The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-05-10
MIR. CONEY'S PROTEST.

The protest which Mr.. Coxey endeavored
to have the captain of the Capitol police re-
ceive i'll the name of the commonweal was
given to the newspaper men. 1t reads as
follows
The Constitution of the United States
guarantees to all citizens the right to peace
fully assemble and petition for redress of
grievances, and, furthermore, declares that
the right of free speech shall not be abridged.
We stand here to-day to test these guaran-
tees of our Constitution. We chose this
place of assemblage because it is the proper
ty of the people, and if it be true that the
right of the people to peacefully assem- ole
upon their own premises ard with their pc
titiOns has been abridged by the passage Of
laws in direct violation Of the Constitution
we are here to draw the eyes of the nation
to this shameful fact.
Here, rather than at any spot upon the
continent, it is fitting that we should come
to mourn over our protest arouse the I'M
periled nation to such action as shall rescue
the Constitution and reSurreCt our liberty.
Upon these steps where we stand has been
spread carpet for the royal feet of a foreign
princess, the cost of whose lavish entertain
ment was taken from the public treasury
without the consent or the approval of the
people,
Up these steps the lobbyists of trusts and
corporations have passed unchallenged on
their way to committee rooms to which we,
the representatives of the tOiling wealth pro-
duccrs, have been denied. We stand here
to-day in behalf of millions of tOilers w.4Ose
petitions have been buried i'll committee
rooms, whose prayers have been unrespond-
ed to and whose opportunities for honest,
remunerative productive labor have been
taken from them by unjust legislation,
which protects idlers, speculators and gam
blers. We come to remind Congress here
assembled of the declarations of United
| Stnta for hot for rtl of cont
ury the rich have been growing richer, the
poor poorer, and that by the close of the
present century the middle class will have
disappeared, as the struggle for existence be
| comes fierce and relentless. We stand here
to remind Congress of its promise of return
ing prosperity should the Sherman act be re
pealed.
We stand here to declare by our march OF
over 800 miles through difficulties and dis
treSs, march unstained by even the slight
est act which will bring the BLUSH of shame
to any, that we are law-abiding citizens, ant
as such our actions speak louder than words
We are here to petition for legislation which
| will furnish employment for every maj
able and willing to work, for Legislation
=. hich will bring universal prosperity ant
emancipate our beloved country from tinan
cial bondage to the descendants of Kim
George.
I'VE have come to the only source whicl
is competent to aid the people in their da
of dire distress We are here to tell our rep
resentatives, who hold their seats by grac
of our ballots, mat the struggle for exist
ence has become too fierce and relentless
We come and throw up our defenseles
| hands and say, help or we and our love
ones must PERISH We are engaged in
; bitter and cruel war with the enemies of a
mankind. A war with hunger, wretcheC
{ ness and despair, and we ask Congress
heed our petitions and issue for the nation
good sufficient volume of the same kind {
money which carried the country throug
one awful war and saved the life of the II;
ton. In the name of justice through who's
| impartial administration only the presel
civilization can be maintained and perpet'
ated by the powers of the Constitution
our country. upon which the liberties of tt
people must depend. and III the name of tt
Commonweal of Christ, whose represent
tives we are, We enter a most solemn al
: earnest protest against this unnecessary al
cruel act of usurpation and tyranny, ar
this enforced subjugatiOn Of the rights ar
privileges of American citizenship. "
have assembled here, in violation of no ju
laws, to enjoy the privileges of every Anne
lean citizen.
We are under the shadow of the Capt.
of this great nation and in the presence
or national legislators are refused tn
dearly bought privilege, and by the force
arbitrary power prevented from carryl1
out the desire of our hearts, which is plain
granted under the great Magma Charta
our national liberties
. We have come htre through toll al
weary marches, through storms and tenn
est. over mountains and amid the trials
poverty and distress, to lay our grievanc
at the doors of our national legislators al
ask them in the name of Him whose ba
ners we bear, in the name of Him wi
pleads for the poor and the oppressed, tn