The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-15
RuI,u,ol1d llspatth.
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST TO- 1877.
The Worlsingrnen. ;


c;s)sture to the power OF a class. Were class
10 get such power over Legislature ltS
measures would become to the country I'm:
endurablc. The degree OF evil such class
might do would depend upon the refine.
ment and virtue OF the class having the
power. Whenever set Of men having a
single interest and BIASED by ciannish
feeling get power they will surely exercise
it with excess, and make i, repulsiVe and
Injurious to society. The protection OF all
classes requires that all should DC repre-
septed, and that no one class shall have II IN
lis power to override all others.
No really enlightened and publ'c-sp'r'eu
legislature can become snbordinated 10 a
class or TO personal parti>anry. Inc VII
c;n,a Legislature has been greatly vcXed
and ,bwartcd in its efforts to promote the
nuSlic good by the existence within the
body Of strong party bound by personal
devotion to the wishes and interests OF one
man. To the observant man it was appa-
rent that this Mas the cause Of great public
injury. /. 1t is n cause OF trouble- ana an IN
iury 10 legislation where men are blassed ID
tier views by personal allegiance or class
attachments. The public interests and the
general welfare are the first and last obii-
cations that should be respected by the
public representative. who, although he
may be elected by county or town, IS
nevertheless responsible to the State, and
POLITICALLY and morally bound to give to his
acts entire loyalty to the community ana TO
TIC whole State.
IN view OF the general obligation OF loyalty
Of each class to society. and OF each repre-
sentative TO the whole State, we cannot see
vba, any one class can hope for by organ
ling party OF its own to get performance
in the Legislature. We speak not OF fr-
rinia Just now. There is movement to-
ward, the formation OF 4 workinSman's
rar,y in several States. and already the poll
ticians are prickinS up their rather long
ears and lifting their voices as if they snut1ed
something OF sensation III the breeze. \
we,!-known political Northumberland
EI.ASToS DuScAS, OF Louisville, ky.-has
with his wonted activity entered the hrld
parlv. and has announced forthcoming
dailv raper called the :. H'orkcr,' devoted
to The workingmen'S interests, as II there
were shy real practical Interests III the COM
munitv that were not the interests OF I'LL
peoplc. Anything that may seem TO be for
the advantage .of one class while It Is IN
iurions to others is not really FOR the good
OF the one class, since the only sure welfare
t>,,- by hat ~
is beneficial to all. .....
This gathering OF the politicians about the
worklngmen whenever they get up an agi-
tation for their particular advantage should
be lesson to the workingmen themselves.
The. politicians care nothing for them. Only
in the spirit of wreckers rushing to meet
the lost ship as she strikes the shore do
these politicians assemble about the excited
workingmen. When we remember what
large numbers of people compose what are
called working communities in different
sections it should not be surprising that the
hypocrites OF politicians should get in
s1pongst them. Why, even in Virginia,
where there is so little manufacturing, there
has been much strategy exploited to get the
votes OF workingmcn." We remember
in the recent preliminary campaign how II.
good deal of epistolary diplomacy was en-
moved to enlist! them under particular ban
ners. Their own officers volunteered to
conduct them to the camp OF 4 chosen
leader. We remember that a director-gene-
raj proffercd his advice under his off,
cisl signature. \ proper sense OF per-
sonal independence would have prompted
the workingmen to have given a general di-
rection to this Encouragement that he had
no right to avail himself Of his official char
acter to cndeavor to bind them-to the sup
port Of particular candidate for office. 1t
was no improvement upon. the improperly
or the conduct Of this director-general for
workingn,en that he presented second
edition OF his development OF principles, in
which he announced that he, was q COM
munist, and this was an additional reason
why his colleagues Of the school OF labor
should have disavowed his whole unauthor-
lied plan Of transferring them like chattels
to the service of an aspirant for office. Alc-
chanics are as much interested in maintain
inc the social virtues as any other class
and since the commune assails both the
Church and the family, and thus attempts
to wreck society, they have no sympathy
with it.
What we all know and have seen is suth-
Gent to warn the workingmen against or
CARNATIONS political that only present OPP
porsunities for scurvy politicians to profit
by. These yenal persons are interestedin
promoting the delusion Of the mechanics
and prolonging their organizations, which
can accomplish nothing really beneficial for
themselves. A great deal of money VIII be
expended and great deal Of passion ex-
cited, and no good will be achieved. In
proportion, to, the power Of the organization
will be the combination Of other classes to
resist it. Resistance becomes Indispensable,
because it is ever the case that when one
class or one interest predominates another
interests and classes are subordinated, while
the one becomes excessive and unjust to all
others. s.tg. -. .
The writer OF this has been y working
man, and; for the time, was as /" hard -
workingnlan as any that ever welded
axe, swung the handle Of apress, or set up
types. He is a better friend to the work.
ingnan to-day, and understands him better,
than Colonel BLANToN DUNCAN, OF Ken