Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-21

and al l6nHh, MT. w. I'll. fOLdBcOn
speech before the workingmen at the
court house last night, but are compelled
to make but brief summary of it
Mr. Gudgepn is plain, practical gen.
tlemap, and dealt in plain truths He
said that the workingmen only wanted
what was their rights; and that was, q
fair Compensation for eight hours labor.
he referred to the laws of the States
that were. oppressive upon the working
men, and made an earnest appeal to
his fellow .laborers to stand firm to their
principles and correct such evils aa ex-
listed in the shape Of oppressive laws in
the State of Indiana. He asserted that
the people of this country were con-
trolled by one-ffth Of the population,
and that the four ffths were powerless,
except they rise in their own might, and
strike for their rights.
He urged the Importance of the eight
hours system mainly upon the ground
that laboring men had.not now the time
for the cultivation of their minds, and
for reading. He said that when the
eight hours system prevailed, reading
rooms would be established in every
city, and frequented by the honest sons
of toll, who would soon WELD a power
full influence in society for good. III
He urged as reason for the adoption
of that system, that the children of Ia
boring men were compelled to grow up
in ignorance. That as soon as they
were able to earn anything, they we're at
once put to work, and had not time left
to attend school, or receiye instruction
from their parents.
1t had been decreed that by the sweat
of his brow man should eat his bread.
He said that the man who got his living
without labor was robber, and spoke In
strong terms of denunciation of those
who made a living by gaming, He
wanted no such means Of making
living "a bowling alleys or billiard ia.
bles-that was not productive labor. His
theory was to have d Reading room for
laboring men in the stead. -5ea,a
He asserted that one-ffth Of our PEG.
pie produced nothing, but that they
we're supported BY the four 6fths who
we're producers. awRRssass
He referred to the fact that the Leg.
islature of Ohio had passed the eight
hour law, and said that the working
men had asked help of one political
party, but had been refused. They then
applied to another, and were success:
full. = z .A68 W 8
Mr.. Gudgeon spoke in forclble man
ner in defense of female labor, and gave
some detail, illustrating the Importance
of some action for the protection Of
that class of laborers. Mr.. Gas we
said, is plain, practical thinker, and
discusses the question fearlessly and
with candor. He evidently gas ip
earnest in what he said, and his speech
was consistent and fair. He was ap.
plauded throughout most enthusiastical-
ly, and closed by hoping that Indiana
would soon spread the eight hour law
upon her statute books. After closing,
Sergeant White was called upon and
talked a while, The Sergeant was evil
IDENTIFY warmed up in the cause. lie
related a conversation that he had had
with a laboring man on the street. in
which he had heard it stated that the
blacksmith, machinest, and all laborers
gere entitled to the same honor and
credit as the historian. He had met his
friends argument by asking when la
boring men were honored with public
receptions as historians were, &c.
The Sergeant said it was the soldiers
who had gone from the laboring classes
who had won our victories-but modestly
declined the honor of fighting much
himself; said that he had the honor,
however, of "being the Patriarch of all
the hospital rats" He proceeded to
compliment Mr.. lGudgeon for his earnest
speech, and after few general remarks,
he sat down. We we're sorry to notice
disposition on the part of Mr.. White
to become profane, but we attributed it
to hiszeal in the cause. In his remarks
he said that he had never known but one
printer who was q soldier. Evidently
he was not well informed on that SUD-
iect, for there is not a class of laboring
men in all this land that has turned out
more literally, according to numbers,
than the printers. 10 the employ of the
JOURNAL Company there are now eight
printers who were soldiers, and three out
of that eight bear front rank marks
one in the shape of crooked leg,
another shattered arm, and the third
cork leg. - -
Mr.. J. E. Taylor made a few remarks
in the interests OF female labor, after
which the meeting adiourned% ur RITs
, t. THAsEs.-Mr. W. Boepple has our
thanks for late Huston, (Texas,) papers,
HGe Billy Sherwood win accept thanks