The New York herald., 1845-02-20
Meeting OF the National Reformers Mt Croton
Hall.

meeting HeIOTmef0
Hall.
A meeting of the National Reform Associa-
ton was held last night at Croton Hall, which
was tolerably well attended. The principal fea
ture of the evening was the address of Mr. A. Bris
bane, who introduced his remarks by stating that
he did not belong to the N. X. Association, but
felt great sympathy for it, as he in it SIM
desire for the elevation of the aborng classes
and a wisdom manifested in that desire-for they
had a great and important measure in view. He
himself had been for number of years engaged in
another cause-a reform whose accomplishment
was far off, which was not to arrive to morrow
the next day, or the next year. or the year after
but II Woltld come, and when 1t came, it would be
the grand and final reform of society, and would
put an end forever to poverty and ignorance, the
parents of want and crime, throughout the world
The points to which he would direct attention on
the present occasion were, lst-tne slavery Of the
working classes, in its different forms throughout
all past ages; 2d-the Importance of the labcrng
or producing classes; 3d-the rights of man, EN-
braclng those which have been taken from and
those conceded to him 4th-the policy which the
National Reformers should pursue to accomplish
their objects. The history OF the past showed us
that there had been in existence three kinds of
slavery-tbe slavery OF man by man, serfdom, Cor
man belonging to the soi,) and the slavery of hired
labor, or the slavery to capital. This is the
form OF slavery at present most generally
in existence, and is the result, of the ac-
cumuaticn Of capital IN the hands of few,
the introduction OF free competition, by which the
price of labor s reduced through the necessities OF
Of the laborer, and the invention of Iabor-saving
m chinery. The laboring classes are the producers
Of all wealth, and the products OF their labor are
taken from them by accumulated capital, by finan-
cial organizations by commerce, and by their for
ced competition against each other. Labor is the
poor mans only properly but while the laws have
fenced In the right OF all other kinds of property
the sacredness of ownership in real estate in chat
tells and all kinds OF goods-the property of the
poor man-his labor-s mercilessly taken from him
oy every species of fraudulent contrvdnce, and yet
.ne laws have no pity, no security for him. Clvi.
llzaton does not actually guarantee to the laborng
man SO many OF his rights are secured in savage
s;. tl.e. Inc Indian has the right of gathering the
turage-and these four rights are EQUIVALENT 10 The
right TO the soil and the right Of labor-whch the
poor man, IN civilization, does not possess Some
rights nave been extended to the people. but they
are, with one exception, either ilusory or mega.
tive. The only practical, real right they have, is
the right OF suffrage; and with the exercise of this.
ntelligenty directed, they hsve i, in power TO
age is the elevation of the masses and this can onlv
be done by an enthusiastic, a devoted union. on
broad and fundamental principles, of the aborina
classes The present tendency OF things is towards
commercial and industrial feudalism, more ia
tai than the teudalism OF the middle ages. AL
ready, manufactures had been brought under
this system, and in few years agriculture
would be in the same situation. In the coun.
tact that one half the land in the whole county
was under mortgage to banks and insurance COM
panies. SO 1t was, more or less, throughout the
country, and SO It would 60 on, until few capt.
allsts owned all the land, and they could say to
the tllers OF the soil, they already did say the
manufacturers and ar,izans-"ths is all ours-go
yreat object, then, was TO- Arrest shs tenden.
cy; and the movement Of the National Reiormers
vas the commencement oft Let them insist on
me rlght to the soil and the right OF educaon-ei
q m nunt fhavv zl..-- =.
fragmeniary reforms OF the day, which amount te
ioihing, and can effect nothing, and march on nm
der the broad and fundamental principles OF reh,
to the soil and right OF education, and they must
succeed.
Several short speeches were made. and the meet
: Ing adjourned.