Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-10-11
CTsTER FROM j. A. THOMSON.


THOMAS +. BENNEr, ESQ.
In YOUR late very able, pregnant aud
suggestive letter TO the National View,
in reply to letter of mine to w. Ii.
Kestersou, Git should have been,) of
Rockland, Ohio, while you agree with
me in most of the ideas aud positions OF
tina, letter there are one or two in which
YOU enter your protest, and which
wish to consider and explain in the or
der in which they arise.
In your first paragraph you seem to
appreEend rue as agreeing with Proud
hon entirely, that there should be no
power in accumulated wealth 'to accu-
mula,e or.obtain rent or pay for the ser
vice of property" In this you have ms
upprebended me; ! agree with frouu-
hon only in the opinion that 'here
should be no interest on money ana
think there should he power III accu-
mula,cd wealth and property, TO obtain
both rent and pay for services take
q broad distinction, however, between
wealth and property which are capital
and money which is not capital, but the
mere representation, tool, symbol, and
pubEc medium, by which wealth and
property may be exchanged. read
with great interest the discussion In the
Irish UorM between Proudhon and
Bastiat on the question, sig interest on
capital legitimate" And it occurred to
me- at that time, that the whole dI!hcul-
" between them grew out OF their con-
founding capital and money, and treat
ing them as identical, when, in fact, no
two things can be more several and dis
tinct.
Nothing is capital but brain aud mus
Gle, and the products of brain and mus
Gle but labor and the products OF labor
the brain and muscle useful or excel
lent, or capital, to produce, aud the pro
ducts of either useful and excellent, and
capital to he accumulated as wealth and
property, or consumed.
Again, brain and muscle and their
products are privatc-are OF the indIVld-
ual, and belong aud appertain to hlm,as
individual and private property. They
are absolutely his. They are capital IN
herent, or created by him. That is an
overplus, and fund, and reserve OF use
ful and disable things.
Not so money by any means; 1T is the
creation of no individual or special num-
Der of individuals, but of the whole peo-
ple, aud for common aud general use to
one end, aud one only, to effect their
exchanges. 1t is a public thing or
agent, and it is for that reason that Con-
rress, by the United States Constitu-
ton, has supreme control over 1t and
NAV 'regulate the value thereof, and 1t
cannot regulate the value OF the private
property, wealth, aud capital of the in
dividual, citizens of the country. Mon
cy in every respect, but i'll the individ-
ual use Of it in effccting exchanges, is
the cooperative, cOmmunis.lc, and part
nership property of the whole people,
who, through their government, and by
lis fat, have instituted it, and given TO
individuals no absolute property III 1t,
but only the use of it in exchanges. lie
NAV say, when he has it in his hand,
this is my money. but still it is money,
cr Vi fcrmiui, that is 10 say, in the very
term money. He is constantly remind
cd that he does not hold it as his capt
isl, and the creation OF his hands, but as
q public tool of which he owns the use
for a particular purpose, but 10y no
means guaranteed TO him by the public
us artificial aud transubstantial capital,
by which he may speculate the genuine
and natural wealth, or capital OF fellow
men into his own pocket. As for his
property in this absolute property
YOU NAV say of it exactly, and to the
letter. what Lncretius said OF human
life: That the use OF it was given to
all, the fee simple to none.
Tifoe que mancupio Mill datur, onan,
bus usH.
hope, then, you may see, my dear
sir, that while l agree fully with Proud,
hon 10 regard to interest on money, and
on the special ground, that it is not a
private creation OF agency, but public
creation and agency for the sole purpose
of rendering barter or exchange practl-
cable, aud must, therefore 6e held sacred
and consecrated to that public purpose
alone, and not perverted and manipula-
ted, and twisted to accommodate the
many cunning inventions and contrivan-
ces of idle avarice TO 81 / work and
usefulness, and live on apublic agency
and convenience by the toll and labor
Of their fellow men, that, in according
to them their legitimate right to sell or
rent their lands, houses, aud other prop
critics, the labor and productions OF their
own brain and muscle | have still left
full verge and room enough for the ex-
ercise of all that "American spirit Of
push and energy" you speak OF, to pro
vide for themselves and their families.
and to escape too that return to primal
sayagism YOU so strongly portray and
fear.
No. would not limit the just ener-
ries Of men, but would limit the guam
tity of land that any one should he per
m;i,ed TO acquire, so that all should
have portion OF this inheritance OF
man; and then he might work if he
pleased, or rent it if he could, at his
pleasure. cay ''rent it if he could,
for it is my opinion, if ownership OF
land is limited and money Invested OF
usury, all men will be workers; and
wage slavery, like chattel slavery, will
lie at an end forever, and vex this globe
no more. / will only add amen
There is now only one point or diff
crenee left between us as presented in
your letter. And that is III the conclu-
s;on of your last PARAGRAPH, and where