The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-06-09

- -
A TEMPEST IN TEAPor. The following
letter, purporting to have been written by
the late employees cf the Rock island Rail
road Company, has been going the rounds
Of the daily press
CHICAGO, May 20, 1866.
Mr.. G. Ii. Beardsley, Assistant General
Superintendent of the Chicago and Rock
Island Railroad
SIR Whereas we cannot come % terms
Of agreement honorable to the workingmen
Of the road, we take tie boldness 10 inform
you that on must not employ men in our
places for, before we shall sutfe. such in
dignit We will level the works with the
ground. You must understand that me
railroad company are not able to keep q
police force there for all time h come, and
it is our firm resolve to have revenge in
some shaps or form. A we cannot enter
those shops as honorable men, we viii say
to y0n that no one els shall, SO help US
God. When capital robs the poor man.
children Of their bread, than is the time fol
them to speak and make themselves heard.
So take warning in time, before it is too late,
f1r revenge is sweet, and II is ours 10 repay
We intend TO make way with everything
that impedes us. IL we cannot do il honor
ably, the torch must help US, as the honor
able means we have tried are exhausted.
Now, for the last resort, we have sworn and
pledge our lives and honor not 10 rest until
We are rcvenged. You must recollect that
you cannot keep guard there forever, and
il it is six months from this, we will make
", fol no xrafuhf II
MANY WoRKISGMEN.
Do not take this as an idle threat, for so
help us God, w will carry it out or die in
the attempt
In order to explain the matter il would
be well TO state that the officers Of the road,
laboring under the fears of guilty consci-
ence, have had large force Of policemen
constantly patroling the premises, ever
since tie old hands have quit the shop.
We suppose this tax is beginning to tell on
the expense" account, and if they could
get one Of these detectives, OF any other I'M
pTincipled scoundrel to pen such q docu-
.nent, the attention Of other companies
would be aroused, and the inquirIng Of the
stockholders regarding this outlay be salts
factorily answered. Pretty smart dodge, to
he sure, but it won't win No 'aboring man
eOsr Wrote that letter, and we are ceI tain that
such ser timents and intentions, as therein
expressed, never found {. Judgment in the
breast Of Union member. No, gentlemen,
these men are neither assassins nor incen-
diaries they demand their rights like men
they act open and above-board. Their war
fare is honorable. They neither fear your
lrowns, nor court your favors. They ask
for what is Just in an honorable manner,
while prevarication and feceit have marked
your every transaction.
We should like also to inquire Of Mr.
Beardsley If the character and standing OF
these mechanics, when in his employ, was
such as to lead him to believe they belong
to that class of men who could be guilty OF
such an outrage NJ. B., though compare
lively young man, should have learned by
this time, the force Of the scripture. juno
ton 4" Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor" As, we are afraid
be is no bible scholar, we would state the
above injunction, with others equally appli-
cable, may be found in the twentieth chapter
Of the book Of Exodus, which we earnestly
commend to his careful perusal.