The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-04
AFFAIRS IN THE METROPOLIS.
MASS MEETING OF WORKNGMEN.
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PRESIDENT PIERCE EULOGIZED.
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Organization Of Workingmen Through
out the Union.
Landlords and Savings Banks Denounced.
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A Woman Burned to Death.
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LAUNCH OF THE FRIGAVE SABINE.
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EVENTS OF THE DAY,
&C., &0., DC.
Landlords and Savings Banks Denounced.
LAUNCH OF THE FRIGAVE sABIN
EVENTS OF THE DAY,
&C., &o., DC.

Quite large meeting assembled last night at Ne
chsnics' Hail. in rcsponse to the following noti,e:-
a. WoRKNGNEN's MASS MtEnS0.-This evening at oight
O'Clock, ut Mechanics Hail. No. 100 Hester street. by
order OF the Hope Chapel and Conference Committees
X Arthur Bailey Chairman Hope Cha pei Committee
Ben Price and Antoine Rucsel, Secretaries.
IRA B. DAVIS, Chairman Conference Committee.
9. & "a I1DWra hFSnni RICHTER, Secretaries.
I At O'Clock the meeting, which was composed about
equally of Germans Americans, called to order
BY IRA B. DAVIS who nominated K Arthur Bailey as
Chairman of the meeting This was carried Msssrs
Antoine Ruckel and Ben Price then appointed Vice
Presidents and David Marsh and Wm Arbuthnot Secre
tAries.
Mr. BS. PRICE then read the following memorial to
the legislature
20 THE HON. LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
GENTLEMEN Most of you probably aware that at
The present time the business operations OF this city
curtaied to an extent that has reduced the working
clssses state Of dest tuition and misery such as has
never before been witn,ssed in this country
y A meeting was held in Hope Chapel tho evening of
December ~ 1854 10 inquire into the OF the pro
sent disastrous collapse Of the business
city and to devise to prevent the OF
discussion Of plans proposed for the relief the
producing classes, preamble and resolutions
extracts and to which we invite your serious attention
"Whereas the condition OF the working classes pre-
eminenty attributable 70 unwse leg slstion favorng
tai belonging to the people, and its accumulation the
hands Of . few fortunste sPeculators, therefore,
"Resoved, That mttee of Ave persons be appoint
ed whose duty shall be to draw up three memorials to
b addressed as folowsOne to the Legislature Of the
State Of New York. praying that the public lands Of this
6tatc be given to the actual settler in limited quanti
tes that the further sac OF them except to actual set
TIERS be prohibited and that the quantity Of land that
any person hereafter acquire in any Manner shall
In accordance with said resolution the undersigned
were appointed committee to draw up and present TO
your non srabie body memorial on the subject matter
The public lands held trust by the Legislature ars
the common property Of the people posing tho State
1nn Of them will conduce to the prosperity and
happiness Of the people whose you have
The honor to be at the present time.
We believe that lands fer the free and
exclusive use OF the actual settler IN limited Quantities
is tho best disposition that be made Of Them with
tho view Of promoting and Increasing the prosperity,
happiness and wealth Of the people.
Such course Of policy would encourage agriculture
by State and national Legislsures aud would tend
to draw OF from large cities immense number of
unemployed lsboring men who the physical capa.
city OF producing by cultivation OF tn. soil amply
sucent to maintain themselves and families, add leave
surplus to DO added to the general wealth Of the
We hold that 10 a country like ours possessing such
vast extent OF territory, there need of essty
and comfots Of fe and the fact that there are such l.
conclusive evidence that our legislation has been
nnwise in some particulas, aud as your me,
OF the public domain, which We Wow as common in
hsritance TO be disposed OF in such will b,
most beneficial to the great OF the people.
Our forcfathers proclaimed that all entitled
TO certain inaenable rights that among these life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness 10 the view Of
involves the means Of sustaining life by tbs labor Of
their hands, their heads or both combined No or
number of men sustain life without being In pos
session Of land except by the permission OF other
person, who more fortunately does possess portion Of
the soul Let us illustrate this assertion by plain and
II Is wen known to most of your honorable
body that Of the 100000 inhabitants Of this city,
but q very small portieu own the dwellings la which
they reside but obliged to procure shelter rent
ing the premises they occupy from the thereof
upon such terms the parties mutually agree upon Now
the parties owning these dwellings are not obliged
TO rent them, IL they do not choose to do but have
perfect right legally to close their buildings and refuse
suppose that all the pro ery owners OF this city should
adopt such course on the ensuing arst OF May, and
thousand people, none Of vhom have piece Of land
which they have right ngany, TO claim as their own-
sequsntly, practically right TO life itself The same
result would tanspre in the country towns and agrcui
tura districts the Of property in those
lions to pursue similar In TO these
propositions 1t may be said that such state Of things
can never occur mas much the owners OF property
to such an extent as TO preclude the idea Of their pur
suing such course. We grant that this Is true;
but 1t only proves that the hnsilcss portion
o. the community hive only by the sunsrance and per-
ission Of those who monoposse and possess the SOIL
and not ss matter Of right. Hence we contend that
few the great cf the people completely at tho
mercy Of and are by necessity compelled to pay them
places the tenantry in the position OF sers and the
OF the soil in that Of ordsand hence
the term andords which :, no. generally applied 70
exercise freedom Of thought and action TO any
tsnt whose whole time and energies required TO pro-
cure the necessaries Of life IS 10 nov the In this
city and State with the great majority OF citi
zens- one third Of their earnings being required
TO pay the landlord for a dwelling TO shelter them
n wpatb elT. art
Of which tends to paralyss rather than stimulate
TO sctive eIertions the producing classes. lie
prctor Of the soil which he resides and can In the
language Of the ancient prophet "sit beneath his
afraid" We would therefore present 70 your honOra.
bic body, for your confederation, the following
Tho undersigned on behalf q the unemployed work.
ingmen Of the city Of New York. respectfully ask the
State legislature to enact Laws In accordanes with tho
l. That the further sales OF the pubic lands OF this
bate shaIl be prohibited aud that they be laid out In
farms and lots for the es and exclusive Of actual
To limit the quantity OF land that any person shall
bereafter acquire in this State.
Al Of which ID respectfully submitted
VIM. Arbuthnot, Ben. Price,
Ira B. Davis, Robert Grant,
r. A Bailey, John Commerford.
william Rowe.
fhs foregoing was motion put BY the Chair 10 the
neeting, and unanimously adopted.
The report Of the COMMITTEES appointed TO present the
memorial Of the meeting held at Hope Chapel made
By their chairman, Mr. Commsrford. lie stated that he
had interview with the President who expressed his
willingness TO do every thing that he could for she
vorkpgmen within the limits Of ths constellation The
emors had been presented to ths House Of Represen
Atves By Mr. Cutting, and 70 the Senate by Gov Sew
ard. That presented In the former referred to the
Committee Agriculture, while that presented in the
Senats was gwen over To the Committee Lands All
The members Of Congress with whom Mr. G. convcrsed
expressed themselves in favor Of the Homestead b
and willing 10 do all In their power 70 procure its
enactment.
This report was also adopted, after which the follow
Ing resolutions presented BY Mr.. benjamin. Price
Resolves, That the thanks Of this meeting b hereby
given 70 His Kxceency, the President Of the United