June 26, 1839

[freshwest]

2. Was reading my favorite patriot, Thomas Paine:

The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.

~ Thomas Paine

Emma Miller was also of the generation that produced these words:

It is not needed, nor fitting here [in discussing the Civil War] that a general argument should be made in favor of popular institutions; but there is one point, with its connections, not so hackneyed as most others, to which I ask a brief attention. It is the effect to place capital on an equal footing with, if not above, labor, in the structure of government. It is assumed that labor is available only in connection with capital; that nobody labors unless somebody else, owning capital, somehow by the use of it induces him to labor. This assumed, it is next considered whether it is best that capital shall hire laborers, and thus induce them to work by their own consent, or buy them, and drive them to it without their consent. Having proceeded thus far, it is naturally concluded that all laborers are either hired laborers or what we call slaves. And further, it is assumed that whoever is once a hired laborer is fixed in that condition for life.

Now, there is no such relation between capital and labor as assumed, nor is there any such thing as a free man being fixed for life in the condition of a hired laborer. Both these assumptions are false, and all inferences from them are groundless.

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights.

~ Abraham Lincoln

Delivered in the Joint Session of Congress in 1861

As quoted by Alan Grayson here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/lincoln-congress-speech-_b_1127058.html

We're suffering the same thing as Lincoln delineated then. Capital has invaded our nation's Capitol.

Thanks for the history, Steve.