The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-08-23
The Labor Convention.

VI oVCl0by u6Slio W elcfdlt themselves aOONe
the present status. 1t is an instinct which
finds place in the aspirations of ALL from tile
street boot-back or the most stupid holman
up to the man of leisure or of letters All
classes and conditions of men feel the inerad
icable longing to attain position above and
beyond that in which they find themselves
Men unite into societies in order to work as
an organism to better their condition, to pro-
vide against encroach nents upon their class
rights, and to hedge themselves around with
paper bulwarks to resist oppression and in
vasion of their rights--and to place them
selves in a position which will secure them
from injury in the exercise of their several
callings. The Convention in Baltimore of the
laboring and mechanical class has been
prompted by the motives and considerations
to which we have alluded 1t is an evidence
of a growing appreciation of their socialim-
portance as a class, and most important
class in our society, which we recognize as
entitled to all due consideration by all other
classes of the community. The march of
improvement and civilization has moved along
with it the class Of men engaged in the me-
chanical trades and arts, and the working man,
technically so-caled, has come to realize his
influence and Importance. His labor has not
been sufficiently remunerated, and too much
of the twenty-four hours of the day have psr-
haps, been required from him, The gloomy
time to which MAcAULEY alludes, however,
has passed away for the toler. when he was
required to work during So many OF the
dreary hours, and received for his hard toll
but few pennies, and existed upon the coars-
est and scantiest fare. Civilization and pro-
gress have changed the condition of things for
him. and he enjoys in his measure the bless
ings and benefits of more advanced state of
refinement which has liberalized the ideas OF
mankind. He has now come to realize his
position, and to feel that be is really power
in society, and belongs to class which has
rights which are to be guarded: The Con-
vention in Baltimore is an evidence of all this,
and manifest sign of the upward tendency
which progress has impressed upon the work
ing class.
1t is mistake, however. to suppose that
these are entitled to the exclusive distinction
implied by the term working. This is appli-
cable to all of us who have to earn our daily
bread-no matter whether we do SO mentally
or physically. Indeed, all labor partakes,
more or less, Of both these elements-though
the term labor has come to be appropriated
more exclusively to the class Of society which
3 occupied more in manual or physical than
mental exertion. In the language of the pro-
found JOHN STUART MILI-''all human ex-
erton is compounded of some mental and
some bodily elements. The stupidest holman,
who repeats from day to day the L. ecl.anical
art Of climbing ladder, peri rms II function
partly intellectual. On the other hand,
there is some bodily ingredient in the labor
most purely mental, when it generates any
external result NEWTON must have drawn
many figures and written out many calcula-
tons and demonstrations. Aud while we
yield due Importance to the labOring class,
technically so-called, we must not forget, as
Mr. Mill says that "no limit can be set to
the importance, even in a purely productive
and material point of view, of mere thought
viewed as national and universal results,
intellectual speculation must be looked upon
as most influential part of the productive
labor of society, and the portion Of its re-
sources employed in carrying IN aud rcuu
nerating such labor, as a highly productive
part of its expenditure. Snch is the e3t-
mate of the great political economist OF the
age While, therefore, we are glad to view
any indications of betfered condition III any
and all classes of society, and regard with APP
probation every legitimate effort at elevation,
because such an effort is a universal prompt
ing of the human heart, which beats within
the bosoms of all individuals of all classes, we
must guard against the common error of la
city admitting that the mechanical trades are
exclusively of the so-ealled labosins men
bearing in mind that the work Of thought
is as really labor as the work of the hands;
and whom viewed as national and universal
sesults, intellectual speculation must be look
ed upon as a most influential part of the pfo-
4luctive labor of society
Thus, it will be seen, that from Sir ISAAC
NEWTON down to the humblest hodsman, all
classes are socially linked together in chain
of indissolubls interest, in which labor is the
main link. 4lr
Priests and LeVites.
The cholera, which was imported into Ia
vannah river from New York, has at length
reached the main land In this there is