Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-04
THE "TOO RICH"
The Ignorance of John c. Cal
hOun Compared with the In
teIligenee of Colonel Josiah
Patterson shown Up.
To the Rditor Of thp Aralanohe.

ApfOpOS OF OOlOnel OOblhu IdlbtE-
sons utteranees that wealth must be
"difusedn SO as to bring about that
happiest condition Of society-"where
none are too rich and none too poor"
which condition CT affairs he prom
ises, if elected, to bring about by ap-
propriate legislation, let me call your
attention to the following language of
John O. Calhoun in his Disquisltion
on Government:
Nov, as individuals differ greatly
from each other ia intelligence, sa-
gacity, energy, perseverance, skill,
habits of industry and economy, phys
ical power, position and opportunity,
the necessary effect of leaving all free
to exert themselves to better their
condition, must be a corresponding
inequality between those who may
possess these qualities and advan-
tages in a high degree, and those who
may be deficient in them. The only
means by which the result can be pre-
vented are, either to impose such
restrictions on the exertions of those
who may possess them in a high de-
gree as will place them on a level with
those who do not, or to deprive them
Of thefruits of their exertions. But to
impose such restrictions on them
would be destructive of liberty, while
to deprive them Of the fruits of their
exertions would be to destroy the de.
sire of lettering their condition. It's,
indeed, this inequality of condition
between the front and rear ranks 10
the march Of progress which gives so
strong an impulse to the former to
maintain their position, and to the
latter TO press forward into their files.
This gives to progress its greatest i'm
pulse. To force the front rank back
to the rear, or attempt to push for
ward the rear into line with the front.
by the interposition of the govern
ment, would put an end TO the i'm.
pulse and effectually arrest the march
Of progress."
Now, | thus quote from Mr.. Cal
houn, not to show that Colonel Pat
terson is wrong, for that would be
high treason to the party, but merely
to show you how foolish and ignorant
Mr.. Calhoun was, aud how mistaken
we have have all been in suppos.ng
Mr.. Calhoun to be one Of the great
expounders Of Democracy.
Truly ought we to feel grateful Ia
Shaw, Patterson & Co. for striking the
scales from our eyes,.
Verify THE world DO move"
DEMOCRAT.
The above appeared in the Ava
lauche Of yesterday, the 3rd inst
John Q. Calhoun is pretty good au.
thority GA some questions, and Bit
views above do not not suffer by com
parison with those sf Colonel Josial
Patterson. In order that an inte!Ii
gent public may judge not only Al
between the two, but have a fair pre-
sentation Of the main questions ant
issues now involved, we give a repor
OF a speech made recently at Wood
stock, and commend it to the carefu
perusal Of our readers.
COL. PATTERsoN's VIEWS.
Ia the course of a long speech, a
WoOdstock, Colonel Josiah Patterson
said
| have told the laboring meo il
every speech l have made 10 tn
country that there wa no power f
the government, either State or Ma
tional, to relieve them from the obi
Cation Of honest and manly effort.
is . mistake to suppose that the work
iugmen do not fully realize this fac
: or that they are SO silly as to beliey,
or any one is so stupid as TO attemr
to teach them, that they can be r,
lieved by legislation from this obliQ,
ton. There is no honest, manly re,
from labor except that which result
from the enjoyment Of its product
II there is one principle better estal
lished than any other in our Americs
system, it is the fundamental doetrir
that government was instituted by 81
consent Of the governed, and for Il
equal protection and benefit Of all Il
people, 1t is from this doctrine
equality that the Democracy draws i
vital breath, its noblest inspiration
1t is from this standpoint that it d
nounces and sturdily opposes on II
one hand all legislation that wou.
support the poor in idleness; az
on the other, all legislation tn.
would increase the wealth Of the rio
at the expense Of the poor.
The poor have 40 better right TO d
palaces Of the rich than the rich ha,
to the humble abodes Of the poor
is honorable aud commendable to a,
cumulate wealth by honest mean
To do SO should aud it docs inspil
lsboring men not only with respec
but with a manly purpose to emulat
and initiate their more fortunal
fellow. citizens. Such examples hay
the effect to produce the happicst r,
suits in developing our national char
aoter. Where the race fife is ope
10 all alike, then be who lags benin
bound to see that il is his Own iaul
that be docs not keep up with hi