SU-" ■'■■•VI' <*• > \^'i^C- V ^Jfe^^>"'' ■' / ■v-^ r aH FREEMAN'S ADDRESS Ttl THE [N1©[^T[KJ ^[M][i^D©^[i^©H 'ROVING THAT THEIR PRESENT EMBARRASSMENTS AKE OWING TO THKIR FEDERAL UNION, THEIR SOVEREIGN STATES, THEIR CONSTITUTIONS AND THEIR STATESMEN; AND CONTAINING V"' Some propositions for l^flirf. ;'>, NIL ADMIRARl. -■?/ C/i Property of the Author, secured by public faith. ^, i AMERICANS! J 1*1 (3r Admire nothing, the motto of this Address, is the great damper, laid by prudence upon our fancy, when overbusy in matters where sound philosophy, long experience, steady and sober reflection should decide. There is undoubtedly nothing that has been more admired^ from the earliest ages to the latest time, and, of course, over-fancied than what is commonly called "state" or "state-form."* We will endeavor to show, how wrong we are, in expectmg from state or state-form any thing but evil. The contents of this Address will prove, that we stand not on the side of those who undervalue human things. Men are much in the habit of expecting from the thing " state," more than from themselves, more than from nature ; and if these high expectations turn out to be fallacious, they complain and censure those engaged in state business, viz. state officers, law makers, statesmen, pofiticians, diplomatists, governors, presidents, kings, emperors, etc. In order to remedy the evil, attributed to statesmen, men construct minor states or state-forms, called political parties, conventions, clubs, standing committees— make constitutions and alter them frequently— But thotigh they sacrifice for all these different state-forms, time, money, honesty,*'sincerity of character, social comfort, friendship, health, do- mestic peace, lives, and all their best interests ; they never find these state-forms working to their satisfaction. For centuries, kings and republicans have proclaimed slate one ot the * State is a corporalion, with a certain form framed by law8, constitutions or us.i- .res. The reader will, of course understand the woid slate-form. most sublime inventions of human mind. Many scholars have written voluminous works on the best forms of states, and the way to execute them. Politicians made, and are daily making constitutions, acts and laws in unknown numbers ; they fabricate messages and reports of ad- mirable length and undoubted " political" wisdom ; besides, we see ari army of statesmen daily increasing, as politicians, law makers, com- missioners, inspectors, weighers, state prmters, governors, presidents, embassadors, consuls, knights, counts, baronets, marquises, dukes, kings, emperors, pachas, sultans, moguls, chiefs, lords, etc. busily engaged in different kind of state-work ; we are proud of our government, we praise our constitutions regularly at public dinners, and besides in prose and poetry ; and still, nobody seems to be contented with the thing " state," or with the business done by the " statesrnen." Reader ! if you want this circumstance, this general dissatisfaction proved, take a newspaper, or rather two party papers ; peruse them without prejudice, and if you do not find the proof, stop at any public house and speak on political topics, and if you should not find the proof there, go disinterested to the polls, in the clubs, meetings, conventions, committees, assemblies, in the halls of congress, and if you should not be convinced, go into any shop, store or counting room, inquire at the fireside of the rich and poor, and you certainly will not find any person who will not express his decided disapprobation of the operation of our state machinery. You will convince yourself, that at present, neither Christianity and schools, sciences and arts, nor the press, are able to check or balance the evils caused by our states, though republics. What is the reason of this problem f The reason is simple : — That the thing " state" is in itself arid in its origin bad, and not a thing made by the good, or for the good — but by the bad and for the bad, or those who incline to the dark side of human nature. This may be easily abstracted from every day's experience ; but it will probably be better understood, if we take some advice from the historij of the thing called "state." In the oldest historical records are contained tales of men in families, but no trace of the thing we call state or form of government, (state- form.) What length of time this state-less family life lasted, we cannot exactly tell — but we know that afterward sprang up, through misled passion,* a set of men, without family connections, and of course with- out property, who " grew wicked." We read further, that they be- came robbers, warriors, conquerors, and that they were the men who formed tribes, nations, empires, states. For this length of time lasted the period of free family life, sometimes called the Patriarchial age, perhaps, also, the golden time of the poets. These warrior or robber tribes, never had the intention of promoting good, of doing right, or of keeping peace — but of robbing, suppressing and exterminating each other. They appear to have been always with- out industry, arts and sciences. In this period of state life, we find the Africans and Indians at the present day. The misery created by this kind of " state" or " state-form," hav- ing reached the highest degree, men took refuge in religion, for com- fort and aid ! But alas ! the aid was given, but by another kind of state, called priesthood or hierarchy. Priests, high-priests, monks, bishops, arch-bishops, cardinals, delegates, popes, muftis, etc. used the thing state, like the robbers and conquerors of old, i. e. for their benefit and to the disadvantage of society. How the dependence on them ended in the consummate degradation of society, the ecclesiastical his- tory shows. Sometimes the priests were the only rulers — sometimes they allied themselves with the conquerois, later knights, counts, dukes, kings, emperors, republics. Both obtained the right or the thing called sovereignty. I The latter declared the men and land, which they had conquered, their property, or the property of the crown, another word for the same thing. The priests usurped the sovereignty over the old and new wofld, and took possession of the mind by force, fear and mys- tification. The more settled tribes and nations in Asia and most all nations in Europe at present, live more or less in this period of state life. Arts and sciences tried in vain to soften or reform the general misery caused by these states. But finally, the men succeeded in inventing the printing press., and the first beam of light shed over these "states," effected principally the German revolution, called reformation, which cracked the Roman priest state, then the most evil working of all. * Commouiy called original sin, a vice in Asia saiicliotiod by usage and law. t Sovereignty means high or sui)erior dominion of men and land. The statesmen, alias robbers, conquerors, nobles, dukes, kings, em- perors, etc. enriched themselves with the property of the sacerdotal state and swelled their power. They put the press under censure, af- ter having used it to shake the hierarchy. So far circumstances per- mitted the bold reformators to proceed, not farther. This done, the mighty men, who made money with the things " state" and " church," and who wanted for this purpose influence and power, and who had already succeeded in stamping their business with nobility, inviolableness and majesty, these men commanded the people through their laws, to believe, that they were, by the grace of God, sovereign owners of all land and men ; and further, to pray in the churches, which they permitted people to build, for them, and for the best success of their state business. These sovereigns and their learned counsellors, courtiers and profes- sors, etc. brought the principles, according to which they pleased gra^ ciously to make money and to subjugate people, in a certain scientific order, called Politic, and the men who were engaged to work for them, or for the " state," of course the same thing, got the names — ministers, statesmen, politicians, diplomatists, state officers, professors of politic, soldiers, etc. They formed a separate class, enjoyed great e2i:clusive rights, and were by law considered as so many little "majesties." Their business consisted chiefly in the same thing which, as we have seen, robbers and conquerors have done in all times, i. e. in enriching themselves at the expense of others, in not permitting them to do their business for themselves, or to make use of the right of free trade, free commerce, free press, etc. With the progress of civilization they perpetrated the robbing of land and men, etc. in a more genteel, more scientific way, than their ances- tors. They invented innumerable subtle ways and means, often under very plausible pretexts, to wrest from the people's hands their business. They mined the metals, owned the forests, the wild animals, all seas, lakes, rivers, fishes ; they laid taxes upon all trades ; licensed, charter- ed every kind of industrious activity ; made war, forced people to fight for them ; made the press, sciences, arts and religion, their servants and helpmates ; in conclusion, they scarcely allowed the people to do any thing without their permission or without restrictions and fees. Good men, who considered this state of things an immense evil and unrighteous, were, by laws made tor t^iis purpose, dt^clared rebels and burned or hanged. The sentences were made by judges, not chosen by the people, but appointed by the state owners for this purpose. But though the press was fettered by the censors, directly or indi- rectly, still it could not be hindered by the millions of state officers, that many a beam penetrated the mass sighing for help. The writers, either statesmen or under censure, could of course, give no better counsel, than to change or improve the " state-form," never to give it up, as the only cause of all the misery. And, of course, the mass wished for nothing better. The discovery of America gave opportunity for emigrating to those who did not expect any help from these reforms or improvements. — But alas ! America, though not known to anybody, but few seamen, was already declared by those " sovereigns'''' to be their property or domain, and called colonies. Of course there was no alternative for the settlers. Instead of doing their business alone, for themselves, without the interference of any state, for which very reason they fled from the states in Europe, they were forced to subject themselves again under these " states" or " sov- ereigns." The history of North America shows, that the evil produced there by the subjugation under the English state, caused the North Ameri- can revolution. History shows further, that but a short time after the French revolution, and those in South America too, were eifected by the same cause. After several fruitless petitions and gravaminas (a common useless play in all such cases) for redress, the Americans drew up a document, which contains a list of English state business done in America, of which they complained as the cause of all the evil under which they suffered — and the bill of rights, and the Declaration of Independence. They declared expressly that they were resolved to govern themselves, or to establish a self-government, according to the laws of nature, and enumerated the unalienable rights of men (i. e. founded in nature) which should be enjoyed by all equally, and never again violated by states or statesmen. Every body knows, that the English king, or state or crown pro- prietor, considered this declaration as rebellion against his " sover- eignty," on land and men in America — that a war broke out — and that the Americans defended themselves with better succes than the Poles and Canadians in similar cases ; and that they adopted, no doubt, in consequence of this war, and the evil it caused, again the same thing " sovereign state" which they had removed by rebellion, under the name of republics. They changed, for this purpose, the colonies into " sovereign states," and devised for each a constitution, which con- tains, like constitutions in sovereign monarchies, provisions against mis- chief and usurpations to be feared from the republican statesmen. They formed also an union of these states, with a constitution and similar provisions against suppressive encroachments from the side of the Fed- eral statesmen, alias robbers, conquerors, lords, members of parliament, dukes, kings, emperors, governors, presidents, assemblymen, con- gressmen, etc. They then were Englishmen or descendants of Englishmen, and beino-, of course, ardent admirers of the English form of government ; thouo-h they had rebelled, they did not know under all these circum- stances to do any thing better, than copy or imitate the English state- form or constitution ; adopting, however, instead of the hereditary qual- ity of the higher English statesmen, the elective one for the same statesmen in America. Taking the whole together, they did exhibit in this affair more wis- dom and prudence, than other republican statesmen. The history of these constitutions shows a great inclination to alter and amend them, and a great difference of opinion of the statesmen in respect to their right understanding and application. History shows further, that the business done by the statesmen with these constitutions in their hands, was in the beginning very small, unprofitable and un- important, and consisted chiefly in raising taxes and customs for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the lamented revolutionary war. The character of the men then in power, were patriotic, disinterest- ed and honest, the population very small, the general interests of little importance. Besides they did know, by their own experience, the evil caused by the English state, and would have preferred to live without an array of sovereign state-forms and institutions, if peace had prevailed, and war and other trying circumstances had permitted. But by and by the business in states and union improved. The 9 statesmen and politicians, alias robbers, designing men, etc. seeing themselves placed at the head of " sovereign states," and a " sovereign union of the states," like kings and emperors, found it very profitable to manage this sovereign governing business quite in the same " po- litical" way as European state-owners do. Leaving people to believe that they govern themselves, they li- cense, charter, tax, like all other sovereigns, and play the political sov- ereign drama so artful, that th( y are at full liberty to talk two or three months together in assemblies and congress for no other purpose, than to make fees and mileage and get more political influence and business. As state business has, since the time it was commenced, by " wicked men," caused but evil and misery ; it follows, according to the laws of nature, that it must have the same eflfect in America as elsewhere, or in monarchies or republics, because places or names cannot alter the cause. The special history of the Greek, Roman, Italian, Dutch, English, German, French, Swiss and other republics, shows and proves that these kinds of governments have worked as much evil as any other state- form. There being in America nobody satisfied with the working of the state-forms or constitutions, and the business of a statesman or politician being already entirely disreputable, particularly in consequence of their avowed political system and creed : " To the victor belong the spoils," i. e. to the statesmen in power belong people's money, people's busi- ness — which system also exactly follows the sovereigns in Europe ; it must therefore be obvious to every common sense reader, that the evils under which American society are at present suffering, never will be remedied by the thing " state" or " state-form" — this very thing itself being the cause of all these embarrassments. If this is true, it is the duty of mankind to devise a plan, how to de- liver society from the evil produced by " state" or " state-form" in America. Americans ! This plan, this remedy is not unknown ; it is in your 2 10 own hands and of your own discovery — you want only to apply it. — Its name is SELF-GOVERNMENT. If every man governs and controls himself well, all will in his private and social affairs do well ; and if he does not suffer or allow, that any person (politician or states' business man) interferes, there will be most certainly no business to do for such men. Of course, in a self-governing society, there is no room for this thing called sovereign state or " state-form," " state administrations," etc. There may occur single cases, where men show by their acts that they are not fit or able to govern or control themselves well in their af- fairs, as — minors, maniacs, criminals, bad debtors, etc. For such cases of ungovernableness, we have judges, jurors, lawyers and some local policemen ; but no politicians or statesmen, etc. For this purpose of governing or controlling ourselves well, nature gave us REASON! Such self-governing men do not like to be subjugated by others, be- cause this right of self-government belongs, as the noble Americans of '76 expressly declared, among the unalienable rights of men, which robbers, conquerors, kings, emperors, sovereign republics destroy. Of course, going back to the time where modern American society started, we find that its basis is self-government, which of course is identified with personal liberty. As long as men suffer, or prefer to live " subjected," i. e. under state-form, no one has to interfere. But as soon as men resolve and declare to be willing to govern themselves, or to do their business, un- trameled by politicians and statesmen alone, nature, humanity, and right forbid any refusal, any interference ; otherwise no liberty is possible, but a sounding name. By this it appears that a war, (i. e. the English contra the Americans in '76,) raised against men wha insist and provoke on self-government or independence from state and " state form," is not only entirely illegal but barbarous. We mention once more, that self-government and " state" are two entirely different things, and that there are either self-governing men, or men subjected to " state," commonly called citizen subjects, slaves- 11 " State" is in itself evil, " self-governnienf is in itself good, being based on nature and reason. Poth, of course, will never be united. We proceed now to the proof that all the evil which at present is, in the United States, more perceptibly felt than ever, has been caused by the federal union, the single states and the politicians or statesmen, and will afterwards add some propositions how to remedy these evils. , The first, and the very cardinal evil is, that the single states as well as the federal union usurp Sovereignty, and, as matter of course, sovereign states — territory or dominion, sovereign inviolableness, sove- reign boundaries, sovereign armies, navies, sovereign rights of char- tering, licensing, privileging, etc. etc. This thing, " sovereignty," produces in republics the same business as in monarchies, and is man- aged according to the principles of the science, politic expressly in- vented for this purpose. One of the first sovereign statesmen's business is, of sending Am- bassadors. Politicians and statesmen, all over the world, being suffi- ciently assured that no faith is due to their words, speeches, pledges, promises, treaties of peace and commerce, alliances, acts, charters, etc.. invented a standing Espionage * called ambassadors. Ths federal union, being sovereign, a number of their statesmen are sent to other sovereign states for this purpose. It is customary to consider it as one of the most sublime, most excellent, most inviolable, and most *' lucrative" and expensive statesmen business. The men, used in this line, ought to be finished politicians, i. e. masters of the black art, necromancers, magicians, old foxes. A great sum of mo- ney is spent for their outfit and salaries, notwithstanding that the great rule for our conduct as self-governing freemen, in regard to foreign nations ought to be, to have with them as little connection as possible. The foundation of North American society being personal liberty or self-government, we have, indeed, nothing to do with " sovereigns." An American, trading with subjects of sovereigns, has to seek, if ne- cessary, refuge in the laws of the foreign state. The foreigner has, in the same case, to do the same in North America ; for this purpose we have justice, and jurors, judges, lawyers, sheriffs, etc. In America, society is ruled by public opinion ; it has nothing to spy ; it fears no wrong, being, as " a society," not able to do wrong. " See Walker's Key. 12 The entirely unnecessary practice of sending ambassadors abroad, and of the expense made for this purpose, will become more obvious, if the reader will peruse this address. Sovereign statesmen do further some very profitable business with other sovereigns, in the form of treaties of commerce. The general pretext of these treaties is Protecting Commerce and Industry. The political principle, from which these treaties start, is : No man has a right to commerce, except with the permission of the sovereign governments. The aim of these treaties is all over the world — making money. Their effect is all over the world — general destruction of one of the most precious rights of freemen, that of free commerce. Thousands of states' officers are engaged in making money in this way, or, as they use to say, to collect the customs, fees, etc. for the keeping up of the government. Several bloody revolutions, i. e. that in Belgia and North America, have, from time to time, rather in an inconvenient way for the states- men, disturbed this business. But Sovereign Statesmen never learn from history. They continue this business, they build sovereign mar- ble palaces, called custom houses, for counting rooms and dens for their robberies ; they form sovereign custom lines {ditoanes, in French, zolliniey in German) round their empires, and for the purpose of do- ing this in a certain order, or, for the purpose of destroying equally all over the world liberty of comiuerce, they make treaties under the pre- text of protecting it ; further, a stupendous mass of laws, they seem not to understand themselves, which create a- world of trouble for merchants, etc. Every reader knows that perjury, smuggling and fraud are the offsprings of this statesmen business. Statesmen are very skilful in inventing crimes for the purpose of iiav- ing plenty of trials, law making, and other state's prison business. Another very profitable business for statesmen, is that of making empires with sovereign state boundary lines. Here are ambassadors frequently used. Reader ! Take two maps, one of America and one of Asia, and you will find that our statesmen pretend to own, as sovereigns, all the Rocky Mountains, and all the land, and all the seas, ect. beyond 13 these mountains ; and that English and Russian sovereigns make sim- ilar pretensions. In consequence of this kind of statesmen activity, these men make a most profitable business with sovereign boundary line treaties, sove- reign boundary line disputes and wars,* and sovereign land trafHc, charging per acre ten shillings. To describe the immense mass of evil, created by this statesmen business, requires more room than that of an address. We add, therefore, only few remarks. The thing, (or notion, or right, or idea,) sovereign states' boundary, destroys the independence of landed property and the right of self-go- vernment. Let us suppose that, in the course of time, there should spring up in the regions of the Rocky Mountains, (often called the Alps of North America,) a .society as fond of "self-governing" as once were the Swiss, or of late the Americans, ('76) ; and that they wished to have no connexion with the sovereign federal union government in Washington, and that they declared themselves, on another fourth of July, independent; let us suppose this case, what would, we beg leave to ask, our federal statesmen say or do .'' They would consider this declaration as an infringement of their sovereignty on men and land in the Rocky Mountains, or on their spoils ; they would draw up a nulli- fication message, full of learned political wisdom and of beautiful states- manlike phrases about the wonderful excellency, and majesty, and ho- liness of their rights of sovereignty, and of their sovereign territory and domain. They would stir up the United States subjects or citizens by motions, addresses, bills, laws, resolutions, appeals and mighty speeches, which are the more admired the more sounding words and the less sense they contain ; they would raise money by land traffic, customs, patents, postage, copyright, licenses, naturalization, etc. ; and if this should not be sufficient they would borrow millions and bil- lions from their fellow associates in profitable statesmen business, the stockjobbers in New- York, London and Amsterdam ; they would make a mighty war for the chief purpose of creating a famous mass of war debts and pensions, of which ^~q are mere fraud. In conclusion, * Conf. Disputes: 01ii>-i, ca ; Michigan; Illinois, ca ; Missuuii; Fcdoia! Union, Maine, ca ; Canada, Texas, Mexico, etc. 14 they would stretch every nerve of their subjects and their own, and if fortune smiles, they will put down the " rebels" in the Rocky Moun- tains, devastate their property and bring those not killed under their sovereignty in the same way as we observed this statesmen tragedy of late in Poland and Canada. If liberty or the right of a freeman, comes in contact with the thing " sovereign state," all depends from good luck, never from right. Politic knows nothing about right, justice or liberty ! This good luck favorised the Americans ('76.) It may be possi- ble it will favorise our mountaineers, but it will be followed by evil, because this war, though successfully ended, will produce a — state ! And so we see this evil, originating in vice and barbarism,* continu- ing like a chronic disease. As that is abused by quacks, to make bu- siness with, and to dispose of their pills and elixirs, so manage states- men the thing sovereign state. Human society has inherited from barbarous times the chronic disease " sovereignty," and political quacks make use of it for the purpose of making money, and to satisfy their ambition. This is permitted by freemen in America, where no person, no state, no federal union, has a " superior" right to land, than the man who owns the land. When under the name of sovereign federal union, or sovereign states, territory or dominion, a second or superior or higher right on land is allowed or established, the liberty of property, including the liberty and independence of the men who own such land, is destroyed, or, what means the same, freeman's self- governing right is annihilated. This territorial sovereignty, usurped by our statesmen, causes a mass of business with states, county and town lines, all supertluous and absurd. I This, though very easy to understand, may be better illustrated by a case which has long since been under the " political" consideration of the statesmen in North America and England ; we mean the Maine boundary dispute. We know that English and American statesmen made a treaty in Europe, about fifty years ago, about the line of their usurped domain * Alias called FeudalUy. t We may have towns, counties, and states or circuits, for couits and locality pake, but witliout any attribute of sovereignty. 1 r. in North America, which they did not exactly know, and of which the maps were but visionary, hke the domain itself. This business is now the cause that they write, send ambassadors, confer, " protest," mes- sage, address, vote ten millions in one minute, though all over in debt, marth soldiers and militia, send them home again, make incen- diary and tranquilizing speeches, threaten with war, and give secretly the assurance that all is but comedy or humbug. But, fellow freemen, in Maine and Canada ! not a word, not a sin- gle word, will you have heard about your unalienable rights, which, according to the fundamental law of American society, know nothing about treaties, made in Europe, on their property, about a superior, high or sovereign dominion* or line, not a single word will you have heard about this sacred right of an American freeman, called self-go- vernment. No ! During the whole fifty years, the subject has been disputed ; there has been no inquiry made what the freemen residing on this disputed strip of land, wish to do ; whether they like to govern themselves, or whether they like to be subjected to the sovereign go- vernments of Maine, federal union, or England. Suppose these free- men would prefer to be " independent,'''' would they nevertheless bo forced by those sovereign governments to be subjects of the same i We are sorry to say, that it will be done, and for what purpose } For the advantage of the men who make business with the article, " Maine, federal union, Great Britain, sovereignty," and sovereign boundary lines. No ! The freemen, who wish to enjoy their liberty, who would make for some cases of ungovernableness some provisions, as justices, courts, common law, local police, some civil laws, etc. ought to be subjugated. But it will, perhaps, be objected to : you admit the necessity of ju- rors, courts, etc., and, of course, the thing state, but under another '5 name. By no means. Jurors never are sovereign state officers, judges ought never to come in contact with sovereign states' business. Both are institutions of the society, natural expedients for single cases of unfitness for self-government, where an arbitrator is wanting, and not \ Such a dominion presupposes an inferior dominion. 16 of any standing activity. The case being decided and settled, the ac- tivity of these men ceases entirely.* This will be, by the by, better understood w^hen the reader Vi^ill have got a clear impression of the radical evil, nature and tendency of the v\?ords sovereign state, state administration, states' business, politic. But what will be the end in this Maine boundary question, suppose the freemen in concern would claim their independence from any state whatever, and if they would not, like the supposed Rocky Moun- taineers, form a " state ?" "^I'hey have nothing else to do than to insist upon their unalienable right of self-governing, or managing their own affairs independently, and if they would feel themselves too feeble to defend themselves alone against the suppressive states, they have to call the freemen of the world to help them. And, reader, like the freemen of France. Germany, Poland, England, etc., came, when the North American freemen were threatened with suppression from the side of the English sovereign, to help them ; so freemen will come again to free their brothers, and sweep away the barbarous state sup- pressors, the tools of sovereignty.! But will we not have, in this way, eternal war .'' By no means. Americans ! freemen never make " war ;" this is only a business of robbers, conquerors, knights, counts, dukes, kings, emperors, sultans, politicians, statesmen, ministers, diplomatists, go- vernors, presidents, soldiers, wholesale murderers — " sovereign states !" Freemen have only to defend themselves against sovereigns. This is no war. Freemen rob, conquer, aggress not. Freemen make no domain, no sovereignty, no sovereign states, with sovereign boundary lines, no treaties of peace. No ! Freemen make no acts of neu- trality, if their brothers are endangered by sovereign states' suppres- sion, like the Canadians ! Such evil work only politicians and states- men do ! If they defend themselves with their arms, they do it in need, and after having solemnly, before the world, declared their rights. Then * The law (state) is not made for a rightoous man, but for the lawless and dis- obedient, etc., (ungoveriiableness ;) and if there he any othci thing that is con- trary to SOUND DOCTRINE. — Paul to the Colnsuans. t If we would settle this question in this way, and stop the puerile diplomatic " play," the last hour of English sovereignty in North America will soon come. Americans in the English colonics, look out ! 17 they use only their self-governing right. And if they come from North or South America, from France, Italy, Germany, Poland, or England, to help their brethren in North America, or in the Cana- das, or in Texas, etc., they do not come to make a " sovereign" state ; no, only freemen, i- e. men free of sovereign oppression. This done, they go home, lay down their weapons, and let liberated free- men govern themselves. These freemen have no sovereign armies, no sovereign war departments, no sovereign Quebecs or Westpoints, no sovereign arsenals, (with big stone walls,) no sovereign men of war; no, they use only their own weapons, their own horses, their ot«n purse ; they go as freemen, as patriots, to put down the common foe of independence — " sovereign states." And if those freemen have succeeded in sweeping away this thing, sovereign state, all over the earth, there will be over the whole earth peace.* Sovereign states, who do business with war, like merchants with merchandize, never make peace, but only politic treaties of suppres- sion, for the purpose of making^ on the first best opportunity, war again and again. Read the history of treaties, of peace and of war, and you will find the proof of it. For this purpose they train and keep an army of soldiers, i. e. a number of wholesale murderers and devastators ; for this reason they like to engage foreigners, as they call men belonging not to their sovereign states' empire, as soldiers, because they do not trust their own subjects, to do the sovereign war business of killing, murdering and devastating in the most superior statesmanlike style. Further, they do an immense business in augmenting the boundary line of their domain, by acquiring from their neighbors, fellow col- leagues, Indian chiefs, land, and by transporting or removing and ex- terminating the Indians. In this way they lately made in Florida, in one year, over ten millions of dollars ! They care little whether they destroy in this way the unalienable rights or lives of their neighbors or of their own subjects. The reader will perhaps be in doubt about the correctness of our remarks. But he may imagine, for a moment, that in North American, exists no sovereign state, no sovereign federal * The American Peace Society is requested to take notice thereof. 3 18 union, but only a society of freemen, who do their business among themselves and with the Indians alone, and who have only, /or single cases, adopted a common law, made by experience, observation and public opinion, with the help of the press, grand jury, petit jury, etc. ; he may further suppose that there exists no chieftainship among the In- dians, and he will see that there remains only the freeman — American or Indian. Now suppose an American and an Indian have transactions about land or property, etc., do you believe this business will be commenced by extirpation .' Most certainly not. They will treat each other as did William Penn and the Indians ; each will try to do right in the way of business. The American, better informed of the use of reason, better educat- ed, and, of course, more capable of controling himself than the Indian^ will apply all the means of kindness, forbearance, Christianity, love, fine manners, ennobled feelings, etc. ; and the Indian will learn to re- spect in him a good man, and both will deal together in full confidence. There would be no soldiers, no fortresses, no statesmen work, na killing. Reader, if you understand what a freeman, what self-government, a-nd what human society is, you will already see clearly. You will see that the Indian is only wretched in consequence of the convention- al interference of "tribe" and "sovereign government." Its chief- tainships will lose their influence when the re-action ceases, caused by our sovereign chieftainship. But it will be objected to, that Indians are radically incapable of governing themselves, not being educated, etc. You will recollect that we have already spoken of single cases of ungovernableness in American society, and that for this reason juries, judges, etc. are want- ing. Will you not apply the same expedient to Indian ungovernable- ness .-* Do not the signers of your declaration of independence ex- pressly say, that all men are born equal ? and have these words, in so- cial regard, any other sense ; what is, in a certain case, right for a man called American, must als" be right, in the same case, for a man called Indian, Irishman, Frenchman, German, or African ? American freemen ! The interference of your statesmen with your "Enslishmen tried this, with the best effect, in the East Indias with the natives. 19 business with the Indians, is not only a violation of your right of self- government, but also the most barbarous and unnatural business ever done by any state or sovereign whatever ! If you would have used, in this case, your own right, equally and justly, and as you generally deal with your fellow men, and if you would not have permitted any state to interfere, you would have saved a mass of men, now ruined or slain, and you would have made them progressively fit for self-government, like yourself, by industry, sci- ences, arts, education, etc. But your political quacks must make money with the Indians, and ■how do they proceed ? They kill you, they waste millions and bil- lions of your earnings ; they kill the Indians, they destroy their homes. Is this not the way robbers, conquerors, heroes, statesmen, etc. have dealt in all ages .' Reader, do you longer admire ardently the business of " sovereigns .?" If you do, if you are not overwhelmed with shame to have permitted •this extirpation of the Indians, then you are not worthy to bear the name " American freemen ;" no ! Then are you but Vorthy to be common subjects of a " sovereign state." Still it will be objected, that we would not exist as a nation without army, navy, diplomatic intercourse, etc Fellow freemen, do you forget who made nations i Robbers, con- querors, kings, emperors, statesmen — never freemen. The freemen of North America never form a nation, being never subjected — never conquered. And this is the great difference between America and Europe. American society may be called a concordance of nations. No ! There is no nation in North America. And what do you be- lieve that the " haughty" European statesmen think of our army, na- vy* and ambassadors .- They ridicule them ! But, reader, they feel a frenzy-like abhorence for the words free- men^ printing press^ publicity^ and why } Because only freemen, unsubjected, self-governing, independent freemen, pull down sovereign statesmanships with their crowns and thrones ; because only freemen, fighting for their homes, are invincible, not armies and navies ; be- » It is but wicked to ask sixty millions for llie f-nlargement of the navy. Nature made fortunatelv the American coasts too large for any navy, and in time of need we will have plenty men of war. Nrvips are more used in destroying commerce than in protecting it. 20 cause only the press and publicity are the " levers and pillars" of lib- erty and humanity — not constitutions ! The Americans, foremost on the road of civilization, got the privi- lege of burying the sad invention of wicked men — sovereignty — with all its fatal consequences, viz. armies, men of war, fortresses, etc. Free press, publicity, and freemen, will defend this home — if need, they will find millions of allies in the freemanry of the world ! And who understands to melt and cast metals, to build engines of all kinds, will make excellent cannons, and arms of all kinds. The patriot heart of a freeman is the best war department. We mentioned already, that our federal statesmen carry on a sove- reign land-sale business, charging per acre ten shillings. This busi- ness grows from the evil root, sovereignty, in consequence of which these statesmen consider a large part of this hemisphere their farms or property, here as well as in Europe, called domain. Its extension they prove by their own maps, made for this purpose. They charge, indeed, only ten shillings per acre, but under the fatal condition that the purchaser becomes a subject of their sovereign state ; for which end they have enacted laws, that if such a man should dare declare himself independent or self-governing, he would be considered as an outlaw. The money, made in this way, is scarcely sufficient to defray the expenses of the famous mass of statesman-work done in this line, as it is usually the case with all statesmen business, viz. with the canals in New- York state, and the canals and rail roads in Pennsylvania.* They make a show of political quack wisdom, in emitting specie cir- culars, and at present they are about to sell or mortgage the whole con- cern to English or Dutch bankers. This business of our sovereign land traders is also a great evil. It produces general subjection ; it is disturbing free settling ; it is de- stroying the right of property. Why may not the hardy, enterprising pioneers, who ask no help, no credit, from states or statesmen, do their business alone, and without sovereign states' interference } Do you not believe that common sense, common law, jurors, judges, our excel- lent civil engineers, the printing press, and publicity, will keep this * Where the opposition will end the stales arc running in such business, is easy to imagine, viz. debts, bunkiuptcy and taxes ! 21 business in better order than the schemes, speeches, specie circulars, laws and titles from Washington ? And why tax these pioneers of ci- vilization, who change wild land into fi'^'lds and gardens ; why destroy, in the very lap of God's nature, the right of self-governing ? Why ? For the chief purpose of giving opportunity to make money for some hundred partizans ! Our federal union has usurped the right of every man to carry let- ters from town to town, by establishing a union post department. Being confessed, by the present Post Master General, that it would be better to give this trade free, we add only, that every true Ameri- can, when this immense patronage engine is stopped, will feel him- self as if relieved from a huge incubus ! Sovereigns and their statesmen were at all times extremely anxious of getting very genuine subjects. For this purpose they invented a great many political expedients; as customs, extirpation of language,* disapprobation of scientific improvements, except those emanated by their sovereign schoolmasters or professors ^j the exclusive right to appoint priests and teachers ; general education and school plans, etc. But one of the most daring expedients is, no doubt, the business they do with the thing called Naturalization. This word shows clearly, that the statesmen believe their business and wisdom superior to nature. Thus, if a man happens to be born on the north side of Lake Erie, and moves over to the southern shore, he ought to be born again or naturalized. This process lasts five years. So, Americans, " your statesmen" understand the words in the Decla- ration of Independence, that all men are born equal. Common sense teaches that " all men" means every man — he may be born north or south of Lake Erie, west or east of the ocean — but not so your states- men. The " immense" evils caused by this political birth-day business, are not easy to appreciate. The freemen of the whole world consider- ed, in consequence of such declaration, viz. all men are born equal, etc., America as the " tabula rasa,^^ the free and blessed land of pro- mise, upon which a society, founded upon the " declared" principle of self-government, may develope their qualities and enjoy their unalien- * Of the Poles in Prussia and Russia. t Applies at present more to Euiopo. 22 able rights as men ; for which reason they came to help shake off the then English sovereignty, and for which reason they fled the old " sovereign'''' states. But alas ! instead of a society of freemen, they find only" subjects of the fatal thing " sovereignty ;" they find that this foe of liberty has made a law that all men born in another country than North America, are born unequal. Still it may be observed, " the natives of other countries bring with them the prejudices of another and an antagonist state of society ; or, what is still worse, their re-action ; who have few convictions of liberty beyond those which arise from a love of licentiousness ; who are totally Ignorant of its governing principles, and cannot even speak the lan- guage of the land, and perhaps a majority of them cannot read the great social compact by which society is held together," etc. Reader, believe us, if these compacts or fabrics of our statesmen are but a short time longer admired^ as the only link which keeps soci- ety together, westward emigration will cease, and turn eastward, if possible. History shows that these compacts have been made under certain urgent circumstances, and for times which are no more They are at present^ while the country is divided into two great POLITICAL PARTIES STRIVING FOR ASCENDANCY AND SPOILS, but evll working tools in the hands of partizans, politicians, and statesmen. The working of these compacts is the very reason of all the embarrass- ments of the present time, and that many true Americans are entirely disappointed with their life and prospects ; that they rather leave their own country, and that no European freeman, who sighs for a spot of land where he may enjoy his personal liberty and the blessing of true self-government, touches voluntarily the American shores ; but simple subjects, poor men " are emigrating," who know nothing sublimer than some cheap acres of land, and a " sovereign government." Should they incline to the dark side of human nature ; should they be totally ignorant of the present governing principles,* only complain of these compacts and their consequences — and among others of the fatal naturalization law. The better class of men do not like to smell on each step politic, the science of Machiavells, the mephistopheleses Tal- leyrands, kings, emperors, scoundrels. * '1 hnl oC lo',' rolling, Hi'bt making, offi Cf SCO KIDS " Americans!" where politic is in every man's hand, there must be the evil caused by its product, " sovereign state," more universal and more destructive to morals, industry, commerce, credit, wealth and happiness, than any where else. What produces politic in England ? Shylocks and beggars ! Our republican sovereign state-forms are so evil working, that even the stupendous activity of the literary and in- structive press, the incredible exertions of lecturers, teachers and preachers, are insufficient to balance or hinder these evils. And even the printing press, the best friend of liberty, the only ruler and regulator of modern society, is it not, with all its millions of tongues, almost entirely enslaved by politic, politicians, statesmen ? Or, reader, do you admire the falsehood, slander and lies daily " shamelessly" spread abroad by the political party press ? And is this not done in consequence of our constitutions used by parties and politicians for their designs ? The statistics of all our states prove that the enormous exertions for moral and religious improvements, for education and instruction, are followed by increased crimes. These undeniable sources prove that most of these crimes may be traced back to the working of these con- stitutions in the hands of party politicians and statesmen. When politic is smuggled into all arteries of society, the nobler feel- ings of honesty and honor are poisoned and depraved, and falsehood, imposition, lies, cheating, perjury, hypocrisy, intemperance, and crimes fostered. But let us stop ! this devastation tou,ched not the true Americans who hate the satanical invention — politic,* and abhor the business of politicians as disreputable and evil ; it touched not the great mass of noble mothers, who, in the quiet circle of domestic life, cultivate vir- tue, industry, sciences, arts and religion. The idea, the only idea, that the foundation of our society is self- government ; this very idea has left a fair prospect, a certain hope, for help. The first important business our statesmen do in our single states is to keep up Slavery ! To say a word more about this subject, as has t Goethe, the German poet and writer, and states' minister, tells us that Dr. Faust went to mephistopheles, (devil,) for the purpose of being instructed in politic, and of becoming slates' minister. 24 been done by the abolitionists, would be tedious. We remark only that slavery will never be removed by sovereign politicians and states- men, without creating other immense evils. Slavery originates in state-form^ it being the African sovereign chiefs, sultans or moguls, alias, kings, emperors, governors, presidents, etc., who rob men and sell them, which are afterward called slaves. This object ought to be left to the self-management of holders and slaves, without any interfer- ence of statesmen. Differences between master and slave ought to be decided hy jurors and courts. It is only wicked '-politic" which re- gards not the rights of a slave-holder when reclaiming the runaway ; and it is but political fanaticism to disregard the right of a master as long as the slave recognizes it, and to sedue the slave to disobedience. Another mass of evil has caused the invention of politicians and statesmen, alias, wicked men, called universal suffrage. Who ouo-ht to enjoy in a society, founded upon the principle of self- government, the suffrage right 'i None but the Fathers, or Heads of Families. But why only the fathers or heads of families } Because nature or the highest, placed them at the head of the only state or tribe which is made by nature, and which is called Family. Families form what is called Society. Nature knows nothing about sovereigns or sove- reign states. Nature gives the man a wife to help him govern the family and form society. Society, formed by families, is lasting like nature ; — states, with written or unwritten compacts, rise and fall. Therefore the rights of a father or head of a family, are lasting, natural, unalien- able and not created by constitutions or laws, but alas, too often mis- taken or destroyed by them. The right to manage the domestic affairs, includes the right of doing such things which partake of a social character, and all these rights are included or expressed by the word Self-government. It follows that from the unlimited exercise and use of this thing, call- ed self-government, depend the existence, happiness and prosperity of families and society. It follows, further, that according to the laws of nature, no other per- son has a right to manage domestic and social affairs, than Family Fathers. But so think not politicians and sovereign statesmen. They 25 prefer the practice that each person of age may have this right ; and so they bring young men, servants, waiters, sons, clerks, students, ap- prentices, loafers, runaways, and other persons, who have not proceed- ed to establish families, on the theatre of politic. They are well aware that young, inexperienced men are readily deceived, easily stirred up against order, and the best tools for their schemes and designs. Sons, who would prefer to devote their time to self-instruction and useful, in- dustrious occupations, that they may be prepared to settle a family, when nature calls — are raised at the congressional whiskey halls of ta- verns, called bar-rooms, or at the brandy assemblies of public houses, called Tammany or Masonic halls, wigwams,* etc., in politic, the favorite science of the Mephistophiles, Machiavells, diplomatists, politi- cians, magicians, statesmen ! Here they taste the beauties of intempe- rance, party slander, party cunning, party tricks, falsehood, and for what purpose } For the benefit of this class of men, who make money with politic, and to the ruin of these victims of universal suffrage. Hence are originating many laws and business entirely contrary to the best interest of families and society. For instance, the establish- ing of sovereign schools funds, out of which politicians and states- men pay graciously the school money for the children of freemen ! etc. How, we ask you, American fathers ! you, the only legal voters in social affairs, by nature — you, the only sovereigns of the country, if this ominous word is not disreputable for such a noble station, how could it happen that you have been spoiled and robbed of this right ? And you, lovely, kind hearted American mothers, best counsels of freemen, how could you forbear the demoralization of your sons — your pride ? And you, whom nature refused bold sons, but replaced them by the sweetest flowers of creation, daughters — did you never shrink from the idea, that these sweet flowers will be the wives of pupils and masters of the black art ? This invention, universal suffrage, is detrimental to family life, fades the fondest hopes, undermines morals, creates dissipation, idle- ness and poverty, and destroys health and happiness in individuals and society. This universal suffrage has been, as shown by the history of bygone * The members of the temperence societies may please take notice of this ad- dress. 2G republics, and will be in America, the certain cause of revolutions — which crush state-forms in pieces, when the evil has reached the high- est degree. Americans ! will you in apathy and indifference await these revolu- tions ? No ! certainly not — you will help in time. Revolutions may sweep away the injurious institutions ; but understand not, as we learn by the history of the state revolutions, to cure the evils caused by them. You want only to take better ewe of your own business, i. e. " go- vern or control yourself !" The single sovereign states have improved a great deal in the polit- ical science of destroying the liberty of education, commerce and trade. They have licensed and incorporated nearly all schools, scientific in- stitutions and branches of industry, that of slackening lime not except- ed. They are chartering cities, though freemen have the unalienable right of making such regulations, with the help of majority and publi- city, for themselves. Is it not absurd, when the freemen of New- York city are running with humble petitions to Albany that they may get, from a set of party politicians, the gracious^ sovereign permission to make some judges, etc. Why incorporate insurance companies, bank and other associations .' Why would not a simple compact of association, when drawn up in due form and published^ have the same effect ? Why prohibit or in- terfere with the making and taking of bank bills to those who like them, and have an interest in the matter r Why license taverns and brandy shops .' Why stamp such establishments with sovereignty ? — Let them be subordinated to common law, jurors and judges, and make a right use of the grand jury., the natural watch over social affairs- Sovereign state governments of all kind, do find their best support in a deep rooted patronage, or in making as much government interests as possible ; and little matters, when honesty, or respectability, or in- dustry is destroyed, or by political loafers branded with infamy. Further, they appoint regents of universities ; they establish libraries for school districts ; they meddle with ruta baga seed and silk cocoonery ; they build canals, rail and other roads; they freely give credit to such works ; they make the more state debts, the more they speak about economy ; they fabricate salt. In conclusion, they are destroying the liberty of commerce and trade, where there is left a chance. 27 , The time is approaching when it will be, without riot or bloody struggles, impossible to turn out the party in power of the possession of all these innumerable interests.* The union and state politicians have, by licensing bankruptcy, sap- ped the foundation of industry. This they have done in giving men, who associate themselves for a useful private business, called banking, the sovereign privilege to call themselves a " body incorporate or poHtic," and to go in debt for three or more dollars, being hardly worth one. The political pretext of it is, that their good people want- ed a " circulating medium of paper." But the very reason is, the bo- nus and the money, politicians and their partizans, make in this way, and the influence and support they get in commercial and financial af- fairs. The abused bankers are, with all their skill and exertions, not capable to avoid the destiny of every business, which commences with insolvency, viz. bankruptcy. This politicians call, in this case — stop- ping specie payment. The moral and commercial devastation and ruin, caused by this in- vention of politicians, statesmen and swindlers, every one knows, every body feels. Now, reader, let us ask, would we have had any privi- lege or any banking institutions of this kind, if we had no such thing as sovereign state or sovereign statesmen, who usurp the right of mak- ing " body politic," according to their sovereign, royal or imperial pleasure .'' Please peruse the constitutions of your states, if you find a single word which contains a permission or grant of the people of do- ing such business .? And would we have had a deposition of state money in a huge " body politic," called United States Bank, and then a removing of this money, and afterwards a distribution of it in a number of small ^' bodies politic," called state of pet banks ; and again a removing and lending out, and afterward, several years, talking, Swartwouting, du- elling and killing about the sub-treasuring of this money, if there were not existing such things as federal union, sovereign statesmen, sove- reign banks, etc. Americans ! this single example proves volumes of the evil working * The making of money by creating interests, and patronage, and lousiness, is, by artful politicians and statesmen, called. System of Inlernal Improvement- Tin business -^f ambassador? may, of course, be called the System of External Improve ment. 28 of our federal union, our sovereign states and our constitutions. And this is the working of all those engines — sovereign states ! Who does not know the history of Great Britain on this point ? and what do we learn from it ? A mass of evil caused by ambitious, avaricious and designing men, by mens of the Sovereign Constitutional state-form. Take from England the Press and Jury, what remains ? A wretch- ed, over indebted society of pohticians, Shylocks and beggars ! Now, how to remedy these evils ! IN general- Do not expect any help in our embarrassments from state, or states- men or politic ! Do not admire the constitutions — statesman's tools of getting influence, power and money. Do not expect any help from party changes. These changes are but evil, and the more dangerous for liberty, the more universal and sweeping they are. " The com- mon and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of freemen to discourage and restrain it. The embarrassments, disorders and miseries which result gradually, incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual." The only radical remedy, we know, is stop all sovereign states- men BUSINESS. Then will party interest and patronage cease. Ac- cordingly, do not longer submit to party organization ! Make self- nominations the rule. Let only fathers of families be entitled to the elective franchise. Take the business entrusted to statesmen, or usurped by them, into your own hands- Realize in fact the right 0/ Self-Government, upon which Ame- rican society is based, after having shaken off European sovereignty. If all this is well understood, you will comprehend the following more special propositions, which we submit to your mature deliberation: 1st. The freemen of North America meet in general conventions, and resolve and declare — that they renounce the state sovereignty and all its consequences ; political connexions, boundary lines, domain, chartering, etc. etc. As matter of course, the president of the United States has to an- nounce this solemnly to the world ; assemblies or congress in session adjourn ; ambassadors return ; army and militia are disbanded, etc. etc. 29 2d. The freemen of North America have to instruct their represent- atives in congress and assembHes to enact, at their next sessions, the necessary laws, amendments and acts, to wind up all federal union and states' administration business. 3d. The freemen of North America resolve to form in all towns voluntary corps^Jox the purpose of exercising themselves in the use of arms, and to defend their persons and property mutually, if they should be aggressed by any state whatever. 4th. The freemen of North America invite, by the most possible publicity^ all freemen of the whole world, and particularly those in the European possessions in America, as well as those in Texas, to appre- ciate the character of American society, based upon the natural laws of equal rights and self-government. 5th. The freemen of North America mutually pledge themselves to abolish all constitutions, laws, acts, provisions, institutions, offices, etc., so FAR as they are contrary to these rights, and to maintain, with all their power. Justice. Then will all embarrassments soon disappear ! An immense sum of pecuniary means, wasted in useless business, will be converted into productive capital. Confidence, credit and order, in all branches of industry, will return, and there will be an end of pernicious schemes of swindlers, politicians and designing men. Soon, very soon, we will learn that we want only very little law business for the " lawless and disobedient ;" and that it is but a " sound doctrine'''' that North American society, the noblest upon God's wide earth, in its foundation, wants not the thing " sovereignty" for the purpose of being happy ^ blessed, respected, free ! North Americans! — Your progress in the path of true self- government, is the progres:-) in the civilization of mankind. Nature made you free, let not politic turn your liberty to subjec- tion. Govern yourselves in fact ! and you will be as wealthy and happy as nature, indxistry and justice permit. Justice never prevails where politic and sovereignty reign. Nature never makes crisises ! Industry alone produces wealth t a MS-' * T^BRftRV OF 2SS Q ?U 712 0648