Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-01
n TREDEGAR AND ARMORY IRON
WORKS.

WORKS.
! In common with our associates al Inc press
we deeply regret the unfortunate controversy
| which has recently occurred between the WORK
men the Tredesar and new Armory lrcn Works
and their employers. We quote The publications
which We find in The Republican OF Thursday,'o
show the origin OF movement which our wnole
community must condemn:
RICHMOND, May 23d, l847.
/ Resoired, That We, The WoIkmen oil Ireoegar
Iron Works, do pledge ourselves that We VIII mol
60 10 work, unless The negroes be removed rom
The Pudding Furnace, al the new mill-liae-
wise from The Squeezer and Rolls in he Old mill.
ID. Resoircd, further, That we, The puddic's'
will not work for less than 81 81 per ton.
(Signed by the Puddlc.s of Tredegar Works.
Rcsoired, That We The Pudclers Of The New
Mill, will act ON the above resolution.
(Signed BY The Puddlers OF Armory Works)
We, The Helpers OF Pudding Furnaces, do act
| with The above resolution.
(Signed by the Helpers al Pudding F'urnaces.)
RICHMOND, May gid. l847.
We, the Heaters, do stand out Tor one dollar
per ton for all sizes
(Signed by The Healers)
We. The Rollers, do moi intend TO work until
the above resolution is complied with.
(Signed by The Rollers.)
And the following note was communicated
| with The resolutions 10 Mr. J. X. Anderson, Inc
lessee OF The Tredegar Works
Mr.. anderson and Managers:
Gentlemen You need not light up The F'urna-
ces Monday, nor any time, until you comply
with our resolution.
Two questions are raised in the above resou-
lions, viz: demand for higher wages and The
employment OF negroes but from The following
additional resolution adopted on Wednesday, ii
is evident lha, the latter is The only point in issue
Indeed, il is emphalically ayowed in SO many
words:
SAT called meeting OF tie Workmen Of the
Tredegar Iron Works.
"Resoircd, Tha, whereas il has been rumored
that we, The said wornmen, intended 10 raise
mob 10 The injury OF our employers, in conse-
quencc Of the difficulty that has arisen between
us and the said employers, from their wishing 10
employ and instruct cuiured people in our stead III
The said Trecegar Iron Works, the undersigned,
workmen OF the said Tredegal Works, lake This
method OF showing 10 Ihc public thai We have
not attempted 10 raise mob, las was Tumoret,l
or otherwise 10 injure any ct our employers
har,ng no ether oijcct in riew al the time Mai arc
resotrcd 10 strike but thai ot frung 10 prohibit Ike
employment Of colon ed people on Inc sad Works"
On Wednesday MIR. Anderson addressed the
following letter 10 his worknen:
Tony late Ho7kmen at The IIedegar Iron Works.
On Saturday last, received BY the hands Of
Galewooo Talley, Information that you had de-
| Iermined, by mutual combination, that you
| would not work iur me again until | had dis
charged my negroes from the Squeezer and Pud-
die Rolls, where they had heen working several
i nd Arm, Irnn C0u,panvu
had discharge theirs from the pudding furnaces
! and lha, tie Pudders and Heaters required their
pay 10 be inc eased. lrrques'ed Mr. Talley 10 say
10 you, that regretted that you had gwen up
! constant employment al good wages, always
promptly paid in cash, but that fully recognized
the RICH OF any individual 10 leave my employ
ment al any time-at The same lime, had no
idea Of relnqushing my right 10 discharge or
employ any one al my pleasure-hat had not
designed TO put negroes to pudding st The Trede-
gar works, but that now | should be compelled
by your quitting my employment 10 do So and
and that / had never intended 10 discharge any Of
my hands who did their duiy-thal in reference
10 the price Of pudding, had advanced The price
Two or three wears ago when iron advanced; and
when iron fell last summer, ! might with pre-
prcly have reduced the wages, but have no, done
so 10 this day thatlhe heaters and.puddlers, who
complained OF low wages could earn with
i OIUlUdIJ A'c'b w - ~ .'''~'
the rollers NAV earn IRON 3 10 IS per day
| and that could not accede To any deman nd they
| had made. II | were 10 yield 10 your demands
would be giving up The rights guaranteed 10 ne
Ivy the constitution and laws Of The Stale in which
We live. This. hope, you will never expect me
10 do; and having heard nothing further from you
since my reply was conveyed 10 you on the 22d
| inst must infer that you do not intend 10 work
| for me any longer. | therefore give you notice,
that wish all who occupy my houses 10 give me
possession Of them as sonn as Practicable, and
! have given directions Tor your accounts 10 H..
made ou ] will waive all claim on account OF
The usual notice not being given, and will, in adj
vance Of The usual pay day, pay each man all
thai is due 10 him as soon as lie delivers 10 lie
the possession OF his house. Those who do moi
occupy my houses will be pail ofi tomorrow; and
all | have 10 add is, tina! yan will bear in mind
that yon have cischo,sed pou1mirss-lhat gave
assurance beforehand 10 two Of your members
Henry Thomas and Lot JOY thai would never
discharge one OF you who continued to do his
duty 10 me- and now, having endeaYored 10 10
my duty as your employer, wish that you may.
one and all Of Won, never regrei that yoG have
given up he employment you had from me.
Your ohedien! servant,
J. r. ANDERSON.
Tredeea. Iron Works, May 26, ls47.
These ale all the facts which have been made
public-aud We cannot entertain the least doubt
that the community, with knowledge al what
| has transpired will fully sustain MIR. Anderson
in his just, liberal and proper course. a.,
public Journalists, We feel called upon 10 give
an expression OF what We deem public SEN
timenl upon a question involving The value
OF slave labor and The rights and privileges
OF masters aud employers. The principle sci
| 10 in this case is not confined TO Mr.. Ander-
son or the Tredegar Works alone, but is Of
general application 10 all kinds of business, and
| is, therefore, matter OF vital interest 10 the
whole community. II il be sanctioned, il will
render slave property utterly vaueless, and place
employers in the power OF those employed, the
later debating 10 the former what species Of la
boz they shall employ in their service We agree
with he Wing, which says:
at is probable that this view oi The subject had
NOT presented llsell TO he minds OF the heretofore
orderly, industrious and worthy workmen al The
! Tresesar works, ard that they have permitted
their overwrought feelings 10 carry them beyond
the bounds OF prudence and proprieiy. Whether
| This be so or noi however IL is not less certain
hat the claim they set up. las We told one OF them
personally few days ago, who desired US 10 IT.
>ert an article in vndIcaliun Of their position,
which We respectfully .eciined,j is wholly mad
Missile in lhis latitude The right Of employers
10 select such kinds Of labor as they may prefer,
is one Of which The law itself cannon deprive hem
much less combinations OF individuals, formed
either for tie purpose Il intimidation, or with The
less criminal, though unworthy lesign 81 indu-
cling, for other reasons, acqnlescence in their de-
mands The sympahes Of all communities are
naturally AMI properly most generally in favor OF
The hard workns-man, whose tolls ought 10 be
fairly requiied Blu, in M,s community, no com
oinaiion, formed Tor the purpose avowed by me
authors Of The recent strike, can receiver the slight
es, federation. We hope that better counsels and
wiser determinations may prevail among The
northumberland that we may soon hear that The
harmony and good feeling heretofore existing be-
tween them and their employers has been entire
i