Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-26
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANT
LETTER.
SENATE CHAMBER,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1881. ii
The Hon. L. E. Ghittenden, Resi-
dent National Anti-- Monopoly
League.
NY Dear Sir II deeply regret
that official duties of an imperative
character prevent the acceptance of
your kind invitation to address the
meeting at Cooper Institute on the
2lst inst. Until to-day I hoped to
be able to arrange my business SO as
to attend the meeting, but find it
will be impossible.
The purpose of your League, as /
understand it, is not to wage war
upon corporations or individuals, but,
conceding to-all their just rights, to
demand full protection for the rights
of the citizen against the abuses and
aggressions Of corporate power, and
to insist upon the enforcement Of those
principles of law and natural right
defined by the Supreme Court Of the
United States. IN this effort you
have my most hearty sympathy and
co. operation. Your cause is just, but
in such a contest you grapple with
giants. Do not underrate che power
or the skill ofyour antagonists. Wise
and conservative counsels will alone
secure success You must be as
promptto concede rights as you are
determined in demanding them. No
agrarian or communicate spirit must
find place In your proceedings.
The character ofthe men who compose
your organization gives assurance
against danger on this point. Consti-
buttons, natural rights and the spirit
of our institutions ore on your side.
Intrenched behind theae and fghting
for the right, you cannot fail.
Corporate power has done much
to develop our country. For its
good deeds I freely accord 1t full
credit. As an instrument to execute
the will and serve the inter est Of the
public, it is of incalculable value; but
as the impsrious ruler of the people,
it is q most cruel and relentless tyrant.
Kept within the limits of propsr re-
straint, it is an invaluable servant Of
the public. Unrestrainsd by the
forces of law and public opinion, It
will prove a most dangerous master.
The individual citizen is impotent to
contsnd with this terribly gigantic
and rspidly.growina power. Govern
mental authority, state and national,
alone is competent to restrain ito ag-
grsesions and correct it's abuses. I
have long foreseen that the time
would come when the people would
be compelled to invoke the exercise
of that authority for their protection.
I repeat to-day, ip substance, words
uttered seven years ago, that "there
are in this country four men who,
in the matter of taxation, possess and
frequently exercise powers which
neltner congress, nor any o. OUT state
Legislatures would dare to exert
powers which, if exercised in Great
Britain, would shake the throne to
its very foundation. These men may
at any time, and for any reason salts
factory to themselves, by stroke of
the pen, reduce the value of property
in the United States by hundreds Of
millions. They may, at their own
will and pleasure, disarrangs and en-
barrass business, depress our city or
locality and build up another, enrich
one individual and ruin his competi-
tors. and. when complaint is made,
coolly reply, What are you going to
do about it P"
The men who WELD this stupendous
corporate power have grown wiser
with the passage Of events. Hitherto
they have been apparently content to
absorb and control the great industrial
and material interests Of the country,
by q monopoly Of the channels and