The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1864-11-05
0ficial
TO THE CANDIDATES FOR THE LEGIs-
LAHURE WITHOUT DISTINO-
TI0N OF PARTY,


the Legislature, questions touching some of the
State Laws, now in force, that seriously affect
the social welfare and pecuniary advancement
Of some q 20 Trades represented in our BODY.
The partie lar branches affected by the present
system OF farming out the convict labor of the
State Penitentiary are the Coopers, Stone Cut
ters, Carriage and Wagon Makers and Cord
wainers, aud being in fun sympathy with these
our brother wOrkmen, we all feel deep inter
est in the matter. One Of the laws that operate
more disastrously than the rest against US is
the LA Sale Black Law" This law has been 50
tortured by the pettyfoggers of the local courts
Of Justice ~ that a mechanic is nov liable to
fine and Imprisonment should he attempt to en-
ter any w5rkshop to apprise his fellow crafts
men Of any change or impending difficulty IN
the labor market. Another law that needs
careful, just manipulation is The A" Mechanics
Lien Law also a provision preferring the la
borer and mechanic, before ALL others il cases
Of failure or assignment Of incorporated bod
les private individuals. Also, some prompt
and vigorous action to secure for the benefit Of
the children or Mechanics, the foundation
OF Polytecnical Schools or Institutions of prao-
teal instruction il the Mechanic Arts and the
higher branches Of education; and lastly, to
consider some measure looking to the introduce
ton Of the eight hour system Of daily labor.
Having thus plainly and briefly touched upon
points affecting our welfare, we beg leave
70 PROFOUND q you few plain interrogatories,
and request your uneguiyocsl answers 10 them
through the medium Of our organ, THE Work
INCMAs's ADVOCATE:
list. w you your utmost endeavor TO
have ne present system Of farming out the
conv ct labor u the State Penitentiary totaAy
ana t0rsrer abolished?
2d. Win you endesvor 10 procure the repeal
If the II Ia Sale BLACK Lars ?"
3l. VIII you endeavor To use al your powers
to procure rightful portion Of the Public
Lands for the purpose Of founding Institutions
children may be benefited by i'll?
4th viii you labor earnestly to amend the
" Lien Law that al workingmen may, be-
fore all others, become preferred creditors in
case Of failure or assignment of corporate bod
les or individuals
9Th win you agree to introduce and advocate
the passage Of bill to shorten the hours of
iatorz Yours, respectfully,
Csc. X. HAzLITT, \
IH2 %,a SelAS' Committee
CHICAGO. Oct. p, 1864.
To The Editors II the workngman's Advocate:
GENTS II have been on several occasions
applied 70 for my opinions in regard TO the is
sues presented in recent edition Of your pa
hper, by certain interrogatories propounded by
the Z" Trades Assembly" TO different candi-
dates And being assured that others desire
my opinions on these points, | yield to a re-
quest to give them publicity.
II i no afecIa ion in me 70 say that no man
feels a truer or deeper interest in workngmen
than myself. They may justly be regarded as
the very life Of the State in peace and its sup
port in war. The public welfare and safety OIL
the battlefield rest upon the broad shoulders
Of the laboring-men in the ranks Of the army,
while cur whole civil policy is within the con
trol of the MILL Of honest labOrers az home.
Viewing the producing classes in this Light,
cannot too fully and freely express my sym
pathy with their interests and wishes.
Looking over the measures and principles
proposed Ia the interrogat0ries passed by the
. Trades Assembly | find nothing to disap-
prove. but, on the contrary, regard their de-
mands just and correct IN principle. The
measures proposed, however, will be subjects
for State legislation, and not for Congressional
sction. All that your Congressman, therefore.
can do is to lend his sympathy and influence
to the support Of the measures proposed.
Many things, however, may come before Con-
gress touching the interests Of the laboring
people. Among others, the questions relating
to taxation and the just balancing Of the pub
lie burden as between the different sections, and
also as between the different classes Of the
country, the granting Of homesteads 10 the
people from the public lands, etc Whenever
questions like these arise, the laboring-men
will find in me, one Of their staunchest and
truest friends.
My whole life has been devoted 20 the farm
ing and mechanic interests Of the country, ana
it will hardly be denied that my efforts have
met with some success Perhaps no man IN the
Western States has given employment and sup
port to 30 many laboring men as myself for
the last fifteen years, while It is proved aud
conceded generally that my efforts have been
Of very great value to the farming interests
Of the whole country. The associations thus
formed with these great producing interests
will not be forgotten in public life. They
will find in me q true friend and faithful ser
want.
Ia speaking thus to laboring men, am hap
py 10 know that ny words are addressed to
intelligent American freeman-nen who scorn
to wage war upon the wealth Of the country,
or demand unjust legislation at my hands. That
| speak tc men who know that money and
work are equally necessary TO each other, ana
that they ought to be. and with a sufficient de-
gree Of unselhshness, would be friends 4
not antagonists But If capital should desire
to adopt the weak and false policy Of m
truding upon the rights Of labor or Of making
it bear unequal and unjust burdens, l should
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