The workingman's advocate., 1866-06-16


pioyed, etc. To this was appended other
resolnti ms passed at q meeting Of ship
builders and ship owRers Of New York in
which they obligated themselves not to hire
or ey5pioy any member Of the above named
association uolsss he should give up his
badge, or break otherwise bis connection
with such association declared they should
exercise their own Judgment in hiring ap-
prentices, etc, and declared il their duty 10
resist ali similar encroachments. A copy
of this document was also presented by Mr.
Hardy, bearing the endorsement Of several
insurance companies and principal metchants
Of New York
MIR. Webb, prominent ship owner of
New York, being called upon, addressed the
meeting. tie said he came here to see what
feeling was manifested In this matter. He
stated that the document'N hich had Just
been read VS. frmly upheld By the in
terestea parties n New York, who were
more determined than ne had ever before
seen them curing thirty years experience.
6 felt, he said, that If the workmen were
allowed to have their way now, it will not
be long before they will demand further
reduction Of time and al increase of wages.
If We cannot resist this, we can resist moth
ing. The matter Of wages in New York has
seldom caused difficulty, for the employers
have generally given way TO their demands.
The matter has assumed an lmmensity
which we little dreamed OF. Ii IS Supposed
that the caulkers and ship-builders, being
considered to BE- as well If not better remun-
Grated than most classes Of workmen, are
taking the lead in the matter, and if success.
ful they viii be followed by the other trades
throughout the country. trust, the speaker
continued, gentlemen here in Boston, ship
owners, VIII take decided stand, as we
have in New York lfyou do, am assured
that the merchants and ship builders of
Philadelphia viii follow If we take this
action 1t will be but short time | thinE.
before the workmen will see that il is a
hopeless case. Some men are ready 10 90
10 work now; but those who uphold the
strike gather around them, and by threats
and money-the latter IN many instances
being received from other sympathizing
trades hey preyent their going to work
think, the speaker said, that the war We
have been through il nothing at all com
pared with what would be the effect of this
strike if It extended throughout the country.
=
writer's and ship builders OF New York that
you will stand by them. fyou do we shall
be successful. At THIS point, as the speaker
was retiring, gentieman arose and desired
TO interrogate him, as to some point Of his
speech, when Mr. Webb desired information
as to who the speaker represented. The
latter said he represented the interest of the
canlkers, and had been Of that persuasion
for thirty years. He was informed by the
chair that he was inserIIpting the initiative
business Of the meeting, and that he was out
Of order. He still asked the privilege Of
being heard, and was again informed that
gentlemen who had called the meeting were
entitled to be heard first; he then subsided
Mr.. Perkins, owner or agent of the ship
Archer, being called upon, stated that the
ship went % New York for repairs; that as
they could not there be made, the vessel vas
ordered 10 Boston on last Monday week
On Tuesday, be said, he expected men to 60
to work mon her, but they did not,
anu be learned that the caulkers had bad a
meeting the evening previous, and refused
to work upon it. | requested Mr. Lowell to
go to London and New Bedford TO see wh at
could be done; he was unsucc sssful there
and also at Bath and Portland. | telegraph
ed TO Washington for permission to employ
hands at the Navy Yards | then received
permission to employ them II thev would
work went to the navy yard and saw some
OF the men, Ten out Of thirty agreed to do
the work upo- the Archer the following
morning, but .hey did not, and the ship still
lies In the dock untouched.
Information being now requested az 10
why the men did not take hold, Mr.. Lowell,
above referred to, presented letter, which
was read, from c. j. Jordan, Secretary Of
the Boston Caulkers' Association, declaring
that at meeting Of that body, it had been
resolved that Its members would not work
upon the ship Archer, or any other ship
brought round from New York, in orde. to
defeat the obtaining Of the eight hour pro
vision. Another letter of similar import.
signed BY G. Il. Turner, the President of
the Boston Cauikers' Association; was also
read. 1t was now moved that the resolutions
presented by Mr.. Upton be accepted. The
Chairman remarked that they were present
ed for action by the ship owners, and upon
putting the motion to the meeting it unani-
mously prevailed at this point a gentle
man arose, and requested the privilege OF
addressing the meeting.
The Chai3han--Will the gentleman give
us his name?
My name is French; | am member Of
the New York Caulkers' Association, and
one Of the leaders in this strike; and r.
The Chairman-You were not called Il
this meeting. (Sensation.)
Mr. French-Well, as l am not wanted in
h.c 4 nil L. -
that the workingmen cannot be heard.
(Cries Of ''No No p and from fellow
caulker-"Sit down as a man among men.'
The Chairman-We cannot interrupt oul
business TO hear people talk about somethins
else, you know. (Scnsation and laughter.
Quiet, being restored, letter addressed
to the meeting from Salem, Offering plenty
of labor at ten hours and from SO to $4 Del
day, was read.
On motion, a committee Of Ave, consist.
ing Of Messrs. Henry Hastings, Nathan
Crowell, Frederick Baker and VIM. T
Glidden, was appointed by the Chair fol
the purpose Of consulting the ms-chants anc
underwriters Of Boston az TO whether tbeS
would sustain the resolutions passed by the
meeting. The Chairman then remarked
that the business having been transacted, il
would be for the meeting to decide whether
the men who had endeavored to speak before
should be heard. A motion was made to
adjourn for ten DAYS.
4 Caulker-Mr. Chairman, before thai
motion is put-(cries Of "Qnestion, quss.
tion," ,")-I desire to be heard.
The Chairman-I think you have beer
heard considerably through these letters
Uaughter.l