Evening star., 1869-12-08
Mayor BOwen-s Address af the Ma.
fiOnal Labor Convention.

Mayor Bowen, in his address before the Ma
tional Labor Convention of the Colored Men of
the United States, on Monday night, offered a
hearty welcome to the delegates, and said that
he had watched with great interest for long
time past the movements of the wOrkingmen and
the friends of labor throughout the country. in
Perfecting independent organizations for the
protection of their rights and the advancement
of the interests of labor and the laborer. These
movements he hailed as sprnging naturally
from the mighty and benefcent achievements OF
the great party of freedom and progress in it
terrible battle with slavery; and he also hailed
with unfeigned satisfaction the assembling here
in this. our national capital, so long one of the
strOnghOlds OF the enemy, OF convention Offree
coloIed men-Of free cOlOred workingmen-in
maintenance Ofthe rights and interests OF labor
The old slogans of the Olgarch were: "Slavery
is the natural and normal condition of the labor
err SLAVERY is right and necessary, whether
white or black" Against these the great party
OF freedom arrayed its own noble weapons,
"Free Speech. Free Labor, and Free Men,
and, planting itself fearlessly and firmly upon
these noble principles-the inherent right of all
men, of every race, to a perfect equality before
the law-an equal right to ''life, liberty, and
the pursuit OF happiness"-it met, fought, and
conquered the foul demon of slavery, which for
10 many years had ravaged all parts of our fair
land IN Its conspiracy to debase labor and to de-
grade the laborer. This wicked spirit was bu-
Iied forever in a felon's grave by the triumph of
the MON armies, composed chiefly of labOring
men from the free North.
The laboring classes have a special history
BObler and grander than the olgarchs, To he
sure, distinguished member OF the old pro-
slavery chivalry some years ago, in the House
Of Representatives, declared that s'the existence
of labOreTs and mechanics in organized societies
Was the result of the partial and progressive
emanciI alton of slavery" Slavery, he con-
tended, was their primordial and only natural
condition. But history tells US that. i'm all the
ages of the world, the laborer has been the great
the mighty eivilizer. Seated, personally free,
at the foundation OF the earliest societies or
civilizations OF antiquity, and all the other or
Gers,sPurning as Degrading all connections with
the arts, il was the genius OF the laborer the
mechanic, and the cunning OF his hand, that
built up ali those magnificent monuments of
art which lend glory and grandeur To the
civilization OF those early periods. Long and
manlully too, did the iaborer maintain his free
dom But the lustOf conquest in the breast of
the ohgarchy. whose chief occupation was that
OF war in pursuit of empire, DESTROYED the in
dustrial classes, and introduced in their stead
millions OF miserable slaves. Slavery and the
debasement of the industrial classes destroyed
in turn every nation of antiquity
After a further review OF the history of the
hbOTtr, Mayor Bowen said ut should be to
you a history full Of encouragement Its exam
pies should excite your emulation in your present
movements for the vindication of your rights
and interests wOrkingmen. For yours is the
cause of humanitv-the cause of civilization
and nothing IL more true than that in proportion
A. its people are free-ln proportion I'll lat its in
siustrial classes are free and happy-just i'm pro-
portion Il the nation free, happy and prosper
Ous-'
In conclusion he said :-'Iabor gives energy
anu acuNIty 10 tAc intellect. And Il would
advise every man First. To learn some trade
business or profession Second. To follow the
trade, business or profession through life. Third.
To be regular and prompt i'm all your affairs.
Fourth. 10 be honest to yourself and YOU will
he 80 10 others. Fifth. Do not put off till to-
morrow what YOU can do to-day.
$40 the wcrkingmen would say, in the Ian
guage of another, put on the armor Of strength
and intelligence, buckle to your side determina-
ton and energy, and demand and preserve YOUR
rights in the field, in the councils of the nation
and in all things wherein your happiness lies
BE frugal. hospitable, charitable. kind, and GEN
erous, and spurn him who would tax your hard
toll without giving a fair equivalent. Disdain
empty show, parade, and extravagance in eyery-
thing. for they are incompatible with the dig
nifty Of sensible men, and that simplicity of life
which conduces the most to health and happi-
ness. And as surely as the sun that rises i'm the
East to illumine your path shall set i'm the West
10 close the day, the Great Overseer will be
ready to pay the laborers their wages-the re-
ward Of their TOLL
''Again, tender you our heartiest greetings.
congratulate you upon the brilliant prospects
of your race-upOn the opening of our grand
new era and civilization. before which will pass
away all the blighting prejudices and tyranny
OF despotism forever"
ClTrZFNlf II IT pO asSn