The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-01-25

Mr. AIexander McDenalAss MissaoA.
The Glasgow S<atiasi Of December 18th,
in m editorial referring to M. wDonald's
recent visit to Amsriea, says:
Mr.. Alexander MsDonald's recent mission
to tho Usited States il . significant fact,
upon which promise for the future may be
founded. Hitherto International intercourse
has been through the missions and the
mouths Of political ambassadors, diploma
lists learr I'd in the art Of lying, and military
and naval commits sioners practfsed IN the
profession of bullying. And while these re-
presentatiyss have done their best 10 pre-
vent or provoke quarrels, their conduct has
been dictated by the crooked policy OF state
factions, or been inspired BY the more infa-
NOUS influences Of personal or family AZ
grandisement In the international relations
OF the olo continent, there has been no en-
deavor to get beyond dogmas Of political ex-
pediency, or she spifes q court intrigaers
Tne people are, rs . rals, never asked 70 ut
ter an opinion upon international relations,
or the weight Of their clamor Is only sought
for through impoIitic appeals to their pas
sious. The result Of system founded on
UAMSi8l ptCSD0S Nv tu ott ottt3 VI tFSGlttCHI
| hypocrisies, and upon the hay. Tious assump.
ton that nations were rather bound BY in
terest to be enemies than friends, has neces-
sarily rstardsd progress 0ot of such com.
munion has come wars, national debts, in
tesaational hatreds, aud the rivalry Of foes
| rather than Of enemies. To devise . more
rational fsfm Of intercourse has been con-
stant effort Of philanshropists and econo-
mists, but the absence Of organization among
the mass Of the people has prevented any in-
6uentiai voice beng heard outside Of tie off,
ial'wofld. With che growth Of organization
success becomes more possible, and air eady
the miners Of Grest Britain in lbeir united
capacity have set the example Of an interna-
.ional intercourse with America uniafuenced
and uncompromised by official trammels
Ia choosing Mr.. Alexander M'Donald ior
their American commissioner the miners ma
surallY selected deputy thoroughly ac-
QuAinted with their own struggles, with their
social relations, with the progress Of their
trade, with the expressions which capital
and the speculation Of traders inflicted, and
with all the more salient points which affect
the position Of the class. No better selec
tion could have been made than Mr. M'Oon.
aid for the duty, and besides the coal and
il on. miners, various classes of working nen
will benefit by the impressions made on the
mind Of the deputy, the information ae has
obtained, am the good will engsndered BY
tnc generous and welcome spirit everywhere
shown to Mr. MsDonsid. Indeed, nothing
can be more certain OF bearing good kuit
than the continued ovations which so con :
stsntiy greeted him during journey Of man v
thousands Of miles, and which, In not few
instances, were deepened into n manifestations
of International sympathy, -hich neisher
political bonds nor treaties can make cer-
tain. No form Of in.erna lional sympathy
can be more heartfelt, more affecting, more
enduring, than to see strong men weeping
like children round . stranger who has come
20 see them on kindly visit from . far awsy
country. While statesmen are growing
oyer Alabama claims and mercsnary
, wretches are counting the blood money iLey
made BY building privateers to endanger our
own peace ar to add to the slaughter Of our
neighbors, it ia an assuring spectacle 10 zee
the miners of Peuney lvaaia press around q
Scotchman, the representative OF the poorest
among his countrymen, aud weep over his
departure With the kindliness which one bro
| ther may show 70 another. II Mr., MsDon-
sld's journey had done uothias mors sHan
provoke such affecting testimonies TO eena
inc sympathy, he might fsel proud ia having
evoked the most hopeful dem ,nstratiops Il
brotherly love. But besides this purpose be
has had she-opportunity Of seeing in man
places the position which the American
workmeu hold, the social relation wh,oh
liberal sttutions promote, the PROCESS Of
the manufactures he 10 engsxed in, the latest
appliances OF machinery, aad the needs and
necessities Of she A Auerican labor mark et:
at New York he has had opportunities "A
observing how the constant tide OF emisra.
| tion affect ths status Of the laboring ciasses
in th.. css:crciiszu city Az Albany, and
throughout the State OF New York, be had
4 scope TO observe how the laborer Jared
among ths most stationary and most i'd
vanced population Of the States. On the
lakes be could observe ho~ IN 'agriculturaI
and maritime population developed the re-
scnrces Of country wonderfully devised for
! the progress Of macy industries. fn Chica.
| 20 he was placed in the midst Of The most ia.
dependent class Of artisans in the Ssases-
FtGsar who united themselves to assume III.
power ano az: .nhcrity which naturally belong,
70 the real workers., ard wno under one u =
operative banner may rfd themselves az the
mercantile ineabus which cruealy oppres<
the laborer. In the State OF Illinois Me-
M'Dopaid had occasion TO zee how ths coal
miner In America Jared away from truck
Jens, poverty-stricken novels, scansy fare,
and ragged clothing, sssociated 90 pAlnfully
with the miners' porsisa as home.
Beyond the Mlssiss,ppi he might observe
bow the em.grsn. Jared in the fAr-wsst, with
free sob Tor cultivation and fruitful re-.
tarn for his ylabors la Pennsylvania and
Virginia Nj. M'Donald had ths best sppor-
tunlly of observing how the Ansncaa n:aer
lived, how his work affected him. how the
laws protected hfm, what his prospects were,
and how these might be realized. Already
he has made public. somsvportiou Of his ex.
per,ences, and his further testimony 20 ths
truth will yet be mads known. That i'm
mense benefit VIII be derived from the views
pat before him and the statistics obtained,
cannot De doabtsd; and one result of his
mission. will Dc that the emigrant miner
will see clearly before him the pros
poets which . voyage across the Atlantic
may engsader. II u, however, premature
10 compute results which. may - simply
| epsssed at, and the bearings 81 which may
have relationships altogether unexpected.
Whist We mora especiAlly desirs to impress
upon our readers connecred with mines and
mining Is the proprif.y ofexpressing It once
sad IN IN unrnistakable manner the srrong
feeling Of gratitude towards che working
men Of Amsrica who have % 'befittinsly en-
ltsrssined Ar. n. Donald The expressioa Of
tpis feeling may sssurne various shapes bat.
the nost direct plan viii be To invite Mr..
n Donald 70 = demonstratiod cn his return
from kr~s~~ - - k<rIw ..f u~xx,.
tuder good will apd ~ ynparhss towards
American workipgmen may Be adopted 10 =
iorsn moss IiksfY to appesl p Mr. N D6i@fi' !
entert&dns1Sa Andost CD iAnkokks ussd be
chilled BY no stinted formslitsesy buta b.
couched Ia the earnest Words Of rzrm-hsart-
\ ed men anxiDus 70 rsspohd to The grscious
4ssntihnents waited ACROSS the Atlantic. II
l the miasrs &c tss sust sf 6cssisnd please
/ they en- h1pqust thsir Ameriaaa depsty r.
! tsr ~ Hanppr sA3wn than ~ thsig hrsth,
rou Ii the lar veHk ana II the ANA Kim