the incentives
to industry. frugality, and perseverance.
/ If We were to admit the correctness Of the
1 theory that the State is bound to find
employment for the citizen, We would de
sJroy the noblest ambition in man, that Of
/ independence, and he would become a sim
l PIE pei,SioHer. If the citizens Of repub can
/ government experience panics, and sus-
pension Of business, causing general dis
tress, it is because they have been dOreliet
in their duty to themselyes ana have va
Grated bad laws ana class l-yIsiaton.
v nat ta,er Ky as a-t. Vt the citizen IL
the rTesenv Crisis First, to study the
causes which led to the present and former
panics, and general suspension of work,
and Second, what action should be taken t.
permanently obviate a recurrence of the
same In the consideration Of the first,
We must take into account what laws We
are subject to, and i'll what way they al
feet trade and commerce, what are the ma
ture Of our exchanges, and the medium OF
mediums Of exchange, and the relation Of
money to our exchanges, and of our ex-
changes to money. What is the nature
If our financial laws and how they effect
business and manufactures.
In the solution of these questions will
be found the power that grinds down the
laboring population of the republic
In considering what remedy to apply. We
must not overlook the fact that we, be
people, are the government, and that We
merely place certain parties in power e
administer and execute the laws. We
confer upon them the powers Of govern
ment for a limited period at the expira-
ton Of which their powers cease, and Others
are selected to fill their places. By WHOM
then are they to be filled BY the citizen
Thus it will be seen how essential it i:
for him to understand the principles oi
government, the nature Of the laws by
which he is governed, their application tC
his particular condition, and their effect
upon society in general, the relation
and obligation Of society to him, and
his relation and obligations to So.
Getty. These are the first duties of a citi
zen, and no citizen ought to approach the
polls to cast a vote unless he possesses al
least theoretical knowledge of these du,
ties and obligations.
If, then, such a training be highly es
sential to a native born citizen, how much
more important must it be to foreigns q
iect, who has been educated under ar
republican institutions While it may
be a fact, that many Of our adopt
citizens have studied our institutions
aye, even before they put foot upon
;, merican soil, yet it must be admitted by
all candid minds, that where there is one
amongs MS. there are hundreds vic
have not, and hundreds who are apparently
Indifferent as to The effect Of the laws OF
others, so long as they make money them
selves, "a class Of people who come here
not with the intention of making this coun
try their permanent home, but merely al
adventures, to make fortunes and then re
turn to Europe to luxuriate on their i'll
gotten gains We speak not thus to di-
parage our adopted fellow citizens; w
have lived AM moved among them too
long. We know that the intentions of thu
great mass OF them are good that they
mean to be loyal and patriotic but we als'
know that many of them are needlessly
ignorant Of the laws and institutions o
this country. We speak in sorrow, not il
anger. A wise man once said ''He is my