The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-30
A NEW DECLARATION OF RIGHT.

lIlIlS~IiVe years ago LYMAN IIuHbul!.
of Illinois. was a rather conspicuous fig
ure i'm America politics. lie is credited
with having drawn the thirteenth amend
ment 10 the Constitution OF the United
Stlf's-tho one which makes slavery i'm
possible I'm :he United States. lie has
low drawn up a declaration of principles
TO: The Populist party which may he
adopted by their convention, nov in ses-
sion at st. Louis, before these lines meet
the readers eye. His declaration of
principles is as follows:
First: Resolved, That human brother
hood and equality of rights are cardinal
principles of true Democracy.
Second: Resolved That forgetting all
past political differences, we unite in the
common purpose 10 rescue the Govern
ment from the control Of monopolists
and concentrated wealth: to limit their
powers of perpetuation by curtailine' their
privileges, and 10 secure the rights OF
free speech free press, free labor and
trial by jury--all rules, regulations and
judicial dicta in derogation OF either Of
which are arbitrary, unconstitutional, and
not TO be tolerated by a free people.
Third: We endorse the resolution
adopted by the National Republican Con-
vention of 1860 which was incorporated
by President Lincoln in his inaugural ad-
dress. as follows: THAT the maintenance
inviolate of the rights Of the States.
and csr ecially of the rights of each State
to order and control its own domestic
institutions according to its own judg-
ment exclusively. is essential to that bal
ance OF power on which the perfection
Col. 4
ponds, and we denounce the lawless In
vasion by armed force on the soil of any
State or Territory. no matter under what
preteXt as among the gravest of crimes"
Fourth: Resolved, That the power Civ
en- Congress by the Constitution, ito pro-
vide for calling forth the militia to exc
cute the laws of the Union. to suppress
instructions, to Tepel inVaSions,' does
not warrant the Government in making
use of a standing army in aiding monOpo-
lies in the oppression of their employees.
When freemen unshield the sword it
should be 10 strike for liberty, not for
despotism or to uphold privileged mo-
nUpolies in the oppression Of the poor.
Fifth: Resolved That to check the
rapid absorption OF the wealth of the
country, and its perpe tuation in few
hands, we demand the enactment of laws
limiting the amount of property to be ac-
quirCd by devise or inheritance.
Sixth: Resolved, That We denounce TIE
issue OF interest-bearng bonds by the
Government in times of peace. to he paid
fer in part at least, by gold drawn frJn
the Treasury, which results in the Gov
ernments paying interest on its own
money
Seventh: Resolved Tha. we demand
that Congress funl its constitutional
duty, 10 coin money, regulate the valIe
thereof and of foreign coin, by the en-
&c tment of laws for tn; free coinage e
silver with that of sCl2. at the ratio Of
Is to /.
Eighth: Resolved. That moEopolies af-
fectins the public interests shouli be own
"a and operated by the Government in
the interests Of the people, All employees
of the same to he governed by civil ser
vice rules, and no one to be employed or
displaced on account of politics.
Ninth: Resolved, That we inscribe our
banners. Down With monopolics' and
millionaires control. Up with the rights
of man and the masses" ana under this
banner we may march to the polls and
to victory.
This Is one Of the strangest mixtures Of
sense, nonsense and vlciousness We have
ever encountered.
rights for all men is a cardinal principle
of true Democracy, but how ridiculous in
this selfish world to talk about human
brotherhood. If this meant no more
than that all men shoid deal Justly With
each other, it could certainly be set down
as a cardinal Democratic principle. in
which case it would only have been
necessary for Mr.. TrumbuE TO say that
justice to all men and equality of rights
are the cardinal principles Of true De-
mocracy. But Mr.. Trumbu did not
mean this. and therefore ne did not use
that language. lie meant that men are
expected to be more than just TO each
other. They are expected TO be gen
erous too. and if any will not be. that
the law-the power of all operating
against one-shall compel some person In
a position, as they think to be generous,
TO exercise generosity in accordance with
that idea of generosity which those de-
string it think they should receive from
the one they think able 20 be generous.
This is what Mr. Trumbull means by his
human brotherhood. and this is the car
dinai idea of his philosophy, though it is
anything else than a cardinal principle Of
true Democracy.
If Mr.. Trumbull. when he talks OF res
cuing this Government from the control
of monopohsts and concentrated wealth
meant that he would dedicate himself TO
the purpose Of securing perfectly fair
election laws that would guarantee every
voter the right TO vote and have his vote
counted as cast, and to repeating the pro-
tectlve tariff laws, that enable a small
number OF privileged Americans 10 pill
lage the great body OF Americans. and to
repeating the United States law that for
bids the great bulk Of the American people
10 make any use OF their property as a
basis OF credit-if this were what he
meant We should Join hands and hearts