Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-30


vectivc, accompanied by no very distinct
charges, that the Democratic party will be
unsafe guardians of public credit and bllsi-
uess interests and the owners of banks, and
bridges, aud railways. and insurance COM
pnnies are frantically urged to save their
property by voting the Republican ticket.
| In June 1877 the country wuH most nm
pleasantly reminded Of what a French writer
(Saint Beuve) has called ''thc frail barrier
| that exists between human civilization and
human savagey.' so closely do the I'M
brdled passions of mankind follow upon the
restraints of reason and subordtnnted mtelli-
! gence.
The labor riots of 1877 shocked the people
of the United States and acts were committed
! ut Pitisburg, in PENNSYLVANIA and threatened
| in several of the other stntc9 which Justly
alarmed society. and tended to the insecurity
Of property under the protection of civil laws
Communism raised its dangerous crest in
many of the cities, and the spirit Of American
| self-goyernmont seemed slow to assert itself
In snch u time, when the grangeIH Of the
| West were crying for cheaper transportation
| of their crops to the seabOnrd and the etIi-
pipytS of railway lines OF transportation were
ut the same time striking foi higher wages,
and necessarily for higher cost Of transport
tation, the Hon. Mr.. sherman, the Secretary
of the Treasury, made a speech III Mansfield,
Ohio, which will be found in the New York
| TribWne of August 49, 1877. | select this
ntterance of Mr.. sherman because his pre-
sImcd skill in the guardianship of property
and business interests generally make him, so
to speak, the trump card in the Republican
pack at this time. He wgs MIR. GArtield's
candidate at Chicago, until he was sud-
denly swallowed up by Mr.. Gariieds own
victory. aud il is more than suggested that he
is to remain at the head of the Treasury in
the rather remote event of Mr.. turticld's
becoming the President.
| Mr. Sherman was discussing the relatiOnso of
capital and labor and the effect of strikes
| upon both--and said lie would not then
undertake "to state ideas that had become
| convictions with him. "and went on to say. 'lIy
| hope. then, is that Congress will pass laws to
| establish and limit maximum rates of freight.
80 that the production of farmer may not be
| in danger of contiscation by eXorbtant rates.
that it will limit and restrain the cutting and
reduction of freiglts 50 US to destroy the
ability of railroad companies to pay fair
prices for honest labor, and to prevent the
companies from making paupers of men who
perform essential functions in commerce.
Congress may thus, by wise general laws. colt
troll the most powerful corporations as well us
the humblest citizens"
This. then, is the safe guardianship to
which the invested capital in railways of the
United States, fondly supposed by its owners
to be protected by the contracts and stipnla-
tionS of the charters OF the several states, is
|
ways are tu be liked by Congress; and all the
wages of their wOrlimcn.
What mikes law Popular opinion eX-
pressed Mt the polls And what Restraints law!
The fixed terms of written Constitution;
that is the barrier between liberty and the
power of nm unlimited government.
What il one great AMI sacred. inviOlahlc
right Of citizen 10 make Ills own con-
tracts; and no government unless these con-
tracts are i'll violation of existing law ur sound
morals, ur public policy, has or can have
among u free people the right to Interfere
with OF change that contract.
MIR. sherman claims that Congress can cont
troll the contracts Of the most powerful curpo-
rations and the humblGsI citizen.
Denis kcarncy nor Jack Cadc ever an
nouucod the doctrines OF Communism more
distinctly than the Secretary Of the Treasury.
Farmers WHO own not one dollar in the stock
of the railways, and are wholly with
ont responsibility fol tlcr debts or
risks or cost of operation. are to have
their property carried willingly or uil-
willingly. at profit. or at loss by in-
| corpurntCl capital. which is to have no voice
in the contract. Wages are likewise to be
fixed by law. without consulting those who
are to pay them. "EompNnies are by law to
be prevented from making pnupcrs, says Mr.
sherman. said Jack Cadr:
"l'herr shall be in England ScYcn hali-pcuty
loavo+ sold for lcnny; the imee-hoppal pot
| shu have Ten iluuisi and VIII nlie II lrlpiy IN
drink small beer all tdr realm shall hr in common
and IN Chuapsidc shall nv plllrcy 20 10 grass
"Ihtre small be M money; all snail eat and
drink Ou my score; and VIII appirrl them all in
ono livery thIl they may agree Ike hfOlhefs and
/ worship mt their Lord
| commend those ideas which Mr.. sherman
said in 1871 at most critical period when
, the very institution of property was threat
eurd had become his convictions | COM
, mend such doctrines to property owners and
| All nt lt1
or bonds alone. but nil men to sec and value
the right of the individual to make lawful
contract, and the want of power III u govern
ment to interfere with or alter it,by Mr.. Sher-
mans general law" or otherwise. This is
the great principle for which Fisher Amcs
contemded when he said
When there Is no end to power thcrcis obcgln-
niugtO liberty, promised allrgaucg,and require
3 protection for my life aud property. am cOmpe-
: tent to make my own contracts, Nld never gave
yon the right to iHterlcre in them. Without my
consent neither YOU nor any individual have
rght TO nv uront,rty. solnnnly protest a',pInst
! | tile transfer OF my properly u my deb or, An
act making paper or swine Il tender is Il coutlsca-
l ton of my property and breach Of my compact
, And may not the owners of railways with
cquai force protest against the transfer OF
, their propertyor of its use without their CON
sent and by virtue of Mr.. Shcrman's general
, law of Congress ~
Follow-ctizGns, Fisher Alucs was patriot
and Il sagacous statesman, who touched the
i true and profound principle that makes &
legal tender for just debt OF any thing that
! has not an intrinsic, stable and universally
accepted value, u breach of the underlying
, compact of II free government.
, The present enforced tender Of government
/ demand notes, issued i'll time of profound
{ | peace, is an interference with the right OF
private contract in ono form, Just as Mr.
: Shcrman's general freight and wages law