The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-10-29
ALAY SERMON.
BY OLD FOGY.

Jer. hap. v, GIG. "Ask for ,he old paths
where is the good way, and walk therein"
have endeavored to impress upon
the minds of my readers, the supreme
Importance of returning to the good
old ways, to the customs of our fathers;
and that their teachings we're of such
a character as to lead us in the right
paths. We assert that the people are
sovereign. We assert that the State
is theirs, and that corporations are not
supreme.
1t is my object to show you that the
principles of the fathers and the prin-
ciples held by the Alliances are en-
tirely harmonious. MI. Dallas said:
"The people alone are the absolute
owners and uncomfortable movers of
such sovereignty as human beings can
claim to exercise"
W. hold that the laws of our coun.
try ought to be quite as favorable to
the poor as to the rich-that is, they
should be just.
Demosthenes said: "The design
and object of law is to ascertain what
is just, honorable and expedient, and
when discovered, to proclaim it as a
general ordinance, equal Inc impartial
to ALL"
We claim that our National policy
is directed by the money powers
abroad, and that our capitalists are
aiding and abetting this foreign ele-
ment in undermining our government
and that u people have for years so
neglected the principles of govern
ment that Jul whole system is about
being changed from a government of
the people to a government of Pluto
Gratis; and that our best men have
kept out of politics and allowed the
heelers to run country, and that
even the press has, with a view of
influencing u people against the
agriculturists, called our legislators
Hayseeders and that the party lash
has been used to keep men silent.
Judge Story said: at is in vain that
statesmen shall form plans of govern
ment, if the assaults from without are
never resisted, and the rottenness and
mining from within are never guarded
against. Who cal guard the rights
and liberties of the people when they
shall be abandoned by themselves ?
Who shall keep watch in the temple
when the watchmen sleep at their
posts? Who shall call upon the PEG.
pie to redeem their possessions, and
revive the Republic when their own
hands have deliberately and corrupt
ly surrendered them to the oppressor -?
If ever the day shall arrive in which
the best talent and best virtues shall
be driven from Office by intrigue or
corruption by the ostracism of the
press or the still more ~unrelenting
prosecutions of party, legislation will
cease to be national"
"In every human society,"" says the
celebrated Beccaria, "there is al effort
continually tending to confer on one
part the hight of power and happi-
ness, and reduce the other to the ex-
IRENE of weakness and misery. The
intent Of good laws is to oppose this
effort"
Brethren, if this learned author be
true, then, indeed, must our laws be
bad for the intent, the avowed pur
pose of some of them is to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer.
Nontesquien declared that "In a
free State, every man, who is supposed
to be a free agent, ought to be con-
cerned in his own government, there
fore the Legislative power should re-
side in the whole peopel."
The corporation heelers nov tell us
that the farmer ought not to go into
politics-that is, he should not be in
terested in his own government and
as for the Legislative power residing
in the people, that would not suit
their view at all.
Jefferson said: equal and exact
justice to all men,-economy in the
public expenses, the honest payment
of our debts, the encouragement of
agriculture and commerce as its hand.
maid, these principles form the base
Of our government"
But our modern politicians say that
Jefferson was a fogy, and that econ
omy in public expenses is an exploded
idea and that commerce is a humbug.
When applied to US with other nations
and that monopolies and combines are
the twin sisters of their p prosperity.
l submit the following which is an
extract of the proceedings of the Con-
~tinental Congress, Tuesday, Sept.
9th, IVA:
"ResoEved, unanimously, That we