The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-12-10
NATIONAL LABOR CONVENTION
ADOPTION OF a oeHsTrrUrroH
ELECTION OF PERMANENT OFFICERS

ELECTION OF PERMANENT OFFICERS
At 10 o'clock yesterday morning tho Cor
vention was called to order BY the president
J. II. Harris.
Bishop Logan, Of New York, offered NJ
prayer, sftsr which
George Myers, Of Maryland, chairman Of
the committee, reported q constitution set
ting forth the objects Of tho convention
which was ordered 70 DO taken up section by
section.
Before proceeding 10 the consideration Of
the report Gen. o. o. Howard entered the
hall, and was invited to address tho conven'
ton.
General Howard complied with the re.
quest, and said he sympathited with the oh.
jects Of the convention, and urged co-opera-
ton, especially In agricultural pursuits In
the South. Capital and labor should 60
hand and hand together, and ono sharing
with the other would produce the desired
end-wealth and happiness.
At the conclusion Of the remarks Of Gen.
II. tho consideration Of the constitution was
proceeded with, and, AFTER slight amend
ments, adopted, the title Of the organization
being "The National Labor Union"
Rev. john A. Warner, OF Cleveland, Ohio,
submitted the following; which was referrcdi
Whereas every form Of dissipation tend. to
waste the resources Of labor, and thus renders
the power OF resistance to the evils OF poverty
Received, That we include the use OF tobacco
among the great wastes OF our resources, and
recommend to all workingmen to practice
economy in this a. we'll In the use Of liquors.
Lewis II. Douglass, Of d. c., from the
committee on organization, reported the
following names for permanent officers, to
serve for one year; President, Isaac Myers,
Of Nd; vice president, Charles II. Peters,
d. c.; secretary, Lewis II. Douglass, d. G.
treasurer, Collins Cursor, DC.
The report was laid on the table.
VIM. H. Lester, Of Va, offered the follow
Ing;
Whereas the Legislature OF virginia 10 now
largely under the control OF = rebel m ,jority.
. result accomplished BY unparalleled intimi
dalton on the part Of the rebels towards the
loyal voters, and especially the oolored cleo.
tore; and whereas there eau be no real liberty
Tor our race In that state, much less auy sAfe'y
for the interest Of colored and white lsbsf
loyal men; therefore,
Rssoipsd, That this convention earnestly 10.
yoke the Congress Of the United States to Gu.
force Its own laws BY causing the Congress
sionAl test oath to be administered to the
Fuoei kcEthihtutt VI NfBtuih, anu AWARD tnt
seats Of those who cannot take II to their eli
gible opponents who received the next highest
vote, whore, from the circumstances, the
electors must have known that they were
casting their votes for ineligible candidates.
Rs.oived, That ~ Congress enforce the law
loyalty and the rights OF loyalty will be pre-
served 10 Virginia; add II not enforced, loyalty
than ooo. 900 In that ststeJ will be redused to
condition as deplorsble as when they were
fastened 10 chains Of slavery.
Rs,olysd, That these resolutions, properly
members OF Congress, and published in the
newspapers OF the country.
The resolution was laid on the table.
The resolution Of Mr.. 7. ]. Hayes, Of N.
c., asking Congress to recognize the indie.
pendenco Of Cuba, was passed.
A committee Of one from each State and
Territory was appointed to recommend
names to the convention as permanent OIL.
GERS Of the "National Labor Union" who
retired, and shortly after returned, and re-
ported the following TO serve for one year;
President, Isaac Myers, Of Nd; vice presi,
dent, George 7. Downing, Of r. l.; secretary
NJ. U. Saunders, OF Nevada; assistant secre
tary, Lewis II. Douglass, of ID. c.; treasurer
Collins Cursor, Of d. c.
Executive Committee-Isaiah c. Mears,
Pa; Anthony Bowen, D. c.; John II. Butler,
Md; Mrs. NJ. A. s. Cary, Mich; J. Booker
Hutchins, N. c.; Hon. c. II. Hamilton, Fla;
J. sella Martin, Mass; George Myers, Nd.
The report was adopted.
A. NJ. Green, Of D. c., offered the follow
Ing;
.Rssoivsd, That delegation OF Ave, Of which
this convention should be the chairman, be
and are hereby, appointed to walt upon the
HOP. 5: J. Bowen, Mayor Of the city, and
tender him the best wishes OF the convention
AZ nf xuaI,
TO this body and for the sympathy with the
objects OF the convention, expressed in that
address.
Mr.. Lewis II. Douglass, of D. c., referred
to the matter as piece of toadyism, and
the resolution was laid on the table.
Mr.. Rapier, Of Ala, of the committee on
lands, homesteads, &C., made report recon.
mendlng permanent board for the purpose
OF securing homesteads for colored people
The report wa. adopted.
Mr.. William P. Powell, of New York, sub
mitted paper detailing the condition Of th,
laboring people in that State, and praying
that the elective franchise be speedily guar.
anteed to the colored people OF that State.
aaron NJ. Powell, editor 9th Anti lSlapert
Standard, addressed the convention at length,
sympathizing with Its objects.
Adjourned to 1850 o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The Convention met at 100 O'Clock, James
II. Harris, president, in the chair. Charles
II. Peters submitted the following resolution,
which, on motion, was adopted;
Whereas Hon. S. J. Bowen, Mayor OF wash
ington, has, In acknowledging the rights oil
labor throughout the country ipdiscrlmI
nately, kindly extended municipal welcome to
this convention In q most eloquent address
Resolved, That a committee consisting Of tn,
president and vice president of this conven'
Mayor. and acknowledge their appreciation
and esteem Of him who has SO nobly espouset
the cause OF humanity and equality through
out this country.
Hon. J. II. Raiuey, Of Columbia, s. c.,
being introduced as the fret speaker, said
he was, although colored man, a member
Of the Legislature Of his State, the State
where the rebellion first began. He said bis
State was Republican, aud not only Repub-
lican but radical. He thanked Congress for
what had been already done, but more vet
needed to be done. The South was not vet
fully reconstructed. He was disappointed
10 the course this convention had taken. He
had come here to learn something for the
benefit OF the people. They were an agri-
cultural people, and laborers are cheated out
OF the proceeds Of their labor. The people
OF the Southern States want land for the
ihhuless, tuu MONIES Tor the homeless. AT
the last session of the Legislature In South
Carolina they had voted 5000, 900 to enable
poor laborers to purchase lands, giving them
i've years TO pay In. He hoped that some
thing would be done by this convention to
Impress upon Congress the necessity of fully
reconstructlng the South.
Bishop Campbell, of New Jersey, said he
was preacher, and had been for thirty-one
years. He had Just learned for the first time
that preachers were ruled out from among
laboring men. A Voice. "Say something
for the lawyers, Blshop."l ! was sorry to
hear also that lawyers were ruled out. IA
Voice. "say something about doctors."l |
was sorry TO hear that all who were called
professional men were ruled out. We can
not afford TO be ruled out. We must stick
to the laborers; they are the bone and sluew
Of the country. There are some negroes
that want to hide and not support the Repub-
lican party. II / were not q Christian
would hate such negroes.
What would become OF US If the Republl-
can party should stopl Avoice, at cannot
stop."l But suppose 1t shouldi It might
take another direction. Revolutions do some
times. II the Republican party did right
Tennessee would not be where she Is, nor
Kentucky. A voice, "What about Viz
& niaP1 What about Virginiai Those III.
begotten devils will pull the wool over your
eyes. Applause and laughter, and voice,
"What about New Jerseyi"l New Jersey
hasn't got into the Union yet. "A voice,
hat ah IL. 49,