Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1847-10-09

1tths President NJ The
baton Rouge Methtnig's
Association.
Bta.-At n meeting oftfe Mechanics Of
the town Of plaabsmine aud Of Ibefville
parish, convened III the Court House al
ibis place on saturday evening last ior the
purpose Of forming q Mechanics Associa@
lion, the undersigned were appointed a
e]omniitep 10 correspond with your a~ssotia.
lion, with a view Of concerning together
such measures as will tend to The organi-
faiiatt er the mechanics Of this State into
societies similar 10 what we conceive yours
TO be, for the advancement Of the Interests
both social and political, III the Industrial
portion Of our population.
The immediate incentive to cur present
Org iniEhtl M IN THE ptfish, wac a futDof
Which reached here, III q lottn deemed 10
some extent. worthy Of credit, 10 the effect
that the contract for erecting the Sidfe
buildings about TO be constructed ii your
ttiy, had been given to the ~lessees Of The
penitpniiaftt and was to be periartned by
conflict labor. Such a proposition WAS The
more regarded rs hn ehct1aChntptt upon
the rights oFthe mechanics and labUuring
portion Of our population ihasmuch as VIZ
do not consider It eithes just towards the
people who would be affected by such q
course, 0r compatible with The interest of
our STATE, that the lnbour Of the Eetons aud
Maiatrttors who have been shut out from
society aud confined In this Keep, should
under any circumstances, DO brought into
competition with The labor Of honest men.
The objects contemplated by utr assos
citation embraces something more than The
there resistance Of tie employment Of con
Uiets In competition with honest labor IN
the erection Of The contemplated Slate
buildings. We wish TO see every species
Of mechanical labor competing with the
labor Of honest hen, In short. every branch
Of mechanism, however humble. which Is
earrled on Ivy honest men within the limits
Of this State, hniishrd entirely ffUm
this institu lon We conceive IL 10 be- tie
duty Of the State to protect The honest man,
however humble his calling may be, nthp
exercises Of his occupation by which he
supports himself and his family, aud not TO
tAise up monopolies Of convicted fslons 10
compete with, aud dive him ffosh his enl.
ling, but you will perhaps ask "What
will the State do with these ment'' If they
are excluded from All mechanical uttupa.
tons. We answer, the State has other
employment Which would not compete at
all with her laboring and industrious elias.
eos, In viii, h thsirlabot would lie sufficient
y profitable 10 support them. The i'm.
pr0vemeht If tho navigation Of oi our bay.
Gus, for which negroes belonging 10 the
State haze been heretofore employed, aud
the construction and repairs Of highways.
would aflbtd h field for labor which would
not compete with the occupation Of mo
ehanirs in MS thtIeh ~ II liz now dnne by
negroes belonging to tho State, which Is
not likely 10 be exhausted within the tune
Of the present generation. Wa regard the
thea stire Indicated above as the first great
step towards the Improvement Of our politi.
Gul condition. The object must be effect.
ed by efficient Legislation. we mHst exert
and concentrate our whole influence, mud
bring Il 10 bear upon Tho ballot boz. until
our rights are respected, and our interests
placed above the nipr1 caprice OF donna.
g8Hugs In the pterei % Of ''n little brief al.
thprity.' Our inIiuetce Ii the political
scale has been ton often aud too siit erRa.
fully Invoked by ambitious nspirnnt4. who
have turned our contdtnn ctedu1Ity to their
own advantage, then rjdireled and laughed
at Our folly II IL now high time that We
shou i begin 10 look forward fp The achieve.
mrut Of something 10 our advantage. Let
the man who hereafter gets the votes Of
the industrious portion Of the population Of
our State, be pledged to support their inter.
esta. The next object which wc conceive
~ coming lrgltimntply within the province
Of the pro oscd social organization, Ia the
imp ovemenl Of lhU social and moral con.
dlttph OF the mechanical part ofour commu
nifty, The mass ofthts class Of our fellow
citizens, whilst they are daily made 10 feel
the effects Of their political and f0ciui rights
neglected, ag well as the distance which
has been established bttwccn what Is term
ed The upper, middle, and lower ~claesey Of
society:-do not properly reflect upon he
remedy TO be applied, nor yet sufficiently
estimate the power they have Of righling
themselves in their political grievances,
and blottiug out the artificial line ~Ofdemnrk.
alton ii penny artftoCrncy has established
IN favor Of the gilded %loater, and t. Their
prejudice. II II The fault Of the mechanic
himself in failing to eSrrt his political in
d~uence, that the weaithy droac stands
%bove him In the social scale.
We have thus, sir, somewhat cftiely
mud di.ointedly strung together sorne of
the views which has actuated Us in the es.
Establishment ofour association. "a We desire
that similar societies should be formed in
every parish thr' ughout the state, believing
that the social nterc lUrse and friendship
they arc ca culated To foster, will not only
elevate hem in II moral and social point Of
view, but tend to increase their confidence
h their ability to maintain their political
and social standing, rs well as TO inspire
degree prospect w9'ich it becomes US
10 demand of a naush, Dom, paltry aristocracy
who assume all the airs, and ape all the
Of the nobility Of Europe, without be.
i1g possessed ofany OF their virtues.
We desire to hear your views In relation
to the subject ofthis letter, at as early a
as you can make il convenient.
We are Sir, with the highest respect for
and the society over which you have
the honor to preside, the corresponding
approximately the mechanics asso.
ofthis place.
L. M. ARCHBOLD.
P. KELLY.
S. A. SAVORY.