The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-26

The workingmens convention at New Ha-
ven last week was attended by $50 delegates.
The Democratic managers supposed they had
perfectly sure thing in securing the nomina-
tion of Mr. English. At a caucus the evening
before the convention met, the cheat sought to
be practiced upon the workingmen by the lead
ers of leagues and trades unions, who had
professedly claimed to be no-party men while
in the employ of the Copperhead managers
was fully exposed, and those who had acted
In good faith shook the dust from their feet
and held separate caucus at the New Haven
House. ...a sg....a.
In the morning several of the Democratic
State committee were on the ground, conf
dent OF carrying their point-the nomination
of Mr.. English-and they relied greatly on the
roads being blocked up with snow, so as to
prevent the attendance of delegates from the
rural districts, who, it was pretty generally un-
derstood, would be as a general thing hard to
manage to say nothing of their sympathies with
the Union party. In case they should not ap-
pear, it was believed the leagues and unions in
New Haven could control matters, and there
would be no difficulty in carrying out the pro-
gramme.
When the convention came together 1t had
a somewhat dubious look for the Republican
MEMBERS but pretty soon the trains began to
arrive and in them came the earnest and hon
est workingmen from the back towns, who
were not to cheat or be cheated and Copper
head stock fell gradually to low point.
The scenes in the convention cannot be de-
scribed in print. The confusion knew no
bounds. Bedlam was quiet in comparison
On the floor, mingling with delegations, were
politicians pulling and hauling, each eager to
have something done, and yet all so thorough
ly mixed that little could be done. The whole
forenoon was spent in getting a committee on
credentials, and then an adjournment was
reached. After dinner and after many bois-
ferrous demonstrations it was finally voted not
to nominate ticket, and series of resolu-
tions to the following effect was adopted:
LIST. In favor of eight hours as legal DAYS
work. 35
I'd. That there is no conflict with capital,
but recommending the same energy and per-
severance In the use of honorable means to
accomplish the object of the workingmen, as
was shown by so many OF our members dur
ing the war which saved the nation.
Sd. That it is the duty of all interested in
the cause to do all IN their power to elect sena-
tors and representatives who will support the
cause. sH
4th. Against nominating a State ticket,
but advising all to vote for candidates that
favored the cause; that all attempts of en-
ployers, by threats or coercion, to control the
votes OF employees, are outrages on the fran
cbise; and demanding at the hands of the les
gislature law Furnishing such offences by i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary.
The affair failed of its object, so far as Con-
necticut Copperheadism is concerned. The
English managers did not estimate the intel
ligence of the workingmen of Connecticut-a
large majority of whom would sooner forfeit
halt their pay than bolster up party whose
leaders for years have denounced the honest
laboring men of New England as "greasy
mechanics"
fhe correspondent of the Boston Advertis-
er, from whose report the above account is
substantially taken, says the result OF the con-
vention may be set down as "a good strong
lift for Governor Hawley and his supporters"