Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-16
ADMONiSHeD THE PEOPLE.
Daniel Webster on Attempts Of Demaqoques
TO Excite Glass Hatred.

The Journal has just received from 8
Waterville lady copy of Webster's
speech in 1884 on the cry of the dema
gogue at that time, that the poor ma =
turally hate the rich" which she thinks
should be published lin view of the
fact that certain men have made them
selves VIGOROUSLY conspicuous by try
ing to make the poor hate the rich.
The Journal thinks the suggestion
good one and commends it to the at
tention of all:
Sir, / see in those vehicles which
carry to the people sentiments from
high places. plain declarations that
the present controversy is but strife
between one part of a community and
another. | hear it boosted as the I'M
failing security, the solid ground, never
- be shaken,-on which recent Sleas-
ures rest, that the poor naturally hate
the rich. l know that. under the shade
oi the roofs of the capitol, within the
last twenty-four hours, among men
sent here to devise means for the pub
lie safety and the public good, it has
been Wanted FORTH as matter of boast
and triumph, that one cause existed
powerful enough to support everything
and to defend everything; and that
vas the natural hatred of the poor to
the rich. Sir, | pronounce the author of
such sentiments to be guilty fof at
tempting a detestable fraud on the
community: double fraud-a fraud
which is to cheat men out of their prop
erty, and out of the earnings of their
labor, by first cheating them out of
their understandings. 1.-THE natural
hatred of the poor to the rich,'
Sir, it shall not be till the last mo-
nent of my existence, it shall he only
when | am drawn to the verge of OBJ
livion, when l shall cease to have re-
spect or affection for anything on
earth; that l will believe the people of
the United States capable of being eff
iectualiy deluded. cajoled. and driven
about in herds, by such abominable
FRAUDS as this. If they shall sink to
that point,-if they so far cease to be
men-thinking men, intelligent men. as
20 yield to such pretences and such
ciamor, they will be slaves already;
slaves to their own passions, slaves to
the fraud and knavery of pretended
friends They will deserve to be blotted
out OF all the records of freedom They
ought not to dishonor the cause of
self government, by attempting any
longer to exercise it. They ought to
Keep their unworthy hands entirely off
from the cause of Republican liberty, if
they are capable of being the victims
81 articles so shallow of tricks SO stale.
5" threadbare. so often practised. SO
fiuch worn out, on serfs and slaves.
The natural hatred of the poor
against the rich"' THE danger of a
noneyed aristocracy," "A power as
great and dangerous as that resisted
by the Revolution" "A call to a new
declaration of Independence.' Sir. I
admonish the people against the OBJ
jects of outcries like these. I admon-
sh every Industrious laborer in the
country to be on his guard against such
ieiuslons. l tell him the attempt is to
play off his passions against his inter-
Asts, and to prevail on him in the name
p liberty. to destroy all the fruits of
lperty; in the name of patriotism to
nJure and affiict his country: and in
me name OF his own independence. to
iestroy that very independence, and
make him beggar and slave.