Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-06
National Brieklayrrs, Conv.n.,on.

As the time approaches for hold ug he an
nUal session of this body, the Interest Ia ~,
proceedings increases Among all classes OF me-
chanies engaged IN the building trade tn.
trickIayers are, With one or two * .-ptlon.,
the most extensively organized body Of me.
chaLics m the United States, and up IN their
actions depend very largely the interests of
other trades. The annual q 'nvent:ous of the
representatives. of the trade are always impor.
tanti but the session of 1869, which open. in
Washington next Monday, will be more than
usually interesting and important. A large
number of questions affecting not only tle
others, will come before the Con vention.
Measures will be brought ward, and
no dono. VIII %, be adop.ed. to secure
the States wherein such laws now exist.
Measures will also be adopted TO obyIate the
injurious ultimatum Of strikes so far reason
appointment of arbitration committees, as Is
the universal practice IN Great Britain, or by
some other equally feasible and judici,us
means. II will be a matter of consideration la
the Convention to gather into the unions and to
consolidate rs far as possible the men of the
trade who are now standing aloof from such
unions, and VINO are known in the trade par
lance as ''scab." reduction of the hours of
labor and an equalization of the RACES of wages
will also be discussed. These and many Otner
subjects OF general interest 70 workingmen will
be brought before the B1ckliyers' National
Convention.
A sketch of the organization and growth of
tins body may not prove uninteresting - our
renders.
The National Union of Brick,ayers was or
gained IN Philadelphia, Oct l., ISIS, with but
Two local unions representative. I OF Mary
land, with five delegates. and No. I of Penn
syivsnia, with four. Both unions compris-t
n Membership of fifty men. As m ~ be in
ferred. the business was not OF very gre a in
POI .enCs. and the session did not last long: and
after the election of the following officers, the
convention resolved 20 meet in Baltimore on
the day of January, Ie66 John A. Whit,
of Baltimore, Presiden:; j. ID. Billings, o: Phil
adelphIa, Vice President, J. Ed ward KIRBY, Of
Baltimore, Secretary; Jos. Hackney, OF Pnila-
deInhIa, Treasurer.
AT the appointed time and place the conven-
tlCn met agaIn, but uor now with nine dele
gates, representing two unions. There We're
then present delegates from Unions Nos. I, J. 5
and !, OF New York; No. 1. of PeunSylvtnit:
No. J. Of New Jersey No. I, of Maryland; No
!, OF OHIO; No. /. of Missouri; and No l, of VIr-
gInia. The session lastrd four days, and the
same gentlemen as ~ tore Were elected officers
of the convention, except that John 5 Frost
was substituted as Vice President, instead of
Mr.. Billings.
The next annual meeting was held in Cincr-
matt, January II, 1867. Twenty-four union,
comprising an aggregate of 4,JOJ mem bers We're
represented by 81 delegates. Fifteen unions
had been organized during the year, aud the
mem bel ship bad been Increased 2,UJO. The
session lasted a week, and the following Off.
GERS Were elected:-JOhn ). Frost, of Brooklya,
New DIRK, President; John Okeefe. OF Cin-
Cinnati. VICE President; j. Ed ward Kirby, OF
BALTIMORE, Secretary; theodore ayers, of 81.
Louis. ASSISTANT Secretary; Joseph Hackney. OF
PhIladeIp tia, Treasurer. The convention T.
Iourned 10 meet al New York on Iha Iith day
of January, 1858. Forty unions were
represented by 30 delegates. Tue m-In bership-
6.oi--snowed an increase of 1,S1~, aud the
number of local unions an in crease of 2:;. With
the exception of the Assistant Secretary-Al bert
Peart of Pi1tshurg, P-nusylyania-the same
officers before Were ele ted
The career OF the National Union has bean
one Of marked progress ever since it first or
& IniZati0n. AT the present date 1t HmprIses Gi
unions, with membership of S,iJ6 -au in
crease of u unions organized aud S,2iS mem
bers added III the short period OF three years
and quarter. The officers may b?. as they
are. Justly proud Of tn growth and position
OF an organization which can show such a
record OF progress and prosperity.
he Convention Will apply 70 Congress f.r
national charter for the organization, th1t
We may exI act II - become one of the permit
neut institutions Of the land. Under the con-
stItUtIon adOpted by The last Con ven ion. al
local unions organizing must procure a charter
from the National Union. which is grained for
81 each. The PreSiden. of the National Union
may rppolnt deputies TO organize uch uuIoss
ih districts where none exist. or 10 raorganize
deiunct unions, and tb. expenses q; such dep
uty must he borne by the said unions respec-
lively. The President and Secretary and As.
st.1t IeCelye salaries, but not large enough 70
enable th-m 10 aOate working a their trale
The travelling expenses OF all the oific rs are
paid ont OF the funds Of the National Unio1,
and the several local unions d-fray the sx.
pensss OF their delegates to the national body.
Zach local union Is entitled TO thrae delegates
but 20 secure to the poor and weak ones an
equal voice with the wealthy and strong, one
delegat" from any union is entitled u tire
votes. Mr.. Samuel X. Gaul, President and
Mr.. J. w. Browning, Secretary OF Union No
,, II New FORK are spoken of ior III. presi-
dency and vice presidency OF the National
Y lion tOT l-OH