The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-09-07
Il IS Ely Tie CHAIRMAN.

After thanking him Tor their reception,
their chairman, Nr. HlycHcLlfF, Of Mis-
souri,, said
i has been represented that our con-
venllOn is for the formation of new
political party. This is not the case, but
it is convention formed for the purpose
OF discussing those reforms that We think
necessary, and due to the tailoring com
munity. We are especially interested IN
the reduction Of hours of labor. That Is
.he eorner stone OF cur movement. We
desire to bring about reduction Of the
present tine to eight hours, and to have
it understood that eight hours are here
after The measure Of days work legally
and by custom We want to be consid
ed as ignoring political partnership or
issues. We appear before you as labor
ers, for the purpose of presenting our
claims to vour favorable consideration, and
to ask YOU to sanction our movements
with your immediate appreciation, as far
as ali the LABOR in the naval and other
government works is concerned, and to
initiate tie example of President Van
buren, when approached By the employees
of tie governuen! on similar request.
The request then made, was for reduc-
ton to zen hours per day. He did this,
and ordered a proclamation, which was
Immediately followed over the country,
aud custom has since made 1t law. e
believe The time has come tor still
farther reduction-that we have advanced
sufficiently in Improvement, mechan'ca
and otherwise, to render THIS ieaolb!e !;
2nl We believe that g should participate
in some degree in benefits arising from
these improvements, that we you'd be-
come better citizens by having time Tor
Intellectual and moral culture and we
think, too, it would aid US in our physical,
as well as our intellectual health, if not
called upon to work so hard, and for
such long prolonged hours.
We desire 10 call your attention also
to disposition Of the public lands. We
think there has been permitted too great
an accumulation of them in the hands OF
the sp- ca!atc RS, and too much given over
to companies, for The purpose CT enconr-
aging the formation Of railroads. We
think lh< has acted badly for the agri>
ouliurisls, aud that if they were given TO
settlers and othefs, and not permitted to
accumulate in the hands Of a few, they
would be cultivated where they are now
unproductiye It is now hard work for a
settler to make it profitable to settle, for
the reason that all the choicest portions
Of the lands are being held by large
capitalists, and the lands are Improbable
in the sense that they yield less supplies
and less taxes to the national or state
governments. We would like to have
YOU take these things into consideration,
for the provision Of means to remedy this
Which we claim TO be wrong. We simply
hoIl to tic principle that lands should be
held By those who are willing to cultivate
them. The land belongs to the tilier Of
the soil, and the tools to the mechanic
IN connection with that subject, Mr.
President, | desire to present to you this
petition, sent from one Of our frontier
states, which may give in better words,
aud III a more condensed form, the ideas
OF our trootier~mcn upoL that subject.
have stated, Mr.. President, that for our
application TO you, We have precedent
in relation 10 the same matter-an exam
pie set bv President Van Buren,. |
commend IL TO yoar attention most
respectfully.
Do with the matter as may seem best
to you, but in lie special matter ola reduc
ton OF The laws Of labor, We do desire to
have some recognition at your hands, if
you deem it wise to give it. We have
no other object in view than to seek out
and apply remedies to the wrongs that
iaborers now suffer.
Another sui jeci to which | would call
your attention, is the system of convict
labor. We thing that system exerts a
very deleerous influence upon our inter>
ests, ipasmuch as it is obtained at very
low rates Of compensation, BY parties who
have contracts to fulfill, aud the work is
thrown upon the market, and causes com
petition with free labor in such manner
as to tend to a gradual but steady and
certain depreciation Of free labor. We
therefore think we are entitled to ask
protection against it, but, Mr.. President,
the great cornell stone Of our movement
is the reduction Of the hours Of labor to
eight.
We do not desire 10 oyerturn the insi-
buttons Of the country, or to interfere
with the individual rights Of any capital
ists, but simply claim the privilege Of
eight hours for labor, eight hours for self.
culture, and eight hours for repose. This
we seek, Mr. president, aud to to this we
ask your cordial endorsement. The whole
Of the working people of this country are
beginning to be alive to this. They can
hope for no assistance from capitalists ;
they have determined to take thar own
affairs into their hands, and they now but
ask some recognition at tho hands Of the
head Of the nation. They ask it, beIiev-
ing he is in sympathy with them, and
that they will meet with favorable re
spouse. They ask it, q, the same time
determining that they will prosecute the
agitation of the thing as far, legally and
justly, as they can and ill they have
achieved the contamination Of their wish
THE PRESIDENTS REILLY.
The president then replied as follows:
am much obliged 10 you, aud to The
committee that accompany you, for this
visit, aud for thus atforliDg me an oppor-
tunity of making your acquaintance. |
feel gratIded that you thought proper to