Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-02-13
1D TIE, PUBLIC.
The Dspntcl and the Richmond Typographical Society.

the editorials OF the Daily Dispatch unhi o'h Sizes cou
Having been appointed by the Society TO respond TO the
articles in the DISPATCH we proceed al once TO the discharge
OF the duty assigned US. - . o,,,,, ,,c
In I'm. first Mace the Dispatch endcaSns 10 c!sa,e "c
;nnr ssion IN The pusc mind that the Richmond l!P
urnEa Sccictv have been led TO adopt Their c"u "
lion 10 Sunday YORK by portion "f the press Vi tI ~.
This is not So The matter "as discussed oy lc is ,
he nr" stages Of its organization and we then dsctc III
fst stem we would take wit: That ire 'roaa Ho Is'g
ni-e, as Society, Sabbath labor in any j0rm ,,",
Election determined the SOCIETY sihse4en " y,
nher step tn wit: That roud soitct! me cooPeTaG =
n, Uay popers Of the city suppress it, Co'nHi'Irc
was appointed address The editors ana W.
papers Circular on the subject ana report s ~ ,he
Society To our hish qualification and We may a"o w Wv;
honor Of the ncncmcn the editors and Prnelos VI t
Whe the Times, the Enquirer and the fcpuhlicat, ie
snnned afrnatively wishes. The puoic Is respect
fv rrrcJ TO the correspondence published IN those pa
oers of the 10Th instant. We were governed oy 'a y.
Of duty unnuenced from any quarter; ana we were o uv
~ liza o. The sanction of NIL the presses IN Tie CITY,
yrsnt ;hs Dspa,cn1 We humbly hope that our acton Oh
his subject will receive also the sanction o! the lnteech'
community in which we 1--we. ,.., l;,s
ou- nrnreedinns as being 'arbhrrTH"-and our acts as
ala,ciess; and yet in all that we have done we hae W
harty cooperation of all the other presses IN me cy
w make any further commentary upon charges SO he;
cI,rojors go wholly variance with The facts IN Tue Gus"
The Dispatch does injustice in charging US rsm
combining against its Editors We never thousns 81 SuG
thing until compelled by its unprecedented CONDUCT 10
wards us-und then we combined ourselves mol against
them but against their "oIsnacy- their tyranny
nuain 'IuEtcSS
mined pursue, as we are assured ny ohc VI o"' "
of every opposing difficulty.
The uisna,ch bames Us receiving letters Of rcs
,t;on from its iourneymcn who members oi our 80
c;nv Surely we are not blame worthy for no: doing
what we had constitutional power |" o. lhe'f
lou,neymen occupied no offices OF honor. lncy were
simply members, could only get ont oi Tie 30
cietv through the prescribed forms OF tEe coisu'u-
on We returned their letters TO hcn AS in duty hound
and advised them of our wishes Only TWO our " hne
letters of them has since given In ms rs%
nation Of his situation the Dispatch. The worthy lore
man of the Dispatch Office was discharged for doing MS
duty as member of our Society and several OF their jour!
men left II her than yield their Of right their 1eg
ance 10 their craft and 'heir dny 10 The Commonwealth In
10 the keeping Of the "Dispatch.'
The Displch' admits that its obstinacy has brought
about the present cxigency It s We believe it TO be
mere ojs,iuacy not that spirit Of "ndepcnicncc' and
ENTERPRISE which would have the public believe prompt,
ed its course and give two reasons for our opinion
The first il The printers were perfectly willing 10 work
late Saturday night and get al early again on Monday
morning in order give the public the ADVANTAGE %. any
news deemed important; and the second Is that III" propr-
e,or OF Dispatch had rather disregard Inc laws OF
God violate the statute law oil the State do violence I" h
rights ni humanity and impose upon helpless apprentices,
than put himself To little Inconvenience.
tn. Dispatch says: "Arorary these proceedings
of lh Typographical Society they all gcneness COM
pared with others which understand are now IN N" pro-
development Those editors who have lent them the
thunder which they are now aiming at us will n" doubt be
delighted hear that they contemplate driving out Nil me
negroes employed in the press rooms OF the various N"
fees and that they determined that no more apprentices
s, be cmpoved than they shall themselves prescribe The
(which understand shifts the responsibility In the
above paragraph that hardly deem il necessary To say
more than that his inform knows much more about The
nentonS" and Of the Society than our
selves c have taken action the question ot eSPe
ling employing negro pressmen and we nave repot
from TIC cumnittc appTcntcesps our table, which
We willing every master printer in Richmond shona
aver there Is word on the subject
of limitation AS 10 number OF apprentices ~ be nscn
into office. Our purpose is 10 aid the employer IN secu-
rnc The Of his apprentice for hs tu term ot service
an aid the apprentice in mastering his trade When we
ac, definitely on either OF the subjects alluded To- we COUP
shall have the hearty corporation OF the entire Lr
including editors and Jobaers, us
patch" "
Now we wish 10 state candidIy and fairly alma rs
Socictynnd Of The which nave induced US -
act on the subject of Sabbath labor
In thu first place effect perfect organization
of our Craft City and throughout the country i"r
the advancement Of the Cralt:-l. To establish uhorm
scale Of wages just alike TO tho and einpoyed
TO the attainment Of the highest qdahfh''hs rs
compusers and pressmcn s. To reguiite The system d
render the services ol the apprentice
valuable 10 his instructor ani bcnetcili 10 himself l. 10
uro,ect ourselves and nil reputable members OF our craft
from imposition and unworthy competition from hdtS ana
worthless typos and runaway apprentices 9TH anl lastly,
10 piye H. our Craft all the power and influence which nigh
and high moral and social WORTH can Sc
cure -,
These arc our aims and Objects Is there any thing in them
TO find fault with 10 sun: Us |" unklhicSs, u sispi-
con persecution Ii ncrc be- lei The employers ana eel
tors speak out, Let tie Public trown upon us hui moi,
NAV we not crave the kind hand Of friendship from our en-
cheering smiles OF the noble editors hr'sho1t
NO. ''O''
A few words on the subject of Sabbath labor and aims
in respect We class Of society have long felt the
oppcs veness ami injurious tendency oil Sabbath l6uT-
We have felt willing 10 perform it, S"mclimes the
nw necessity has compelled Ia do IT, Sabbath labor
is wrong printers have experienced s degrading
demorulizne effects. We long The day come when
shall be free from them That day will only come when
public opinion ,cilS it. When we contemplate our position
in society our duties 10 our families relations To our
Creator our duties State rights moral, intel
ecna and physical beings the inquiry presents Itself
"W hat ought we do The law Of God declares: six
days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, &c
We desire obey this command 20 the best OF our aoty
and we have put forth humble effort To place ourselves IN
position do Shall we be sustained, or siai WE "
forced 10 yield
The statute law of Virginia declares:
If free person. Sabbath, be found ahoring at any
trade Or calling employ his apprentices servants or
slaves in labor other business except in households or
other work Of necessity chlrty ne shall forfeit tw" dol
for each olncctvery day any servant apprentice or
slave employed constituting distinct ocnce
1896 sl6-hep. Code Va.
Believing it 10 be boundcn duty to OBEY the statute
aw, and 10 set good example TO our e1"
citizens we feel encouraged hope that shall be cecco
in our rDrts So by all good citizens We are aware
hat the dispatch" considers Sabbath labor rork OF Hsces
y for it argues TO prove IT, But We dissent at" we a'e
happy To have OF the uoe press q our cay
except the "DiSpatch."
The fact, tina, rail ronds convey the mails the Sabbath
nd that the GAS works manufacture gas the Sabbath fur
hes M rcnsun "a iusiifv the printer 10 labor the Sab
BATH unless the necessity for it is shown TO be as imperative
as in the other And We submit, whether the Dis
ely mainly for the establishment Of the NECESSITY upon
the "Lest n:cs received by the mail Sunday evening
There is in fact little received BY the mai on
that evening which is not anticipated by the telegraph on
il is known that merchants receive their
DISPATCHES OF the business Transactions from the commercial
nas of the Unicn, during Saturday cvcnng-and II hey
10 this submit there is necessity r the papers 10 he
kept open for Sunday mall which will bring them no later
intelligence.
The "Dispach says further ;Thc contest is not between
and The Of The daily press of city but between the
whole daily press and the press of B:murc what are
he cts The Baltimore papers containing the iec.raphic
news OF Saturday and Sunday do rcac! here until Mon
lay evening about six O'clock while the same news Is IN
our papers Monday morning. Where, then, ia the con
cst We submit 1t is "ri!uous srt7de' OF the "Dls-
Da ten ," 80,
Measure the public that the printers ready ad willing
10 nut forth their hes, e1criOu to Furnish them the latest
news We m Of onr employers 10 meet any
necessity that possibly arise whcncver Is Their pleasure
command our services and Yet neither violate the law nj
God nor man. Why therefore will not Tie "Dispacl CO.
1perae with and the editors and employers in this mat
er2 We fear simply because Of its obsnacy"-
Of its u y Misrepresentation Of our plans and purposes
and its determine ton yranzc the Craft, and pu.
down Richmond Typographical Society II possible.
The supposed by the Dispa,ch OF the cniistnS OF
the POOR sailor and The contracting of The farm lnorer pre-
sent some facts We have always though: tat in me
revenue and naval service vessels the Sabbath spe
ciay observed Chapains provided. and required 10
preach The sailors that day We have known
fir1nf IN on t,r