The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-09-08
The Labor Congress IN Baltimere.
tcouospendens Il the wss achs Poa)
What Significance has the Labor Congress


tcouospondens Il the wss iich. Pos)
What Significance has the Labor Congress ?
What win be its resultsf
Enthusissm immease assemblies and u
dexelopmsns of thoaghf are Of incslculable
weights at the outset az sverT new moyement.
|and o. sl4tnaakS - a 49, sFs - n
be calculaAsd With accuracy. But We must,
|nevertheless, attempt to Approximate it. The
simple fact that, sixty delegates, from four
teen States, met together in Congress, and
that the entire expense was betrayed by the
different Workingmen's Unions, is surely OF
deep Significance. Heretofore, the hlEhest
form that labor organisations had taken was
the national union Of some Of the respective
trades Between these national unions there
was no systematic connection. Tue failure
OF the attempts, which had hitherto been
made TO introduce the Eight Hour system,
the defeat OF the ship carpenters and painters
and others in New York, in their attempt 70
accomplish this, which was owing to the
indifference with which the other trades re-
garded the contest, which their champions
were fghtiag in New York and Boston, sug-
gested tho idea to the minds of the presi-
dents Of several other national unions, that
much could be accomplished by means oil
. general labor organisation. 1t 10 70 Mr..
Hsding Of New York, the president oil
the coach-makers' national union, that
the convention Of the Labor Congress ID
owing. The merit Of these gentlemen ap-
pears 90 much the greater when, we refisci
that, they had to encounter the strongest re-
sistance in their own camp, and that even
the sending Of delegates from New York Ia
the Convention, was disapproved of. The
delegates at Baltimore excited, &C least q
hope, In my mind, that there was 0 glorious
future for the working classes. Amona
these delegates were men OF that sublin
faish IN the justice Of the cause, which ID
necessary TO remove the mountains Of op-
position which obstruct the onward move
ment. The wave has reschsd and dashed
against the rock. shonld not be surprised
| 70 hear that some, terrified ut their own
eoldness, would give way . little. But
enough has been done for one day. ID u
suhcient that this Congress has marked oui
the direction in which our future conquests
are 70 be ma9s.
WHAT'S this di-sction2 Il is the declara
tion Of indspendeoce Of the hboring CLASSES
from those political parties who, instead oI
tgivfn8 exprsssion 70, have hindered the res
lisstion Of the public wish. The lsborsrs ol
Americe say that these politicians have
bad their day, that they have been weighe(
IN the balances and found wanting, and tha
sn ail.smbracing organization of labor, in
esch Ststes and IN ths Federal Union, mus
andextake the work Of cleansing the Augcar
stables of our Legislatures, our laws and ou
institutioos. This ID . mighty task, and ont
for which no other organization 10 qualified
and hence it is oue, which merits the suppor
Of I'll who ere the friends Of atrus Rspablic
Interests are only 70 be fought with interests
and mot by appeals TO virtue and patriotism
which, in their pure and abstract form sel
4 den determine the actioas of mankind, m
only thsn upon rare snd gFeet oeeasoina.
The subjects, which Wers taken hold Q
1 BY the Congress were BY no means sxhausts
and they were treated II sooh sspifit Q
inoderatou, thst TIE New York Tdbsns .
the 18th, eoald not withhold It, spprohatiou
II The usnber andths character of the snbjeci
IhApdLed BY the Congress h alone, fAcnn6
whtce The delegates nsy b well satis6et
tand what THE bsdy accomplished, alEAoug
,Islnost sntirsly inPrsvissd is : nsfssr I
: lconu 1lation- The rspOnmendatioa % d
laboring nm, 70 sttAoh thease)Sb 70 the
, Irrespective trades, unions, snd - lbsu M
: gaas, coming from q Nz[l 6aal Osnsrss
tuill Aos b Without IL sGssas. 1As rSsol>
I I1ion, (which uas sanis1 thro9eh " yeu
! lleqrssgoednk, providing f. - IssaGifis
IIef 49, Akeg crEnlts.t .ti0ns - Ge1nlng
! IiSon kt elonsnf h ~ nn11o1n1 ssfu
1Gfoas ~ ~ - UGboe - yoms11l