The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-21

j
The Mschanics' Meeting Pursuant to call
which appeared in the daily papers Of that
morning. large and enthusiastic meeting
of mechanics took place Ut the City Hall ON
Saturday night. The object Of thfs gather
ING, a3 explained in the advertisement, WAS
ito take into consideration the present spirit
1f speculation ind extortion prevailing in
oHr community. and 70 take some netiou I'm
regardtharrfo.o At ;1S O'Clock precisely Mr..
Benjamin Bragg was chosen - Chairman,
| and Mr. Adolphns Gary appointed Secretary.
The Chairman opened the meeting with .
few appropriate remarks. during which be
referred to the heartless efforts 0f the non-
eyed men tn Dpprcss aud grind down the
poor, who were working for wages. When
the merchant would elevate his prices, there
by signif5ing an intention to flch from him
all If his earnings. II was impossible. In the
opinion Of the speaker, for such state Of
affairs ta last much longer, and unless Con-
gress or the Legislature adopted some mea-
sures of relief suffering and starvation wonid
cnsuc. Those worse than traitors who re-
NAMED at home for the purpose Of making
alt they could out Of the e0nsu ner, charging
on An average Of from fifteen f0 sixty or
sevenfy times the price before the war for
every article OF provisions aud clothing,
when that for labor had not more than tripIed,
had done more to weaken the cause ct the
0s)utu tu9u VNVty tytAIS CtsC tcubOtusu. AsV
hoped The meeting would act calmly and dis
passionately, and whatever was done shOnM
nc stood up to. The chair then announced
his readiness to receive any proposition
which might be submitted for cOnsidera-
tion.
A motion was made that the Chair appoint
4 committee Of five TO draw up resolutions
for the meeting. The following gentlemen
were thereupon appointed: J. Ludman, John
Mcdonald, William Taylor, Thomas }. La
Prade, and E. B. Robinson
In the absence of the committee calls were
made for various gentlemen, Mr.. Adolphus
Gary only responding. This gentleman did
not design to make aspcech at that tine, but
would wait till the report from the commit
tee was brought in, and then he would say
what could be done. The object OF the
meeting was one of great importance to the
mechanics of Richmond, and in his opinion
| it was not proper ut that time to go into any
discussion. Let us wait for the resolutions.
After the lapse OF half all LOur the COM
mittee appointed to draft business for the
| meeting returned and made the following re-
port:
"Whereas We look upon the present as one
Of the most important periods in the history
Of the present revolution, contendang as We
are for the Independence OF these Centedcr-
ate States, when every man who loves his
| country or cherishes au interest in the sue
the mechanics and other working sneH OF the
city of Richmond, q large number oi whom
are employed by the Confederate and State
| d0vernmen.s, in consequence Of tbn exothi-
| taGt and unprecedented prices Of the Aseas-
| sasiss Of life, believing that the same has
been brought about partly ny the mismaE-
aSemenf of legislation, Confederate aud
State, aud the great and unprecedented
lange which speculation has taken i' corn-
hination al capital against labor, anl iniict-
| in~ at the same titue want among the fa'ni-
hes Of our brave soidiers in the field There
fore, be il
"ist. Resolved, That a committee nf seven
be appointed to lag before the Legislature
OF this State onr grievances, and to reqneat
them to afford rs some relief by passing
stringent and effective law supprcssiDg spec
ulation in the prime necessaries of life, and
also law to suppress trading in gold, silver.
and bank notes, and that they instruct our
Senators aud Representatives in the Conled-
crate Congress to vote for q bill making Con-
| fctierate currency equal to specie standard.
t"Good," good" and applause.
Mr.. Alexander u. Wells appropriately sug-
gested the addition 10 the aDove resolution
cf"Yankee greeDbacks.
't2d Resolved, That rs good and loyal citi-
Zcns We pledge ourselves to defend to the
last extremity the Government Of our choice,
engaged as it is in a glorious struggle for our
independence; but We earnestly ask the pas
sage OF such necessary laws as will meet the
evil of which We complain, and place us in
such q position that we may be enabled to
support our families and relieve us from the
iron grasp of the extortioner and the money
changer. t"Tiurrah," and applause
"3d Resolved, That the thanks of this
meeting are hereby heartily tepdered to our
brave troops in the field, and though we, in
the performance OF the duties assigned us
do not meet with the ssme priyations as they
do, yet our feelings and SYM athies are with
them, and that the great object OF this meet
ing is to benefit them and their families by
striking down, SO tar as 1t Is In our power,
the heartless speculator and unprincipled ex-
tortioner." [Applause.1
After the reading of the above preamble
| aud resolations, Capt. +. B. Robinson arose
! and addressed the meeting as follows;
Fellow Citizens: look upon this meeting
az one of the most important that has taken
place since the beginning of this war, the
object Of which being that Of making de-
cisive and effective blow at d class OF men
who have no claims upon the gratitude Of
/ the country, their main object being to par
2Iyze its energies in the great struggle iu
| which it is engaged to secure its indepen-
dence and permanently establish conetitu-
tional Government based upou the affections
| OF brave and gallant people, and 1t be-
hooves you to act firmly In the oursewhich
| yon arc about to pursue, and to let the Le-
| g;slature know your feelings and your wish.
| es upon so grave n subject, which not only
affects your national pride, but which ID cal
cnlated to distress yonr wives and children
| for the want OF the common nccessaries OF
! life, boarded up and held from yon by the
| grasping hand of tho unprincipled extortion-
er, while yon are laborins assituonsly to aid
| the Government in establishing glorious
future for generations yet unborn, and which
| will be the proudest legacy you can possibly
| heqneath them, cemcn,ed a- II will be by
| the best blood that ever ffOwcd through
| human veins Yea, gentlemen, this is a rr-
| riod which trirs mems sonls and develops
| the true character Of men, and, painful
| as 1t Is, we see a class Of them whose souls
! are dead to every patriotic emotion Of
tue human heart and whose sordld propeB-
| sities pr0pel them onward In their career oi
.nfamy regardless of all that we hold deur or
| which Is worthy Of pfesersasion--Lsbssfy "
| aud Life We must be finn and united, Dr.
termntd to stand bY our county, sustain
| ing those into whose hands we have contided
our destiny, and treat every man "a AN enc
| my who will not give a helping band. The
| time has arrived Tor the extortioncr TO he
taught TO respect the feelings Gi bleeding
country, contending AS il is, with only pop
| nlation OF S,O0O 700 against \ population o
-, Coz, 600, and the odds and ends OF every
| other nation on Gods earth--ihe Irish, the
| Hungarian, the German, aud the negro--thns
forming o mighty eonglOmeration of human
ity, whose object It IL to destroy our nation
Al existence, and make ns the slaves Of thf
meanest race of men who inhabit the earth
controlled and governed by Western clown
who is destitute Of the ioiry sentimenta