The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-22
Meeting OF 'Longshorcs,eL'.
IE TERMS 0F rHB MERCHANTS AccEr TED.


meeting Of the Wong or-men was held last evening
at ammany Hall, 70 hear the report of the mitee
appointed at former meetin wa the hants
and inform them that they willing to compron use,
by reducing their former rate Of wages shilling YER
day. which one half the oded by them.
There about six hundIed present and the proceed
ass conducted in the or1eriy manner. The
meeting was called 10 order by the Pfesident, Mr. WIN.
A. Hail. who stated the OBJ ect it, which he made
the following report, on behalf Of the committee
At a meeting of lopsshoremcn held at rammany Hall,
on Thursday evening, the 18th nst for the parpos,
OF endeayoring TO arrange with their poyers abont
their wager, was decided that promise should be
offered by them to toe merchants by eoaseDing 10
cept redl elton OF shilling nste, Of two shilings
per day, In their daily wages aud committee WAS ap
pointed TO convey % them through their chairman, h
f. Morgan, Esq. the decision OF satt meeting and in
struced TO report tn this body the suit Of their inter
view Your c"mnittse accordingly waited that gen
teDan and communicated 10 him the object our visit
He expressed hfnse very favor bt- our proposa
but stated that until he had had opp rtunty u
sulug with the merchants Lcould give no decisive
Having called again at an appointed hour We
informed by him that he mere ha were ayerse
proposal that they refused to even listen TO any
thing OF the nd, aud that nOhng short OF their
terms would satisfy them. The reasons assigned fer
this course we're first hs large amount oS unemployed
labor now atoat enabled them TO procure much AZ
they wanted NJ e price offered for ours also bas
ness was dull and they could afford no more bat tuis
reafon would not hold ipasmuch it was admitted
that our labor valuable at 81 rs per day
still more 30 at 81 62 y day-the wages we agreed 10
by the compromisethan the labor they employ at
VI 90 per day Consequently pecuniary disadvanage
would be sustained by them agree ny u, our proposal
but the CHIEF objection that they did wish to
recognize sanction any right whatever on our part to
propose terms 20 them-o ask more than they
dispoted to give looked upon o an attempt
on our part at dication. This certainly was
TO us, ana excied our surprise--And II mere
workmen have the right T. ray so--our Indignation.
Ing the meantime, we cannot fofbear expressing our
warm thanks 10 T. f. Morgan, Esq, for his gentemany
and courteous manner towards and the liberal view
which he took of the matter. We had hitherto thought
that honest labor was not considered degrading call
ing-we mad supposed hat person might endeavor TO
earn an honest vel hooi, at the lowy and abo.
rious occupation TO which have been accustomed,
without ceasng to be or forie my any Of his
rights; but il we have right TO u for our
labor adequate, nearly so, 10 wants. and press
that right we ought not 10 be- told that our claim ia tan
tamount to dictatioD We aim at nothing OF the knd-
We ask for nothing but clear right We have shos
that our earnings at this OF the year Is
than &c. at fourteen shngs per day ess than that
ID not just TO ask live We have agreed to make
q sacriRceto work for thirteen shil ngs day We
refused that WbyY Not because We not worth it
not because II cannot be afforded s-but because
have dared to demand it. The public VIII judge whether
we have been farly dealt with not and decide upon
the sincerity and consistency o. the benev and
humanity for which the New York merchants are so
distinguished, whi:h would contribute lberaly and
freely TO alleviate public misery, whilst It compessd the
honest w0rkmen to toll for remuneration Inadequate
to he support. In conclusion, your committee recon-
nenc The best tong that be dcne under the cir
cunhtances, that all hands, or many end en-
ploynept, should 20 to work to morrow morning at
twelve shlings per Gay; and NO doubt, when they
afford IT. the merchants viii advance the they
strike for.
At the conclusion Of the foregoing report Mr. James
Kelly offered resolution TO the effect tina. they should
accept the terms Of the merchants. lie advised
catory measures the best policy and spoke Of the de-
preston Of business Of all kinds why they
should give way in the present He had doubt
however, that the merchants would, when tn. times
improved return to the former Of fourteen shngs
a day.
The resolution met with slight oppostion when II
put to the meeting, but 10 was finally adopted BY n
unanimous vote. motion then passed resembling
all resolutions which might conflict with II any way;
after which the meeting adjourned