Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-05-19


cal Whelp. Our mistake in estimating titled
nobility and paper stock is exactly that of the
mouse, terrified with the cock aud charmed
with the cat
Representation ceases 60 be an effect of
election whenever a representative can draw
wealth from his own laws, by means of Office,
sinecure, or monopoly. His income under the
law being greater than his expenses, his in>
terest is adverse to the interest Of the people,
who pay the tax or income which he receives.
A power to take from n nation and give TO
itself, is strict definition of civilized ty>
ranny. A legislator cannot be guided by the
interest, both of the minority and majority
of the exclusive aud the general interest; of
the receiver and payer of the tax. He will
be guided by the interest to which he belongs;
if he is the receiver of the tax, he will tax"
Such being the condition of affairs and of
the people, of the laborers and producers of
wealth on the one side, and on the other of
the monopolists and money thieves who. in
Mr.. Jeffersou's words, have "6lched" from
the people the money power or ''iustrument
of commerce" and are using it not as cons
venience, Us designed, but as an engine of
robbery and spoliation, what should the peo>
pie do for their own protection say:
''FFrst. That the people should at once
abandon all temPoriziOg and compromising
measures with the usurpers of their sovereign
powers in and control of money that they af>
firm the "fnal reason" and use of money for
exchanges solely, and ignore all barter and
merchandise of it as commodity that they
affirm money to consist in tho agreement of
the people to receive it for labor and products
and for debts and taxes, and not in any ma>
terial or substance, which is merely its ''out>
ward and visible form of its inward and spir>
itunl grace;" and that he who attempts to deal
in it as commodity, or to make it the SUBJ
ject of usury, breaks his pledged faith to his
partners, in the creation and ownership of it
as common ''instrument of commerce :" per-
verts its nature and intent by fraud akin to
forgery acquires and nsurps two uses of mos
ney when only one was bargained for in tho
agreement that made it, and thus cheats his
partners, as tho majority can, id practice,
have only the use for exchange, and that for
this fraud and abuse Of the common ''instru>
ment of commerce" the party SO offending
shall be liable to felopious punishment.
Second. That ignoring all theories of politi-
col economy, so-caled, designed by the wri-
ters thereof, for mouarchies, and despotisms.
and salaried officials, whose interest, and gain
it is, from the President, Congress, and Judges
of the United States, down to the lowest tide.
waiter, and from tho Governors of States,
Legislatures, and judges, down to the con-
stable, to appreciate money and depreciate
labor and its products, in order to magnify
their pay-the people insist that neither gold,
nor the sham canvertibiity of bank-paper.
shall any longer be their 'iustrument of
commerce." but the grecnbacks, issued di-
rectly from the Treasury, representing the
public credit, and based on all property, in~
cluding gold. shnll be substituted in their
stead, and that this money, representing and
binding equally all labor and property, shall
be the ''money of the realm" and issued in
quantity to do the entire exchanges of the
country on the cash scale, and to tho exclu-
sion OF ali inferior credits, whether corporate
or personal. and by which the people have
ever suffered SO severely.
7hjrd. That. to hasten the institution Of
this ''money OF the realm" the people should
forthwith, and in All the States, call mass
meetings, aud instruct their agents, in the
present Congress, to cary ont their wishes by
a suitable Law. aud upon their personal re-
sponsiblisy to their constituents. the people.
Fourth, That in the meantime, aud until
relief is secured TO the people by the instjtu-
ton of fair and sufficient and honest money.
the Legislatures of the States should be called
upon to suspend enforced sales and sacrifices
of their property, and thus defeat the rapac-
ity and wickedness of scheme Of finance en-
gendcred by ndvarice for the ruin Of the conn
try and tho overthrow of republican govern
ment. and in conclave and enlargement with
the tinauial systems OF foreign despotFFDs and
dcspots. JNo A. TuoMsoN.
Summit Point, Jefferson Co, W. Va,
March 90, 1874.