We venture to assert that, tried by these tests, not a single line of policy which is now being pursued by the Government will stand.
Victoria C. Woodhull
The Public Record
Victoria Claflin Woodhull, later Victoria Woodhull Martin, was an American leader of the women's suffrage movement who ran for president of the United States in the 1872 election. While many historians and authors agree that Woodhull was the first woman to run for the presidency, some disagree with classifying it as a true candidacy because according to the Constitution she would have been too young to be president if elected.
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Surely its financial policy cannot; for what is there in it which is consistent with the constitutional question of freedom?
Surely its revenue, its tariff system, cannot, for what is there in either which is not in direct antagonism with equality?—while we may look in vain for even the skeleton of justice wherever money can find its way.
All this is true, and very much more, and it comes of the departure of legislation and administration from the fundamental propositions of the Constitution.
The people, as a whole, are not entirely unregenerate, though so many of their self-appointed leaders are.
It only remains for the people to become fully aroused to the depths of corruption to which legislation and administration have been carried to demand and obtain the needed redress.
This corruption is not confined to Government, but it has permeated nearly all corporate organizations, many of which are organized specially to defraud the productive classes of their hard-earned wealth.
The possibility of this being done is because our system of finance is entirely wrong, and nothing will save the country from general financial and commercial ruin except complete revolution in this system.
If the ruin comes it will ultimately fall upon the producing classes.
In other words, the producing interests of the country cannot sustain the inflation of prices which has been brought about by speculation, in alliance with fraud, which are the ruling spirits of the day.
It may be said that such radical changes as will depose the powers which rule us, and inaugurate the reign of principles, which will secure freedom, equality and justice to every power, cannot yet be introduced.
Charity, with its long cloak of justice escaped, has long enough covered a multitude of sins.