Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-01-10
Cause Of Mechanics.

We extract, without comment, the fol- I,
lowing from the proceedings Of the Meclal-
ics' Mutual Projections of New York:
"When men become sensible to wrongs to
which they are no longer willing to submit, I
and it is deemed by them necessary to form
combinations for the purpose mole effectu-
ally to remove them, justice dem ands that
the nature of those wrongs should be pub
lished to the world. To.this end, we sub
init the following as among. the evils tf
which we complain, ard of which We pro-
pose the removal
We complain of the Legislation Of tie
eQuntr hat itis ealenlased, and inteaded,
70 make labor tie slate of Atkst /
with this view, private ard collective ca. j.
tai has been privileged in every way that
human ingenuity could devise, to furtl er lis
interests and give supremacy to its infu-
ence upon the great body of society," that
the individuals who represent this capital,
have, under the operation Of such legisla-l
ton, become possessed of an influence ard
power wholly inconsistent with the just de- :
mands of the producing classes that our
legislators have totally disrega1ded tie
prayers of our petitions for a redress of our
wrongs, ard in some instances have treated
them with absolute reglect or cumtempt. ~.
We complain, that particular casse; of
individuals are by such legislation &C inu-
ally the reci pients of especial favors, without
ever making any other return than that OF
sowing the seeds of contention among the Z
masses; and whose highest interests are best
subservcd by the dissentions and broils that
IL II Al
that our code of laws have been lu.-
posely made so complicated that no citizen,
however intelligent, is able to correctly un-
derstand them-thereby enabling host of
law doctors to fatten and enrich themselves,
bv pretended expositions of that Which ought
to be made plain to every person Of common
sense.
We complain, that from causes partially
above enumerated, the exactions upon labor
are such as leaves no time thai is at all ade-
quate to the discharge Ct the important du-
ties which the laborer owes eitl er to him
SELF or family. Heis deprived O. ERore than
one-half his hard earnings, to support sys-
tenn of idleness and extravagance, that is
corrupting in its character, aud has its orig
in in the sickly sentiment of scme, that la
| Dor is dishonorable. Toll, in the correct ard
unbiased judgment of tie world, is in
the highest degree honorable and ennobling;
idleness, on the other hand is degrading and
curse Production is the bulw ak of in
dividual and national Independence and
greatness. Non-prcduction is their bale
and sure destruction. .E. ..r.-
We complain, that under the present re-
lations of capital AID labor, whole life
time of patient toll is insufficient to the ac-
cumulation Of the necessary means for a
comfortable and decent support for declin-
ing age-that in most instances, the PAM
pered master views with composuye and
perfect self-complacency the beggard relics
of him who has been for years the faithful
contributor to his worldly stores.
We complain, that the necessity exists for
us to enter into combination to meet the
combinations of other classes; to obtain
restitution of those rights which are, by all
the laws of nature and of natures God, our
own. Union is strength. United we can
bid defiance to the assaults of corrupting
sel6shness; secure impartial justice in the
formation and administration of our laws,
and assume that dignity to which our i'm
portance to the civilized world SO justly en-
titles u.s."