The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-09
And the meeting adjourned, after benediction


Grand National Reform Convention.
SPEAKERS: GoDwrN-CHANNINa-BRI
OWEN, &c.
THIRD DAY, May 9TH.
The Committee met at 2 P. NJ, pursuant to adj
jounment, Dir. RycKMAN in the chair After some
discussion the call of the Convention was with
drawn.
MIR. GOODWIN then moved resolution calling a
Convention and recommended Albany as the place
of meeting. A Committee was appointed to cores
pond with all Associations of Progress, to induce
delegates to attend Adjourned to ~ o'clock in the
evening, when they met and were addressed by the
Rev W. H. Claiming, in an earnest and eloquent
manner.
Mr.. CLAIMING advertcd to the present degraded
condition of the working classes. He considered it
indicative of a radical defect in the order of things
Here said he in this land wherewe boast of free in
sttuons-of our democratic principles we are the
veriest slaves. Even the poor slave of the South,
down-trodden and degraded as he is, is better of
than we of the North. Mr.. Charming then went on
to say, that he considered the privilege and the
duty OF man, with all his energy Of usefulness to
qure wealt-that Is to acquire what is really good
and useful and that, as he accumuates wealth. he is
healthy, morally and physically In the increase of
wealth is the increase Of health. AS man obtains
wealth he also improves his mind. The man who
works-who chisels and drives the plane-who, stand
ing over the blazing forge, wieds the mighty hammer
that moulds the Implements of human industry
comes IN contact with hard facs-soid, substantial,
everlasting facts and he learns to understand them
to learn the laws of cause and effect and just as
he accumulaes wealth, does he unfold and develope
his higher nature Man, from the perception that
ne IS increasing matter, awakenshis social facutes
and as he strikes lifts, and digs, he calls out his
social affections. As he developes wealth, he has
also strong sense of dignity he feels that he is
come into the world for some end and purpose, ac-
cording to the will of God and as he accumuates,
laboring and producing, is he free, good, and fit
for eternity. In this city there men, women, and
children, who have no chance OF getting wealth-no
S hS SEE IT
the result of their labor-they have neither honor
nor profit. They know that they laborcd and toled ;
and when they seek the products of their industry
eludes their grasp, vanishing like dream away. As
society is constituted, working but weapons
perhaps onehird part Of the inhabitants of city
who able to live without labor They conceive that
the dignity Of man lies in not producing wealth This
most mistaken idea deletcrous in its effects them
selves as is injurious you When labor is made
noonous as it under the present system the mind led
of from acknowledge of cause and efecta man who Is
thus prevented from developing his mind is robbed
When man Is bound down by excessive labor, his
cial feelings destroyed and he pours his sui
seeing the disappearance OF the products of ones indus
try, is the worry tantazaton of human life to be
srumen nithe hands Of Others il the deprivation OF hap
piness is any thing done Every thing is done. Truth
Justice and humanity, are now marshallng their forces
conquer IeuualsH IN place, the democracy
which fills Europe and America is the assurance for man
20 be what he is This is the spirit OF democracy-the
spirit Of reform which is every where working out the
result The Of crime not to be attrbu
ted to the criminal alone He is surrounded by crcum
sances-he oftentimes drinks in from his earliest years
the lessons of cvihe has been deprived Of education
ignorance and crime his companions and therefore,
is no wonder that he falls victim the temptations
which beset his path And from the fact that crime late.
" has been directed property than person, may
be seen that property is neither rightly produced nor
rightly shared In word Il is BY cutting OF the chances
ownit The reason why are, and some are not
wealthy owing entirely to the chances not being equal
Take for instance nurtured in poverty, and he
must almost necessarily from the nature things be
He thinks he never can accumulate, and he never will