The Labor enquirer., 1884-02-16
DECLARATION

Of the Rights Of Aan-.wurthy Q
Every Prolstarian's Careful
Perusal.
GoFFIc1AL.]
HEADQUARTERS DIVISION EXECUTIVE
Rocky MOUNTAIN DIVISION. INTER
NATIONAL WoRKMEN's ASSOCIATION
Denver, Colorado.
The following Declaration of tht
Rights of Man1is ordered published tt
the people:
We hold these truths to be self-eviden
to all people who have the welfare 0
humanity at heart That all men ant
women are born free and with equa
rights. That they were endowed, b.
such birth, by their Creator, and as nee
essary incidents of their existence, with
certain inalienable rights, rights ofwhicf
even they themselves cannot dives
themselves; and that among these right
are the right to life and the means o
living, liberty and the conditions essen
tial to liberty, and the right to the pur
suit of happiness. That especially emu
merating the subordinate rights fowinl
naturally and reasonably from the estab
lishment Of these truths and the princi
pies necessary for their perpetuity, VI
do publish and declare:
I.
That the just end Of all political asso
citation and the only permissible reason
for their existence at all, is the mainte
nance of the natural and imprescriptibl'
rights of man and the development o
all his faculties. " ' | o..
Whatever rights belong to one mai
belong to all men equally, whatever dit
ference there may be in their physical
mental, or moral force, Equality o
rights is established by nature. Society
80 far from invading it, ought justly t.
constitute security against the abuse o
force which would render 1t illusory.
III. -
# it should be found, after careful
trial thereof, that any form or system o
government or society fails to maintain
the rights of man, then it is not only th'
right but the most sacred duty of th'
whole people to alter or abolish the saic
system by any and all possible means,
".
Liberty is the power which belongs t.
a man of exercising all his faculties a
pleasure. 1t has justice for its rule tn
rights of others for its boundaries, natur,
for its origin, and the law for its safe
guard.
V.
The right of life, which belongs equal!
to all men, carries with it the right t.
the means of living. Chief among thes'
subsidiary rights is the right of each in
dividual to receive the full product 0
his own labor, without 1.-THE, tax or dim
mutton. upon any pretext.
vi.
Every individual is entitled to an equa
proportional share of all the natural ad
vantages of earth. The whole peopl
should hold the land, light, air and water
together with other of natures re
sources, as the natural heritage IN com
mon of all mankind, and Of his probor
ton thereof no man should ever be de
priVed.
VII.
Every individual is entitled to al
equal proportionate share of all the accu
mulated wealth created by past genera
tions, and that wealth should be held b,
society as the natural heritage in com
mon of all mankind.
VIII
Society can deny to those who do no
consent to this system of society an,
share of the benefits produced by tn
cooperation of. those who do consent
1t is but just that those who will not co
operate should receive none of the ben
eits of cooperation.
TX.
Debt, profit, interest, rent and the com
petitive system of industry are hereb
formally declared proved instruments Q
degradation and tyaranny, and cancer
upon the social body. So also are tn
present methods of furnishing Grim
rather than preventing it; the presen
monetary system the present method Q
suffrage the present method of educa
ton; and the present systems of juris
prudence, church and military.
The right of peacably assembling; c
manifesting opinion, whether throug
the press or by any other means of tn
free exercise of religion ; of bearin
arms; of security of person against un
reasonable search or seizure, and of com
plete liberty of thought and speech, tc
gether with the right of association, ar
such necessary consequences of the prin
ciples of mans liberty, that the necessit
of declaring them presupposes either tn
presence of, or the resent remembrance
of despotlsm
XI.
The right of private property Cal
justly be based upon no principle excep
that having been produced by the pei
son in possession of it, or upon the pos
SCISSOR having rendered for it the ful
equivalent to the one who did produc
it. This rule can have no exception
save those created by the unanimou
consent of all members of society.
XII.
So lono az memhers of societv sha]