Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-29

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ADDRESS OF THE WoRKINGMEE,s STATE
CONVENTION TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
Fe1lov Workingnsen Of the State Of In.
diana: "-As-l
You are well aware that the possession
of money confers on its owner a power
and respect that his merit does not en-.
| title him to, and that the effect produced
on society is anti Democratic and incon-
sistent with the spirit of American insti-
tutions, being based on false and per-
nicious distinctions, calculated to ele.
vate wealth above labor in the social
and political scale of life, and degrade
the producer so low that wealth and
honor will never reach them.
To counteract this moral heresy should
be the aim of every man who desires to
see worth preferred to wealth, and wants
to maintain it's superiority over money,
and that in selecting men for official po-
sitions, the questions of qualifications
should be: is he honest, is be capable,
is be worthy2 ~ ssa
To produce wealth requires sinew and
muscle for labor, intellect for direction,
and the blessing of God for fruition.
The politician, the banker, the greedy
speculator, and the wealthy aristocrat,
none of them produce anything useful;
all of them live and thrive on the labor
of the working men, accommodating and
consuming the produce Of the laborer's
toll, using the wealth thus gained to
place his benefactors in scale of life
ssillaiower than he found them.
The CAPITALISTS combine { (as they say
to protect their rights, and thereby add
to their already large capital Why,
then, should not the working men com
bine also to protect their rights and
secure to themselves their full share Of
their capital, their labor.
In consequence of the large amount
of labor-saving machinery now in use,
and the excessive number OF laborers to
perform the amount of labor required to
be done, the whole number of laborers
{ f the various branches of industry can
seldom oil find employment at one time.
1t is matter Of necessity, therefore,
TO take some steps to remedy this evil,
and to take advantage of all eircum-
stances to insure success.
The inquiry naturally arises, how is
this to be effected? The answer is, first
form yourselves into societies for the
purpose, as one man alone can effect
nothing in reforming any evil; but in
Union there is strength and a prospect
Of success.
Having formed your societies then
adopt the rule that eight hours should
constitute day s work.
When you have established this rule |
you have found employment for one
fourth as many men, in addition to the |
present number now employed, as now |
have employment And to secure this |
object, you should vote for no man for
Office of any kind unless he fayors this |
movement; and in selecting men for /
Office, avoid all party projects, ignore
monied interests, and make merit and |
the only qualifications, and pur-
sue such course as will ensure the |
election of men of your choice Hav- |
ing elected the men of your choice, in |
struct your representatives what laws |
they shall advocate; eDjoin upon exeeu- |
tlfC anu lAQlCAnA OAuCCA6 a QQC utiLiR6uC6
in the arrest and punishment of offend-
ers; and let all plainly understand that
unless they faithfully perform the duties
of their respective offices, other men |
more faithful will have to supply their
places.
By being all united and cooperating
with each other in obtaining justice for
ourselves and others, labor will be ele-
waited to the standard the Divine Crea-
tor intended it should be held at Those /
who produce the wealth of the country |
will be In condition to make the laws /
of the country. Politicians will be at a
discount, and honest men take the |
places heretofore occupied by dema-
gogues. You will then have attained |
the position in social life your God de-,
signed you for and our National institu-
tions entitle you to hold. Then the rule
that Nature and the physical condition 4
of the human system requires for the |
health and happiness of mankind-that |
eight hours for religious and social en-
ioyment, eight hours for rest and re-
freshment and eight hours for trk can I
be fully enjoyed and appreciated by all. |
We do not claim this time for idle |
ness. We claim that We require the
eight hours system of labor, that we
may look after our individual interests /
and happiness. We do not wish for
luxury and Incidence, but we are am
bitious 20 turn our time and talents to |
greater account in the productive indus-
try, in the social relation, and in the
political system of the country of which
we are citizens In word, our aim is
to make ourselves better friends, better
citizens and better Christians.
And now, it is not as much to the in.
terest of the employer as to that of the
employee, that this proposed system
should become the rule; has not every
advance of civilization, in throwing down
the false distinctions which divided So
ciety, in the castles which made and re-
organized Plebeans and Patricians,
which made employments hereditary,
and which confined knowledge to the
aristocracy, has not every step of this
progress increased the wants of man,
and enhanced the capital invested in
their supply2 Then whose interest isit
to oppose this reform 2 His alone whose
blind covetousness Graves the last pound
OF ueSQ. 1ue ulSCOu4b Vi mistaken III
terest having thus disappeared, the busy
hum of peaceful industry will be heard
in every village in the land, urged, not
as heretofore, by the over-taxed hands
of the laborers for ten or fifteen hours,
but by the invigorated energy of he who
has but eight hours to perform his days
work.
1t is, therefore, to the interest of ev-
cry workingman, and for thousands yet
unborn, for you, as soon as circum-tan-
ces viii permit, to unite in constituting
Eight Hour Leagues in every part Of
the country, and in every lawful.way use
your endeavors to carry into effect this
desirable object, for the benefit of your
selves and posterity.
ID. NJ. HooPER,
JOHN B. MORGAN, Committee.
ABLE P. BooTH,