Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-06-18
sharp Words In Regard to Delegate
HalIeck


sharp Words in Regard to Delegate
Halleck.
Ar O'Clock yesterday afternoon, the com.
positors and pressmen al the Government
Printing Office held meeting, in the Docu.
ment Room, the Committee of ARRANGEMENTS
having issued call, "to hear the report OF the
Committee on Resoluuons, and also to still
further consolidate the friends Of Lewis H
Douglass for the forthcoming contest for his
admission into Typographical Union, No. 1Ol."
MI. a. Thompson called the meeting to order;
Mr.. w. H. Young, Secretary.
Mr.. A. Spear, from the Committee on Reso.
buttons, reported the following:
four committee find that Mr.. Lewis H.
pouglass acquired q knowledge of the art of
printing In an office owned and conducted by
bis father, MIR. Frederick Douglass, ~ Roches.
ter, N. " where he labored for ten years; that
be enlisted in the saith Massachusetts regiment
In winch he distIn guished himself for bravery
and soldierly conduct, especially IN the attack
upon Battery Wagner, in south Carolina, re-
ceiving from his superior officers honorable
mention II their dispatches Being disabled
and honorably discharged, he next Taught
school in Maryland for some time. In 1866
ne emigrated To Colorado, ana applied for en-
ployment as a compositor at the various print.
ing offices in Denver. but account Of las color
was refused at all except the Daily Gdzstts. At
The last named office, owing to the difficulty OF
the employer to obtain help, he was offered
work at eighty cents per thousand ems, which
was five cents per thousand ems more than the
regular mon prices. and he worked with
the expectation of receiving that amount. 1t
appears that year previous to that time
the Gazette office had been RATED" but 1t
does not appear thai Mr.. Douglass was
aware of that fact at the time. On
the contrary, he asserts, and we be-
lieve with truth, that the first intimation he
ever received Of 1t was after making application
for work at the Government Printing Office at
Washington. While employed in Denver he
desired lImsQlf " nj nd
expressed the desire TO members OF the Denver
Union, but such was the prejudice of the men,
bers against the admission Of colored persons TO
membership, no one dared even to propose his
name After working at the Gazette office a few
weeks, finding it difficult to collect his wages,
ne threatened to leave, when his place was
supplied by white man, who is now a men,
Der OF Columbia Typographical Union No. lOI,
and until recently was employed in the Gov.
eminent Printing Office. Since that time, and
until ne (Mr. DOuglass) obtained his present
position, he has been engaged in other pursuits,
not Connected with printing. As soon as he
obtained employment here a working card was
is sued to him by the proper officer Of the society
and bis application was made for membership
Such is q brief history of the case so far as
your committee have been able to learn.
From the above reeited facts it Is clear to
your committee that MIR. Douglass is in no Just
sense obnoxious to the charge OF rafting; much
less is 1t true that he is in the language Of the
resolution adopted by the National Union, "an
1. Prior to his arrival In Washington he has
never ad an opportunity Of bees ming a men,
Der Of the Union. although wIliiB and an xious
to join. on account of the uuwillIngness Of
members to incur the odium Of prop osing the
name of a colored person.
9. Being deprived OF membership through
no fdult of his own, but solely on account of
the unwarranted preJudices of members of the
Union, it IL impossible that he could become a
rat by violating any obligations of the Union,
or by any failure to take such obligations.
3 Having never worked for less than the es-
tabllshed scale of prices, he cannot be consid-
cred rat, 10 the popular acceptation of the
term among printers.
4. The failure OF the members of the Denver
Union TO notify him that the Office in " ich he
worked In that city had been previously rated,
and his ignorance of the fact, should relieve
him of all blame for that act.
These facts are well known, or should have
been known to the delegate who introd uced and
advocated the false and slanderous resolution
adopted by the National Typographical Union.
Your committee can, therefore, draw but one
inference from this action, viz: that his insane
prejudice against the colOred race, and his fea-
lest the enlightened spirit of the age would ac-
cord to Mr.. ID. his rights, upon fair and hon.
est statement of the facts, led him to resort TO
that base means of attack az a time and in a
place where the slanoered individual could
not have an opportunity OF defence or hearing.
Your committee, in concl q sion, are convinced
that no charge of rafting can be substantiated
against tMr. Douglass, and that color alone
IS the only bar TO his acceptance
We therefore offer for adoption the following
pr.am BILE and resolutions
Whereas at the recent session OF the National
typographical Union, a resolution was intro
dUeed and adopted whereby the Congressional
Printer was censured for the appointment OF
Lewis II. Douglass, who was accused OF bang
IAN avowed rat" and thereby we, the mem oers
of Columbia typographical Union No. lOI,
employed at the Government Printing Office
were, by implication, charged with being fails
10 our solemn obligations; and Whereas the
statements contained In said resolutions are
calculated 10, and do, misrepresent before
our fellOw-craftsmen, our brethren OF the
various Trades Union, and the world at large;
therefore be il
ResoIrsd, Tha. we, the members OF Columbia
Government Printing Once, do denouuce the
action of the recent National typographical
Convention in Its censure of the Congressional
Printer, the Hon. A. M. Clapp, as unwarranted,
course, and do deny the charge of s'ratting''
brought against Lewis II. Douglass has any
foundation in fact or truth, and that we do
further denounce the action Of the National
Convention as uncalled for, premature. and
I'm Just, and that the said National Typo.
graphical Convention have acted out Of their
lion, in endeayoring to prejudice q cnse yet
undecided by the subordinate union, thereby
committing not only gross breach of courtesy,
but perpetrating most wanton and injurious
libel upon q majority of the members of Co.
lumbia Typographical Union-a proceeding
unsustained by established precedent, utterly
al war with well-known public facts, violati We
OF our rights and privileges as honorable men,
bers OF the craft, and wholly repugnant in
spirit and purpose to the broad and liberal
teag hIngs Of the Tart preservative"
ResOlred, That the resolution adop ted by the
National Union Is inconsistent IN this: That
while II deprecates the making OF religion or
politics qualification, IL denounces the Con-
gressional Printer because he does not make
race or color a qualifying test.
ReSOlred, That We believe in the union of al
" no labor, making no distinction on account OF
race, religion, color, or sex; ard that We hail
with heartfelt qualification the recent recogni.
ton of female compositors by the National
typographical Convention.
Reso!rtd. That we deprecate any action which
will com pei those who are Of a different color
tnan our own from becoming our competitors
IN the field OF cheap labor, and that we de-
mand, In the name of right, the admission OF
all worthy printers, who may apply, into our
Union, Irrespective of race, color, or sex
Resided, That as the adherents of a certain
political party are aiding in the attempt TO
overthrow what we deem the life.plincipie OF
our craft--iustice-that we bespeak the symps-
thy OF The friends OF equal rights throug hout
the land.
Resolred, That our thanks are due to the noble
minority of thlrty-seyen VINO were wise and
the majority Of the National typographical
Convention to resuscItate the lost cause Of
prejudice against race or color-a cause viii CHI
the bullet. the ballot, and enlightened public
opinion have combired TO declare odious and
dIsgracefnl.
Resolred, That we do pledge ourselves to
united acuon in support Of the measure OF the
Congressional Printer in the employment OF
printers, irrespective OF their color, and do