Evening star., 1868-09-29
The Eight.hsur Law, Again.

The remarkable effusion of the Brock com.
nlittee appeared in several Of the city papers
during my absence from Washington, while
at ending the sessions of the National Labor
Union in New York; other wise an earlier an
swer would have been made to the grossly
personal assault ii contains upon m Use II, which
Is the only matter calling for reply, as rhe gen.
eral facts remain untouched, except in TWO
minor particulals--the vote Of Senator Morton
and an immaterial error in date.
In this discussion, and, indeed, in all that af.
fects the labor question, the undersigned is an
insignificin ant atom, OF and for whom the public
care but little, il at all / never intend nv
name into the debate, only so far as 10 perform
an assigned duty. Hence the surprise on see
ing my antecedents maliciously pIraded before
The p ople. But there was purpose to snb.
serve, and decency must outraged TO eff ct
II. As / have no DISCUSSES, l had cared little
even for this, but that the names of parties for
eien TO the matter were lugged in 10 rob nv
The intent was mendacious and wicked to the
last degTCe, and shows natures fatally bent on
mischief.
happen to be well known in Washington,
where have resided of and on since 1SS'. In
le47 located IN South Carolina, where / re.
maiheo ull Sherman captur 4 Columbii
Losing every thing in the confiagratiOn which
followed, friend on that generals staff sug-
gested and procured transportation for nv
family 10 this city. AT Fortress Monroe 1 took
the oath of alegiance, and have since done
nothing vioative OF it: unless refusal to endorse
unjust legislation and make Radical rule par
manent by such violation. My professioLal'
services 10 the confedeIacy were those of a
printer and expert. If the italic implies a
sneer that they We're not military, perhaps the
fact that my age operated exemption from con-
scription may turn its point. If my political
education (begun in Pen usylyania. the Stale of
my birth, and completed In Washington when
great men ILLUSTRATED statrTmanship and made
free government respectable) would not permit
surrender Of principle and life long sentiments
on governmental policy, the failure to yield to
the fashion OF the time will save me from the
conde mnation that followed Esau. Doubtless
L could have quartered at the Congressional
Printing Office had renounced manhood; but
i chose TO preserve my self-rCspect, rather than
compromise the rights of freeborn Amer cap
at the dictatton Of party or the entreaties of
craving appetite Although prescribed from
employment by such liberal spirits as Brock &
90. exhibit, my sense Of right would not per.
NIT me to withhold successful effort, at sub.
segment day, to compromise Guilty at taat
who now assail me, including Mr.. Brock their
chief diterdteur, who privately testified to me
that did them great service by saving the
Office from a strike, and met reward at their
hands by election from office in the "Union.
The s'card" of my colleague (Mr. Judd) re.
flutes the cllumny that l voted against eiyht
hours in the typographical Society, (not the
"Unlon,' which was not then formed In the
debate, distinctly re- used to sustain the prin.
ciple then, In advance of the general move.
ment, but did vote for nine hours, and sub !e.
quently for those that now obtain. At that
time did not think 1t fair to the private Offices
here. which had to compete with ,n hours of
other cities. To the Government Office from
which the proposition came and had chief
support, 1t made little difference.
Identified with the eight hour cause from its
Inception, may, like Paul, glory in the fact
that my efforts have always commanded recog.
milton in elevation TO leading positions not
only in my trade-(which twice chose me its
dele gate 70 the National typographical Union
notw ith standing the strenuous Opposition of
the leading political element Of the Coner, n.
sional Printing Once, and of which Nation al
organization would now be president but for
the privately circulated false statements of
some Of the more malignant Of my traducers)-
but also in the workingmen's orRanization
For a year chairman Of the Workingmen's As.
the late Labor Congress at New York, and bv
the latter chosen its second vice president but
practically the first, and that without nv kn ow.
lcdge aud while absent from the hail.
In closing, it may gratify Brock Il 90. to
know that the National Labor Congress unani.
mously indorsed General Cary-its most infiu.
ental members declaring his defraf would be
al hreparable calamity to the cIuse OF the
workiL gmen. And cannot omit another item
OF information for their delectation, in that N r.
Fincher, whose purpose they pervert, in Fri
days morning session, holding up their printed
slip, sid he "wonld not b engaged in such a
Having thus disposed Of the personal issues,
l hope Brock Go. are satisfied with the cap.
fal they have made, and now dfsmiss them
with the further remark, that il al did not
6~spise, I'd pity" them. A. +. sOAUs.
I'VE have devoted cons iderable space TO this
controversy, as q matter Of interest to the
working p, ople, but Is all sides have now had
hearing, we " III have to close our columns to
dfsputants.-ED. STAR. = A .