The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-09-25
Pr ATFORM 7Ifisfg
, -ee e OF THE .---. Je ttfs
Il AB0R- REFORA PARTT.

WIZ reas, II Is not deemed advisable to charge
" modiiy The rxisriug declaration Of prncipars,
but to re-afiirm the same, aud for practical use
,aunciate the substance thereof In a more cOil-
,, nient and concise form, with som. additional
esolutions; and, hnWr
Where IS, All political pOAer Is inherent 10
he people. and free government founded on
heir authority and established for their benz
1t; that all free men ase equal in polite, rights
md eutiued to the largest polftical aud religi-
BUS liberty compatible with good order of sou
,iety, as also the use and enjoyment Of the fruits
81 their labor, and talents and no man Ut set of
nee are entitled TO exclusive, separa emol-
aments, privileges or immuniies IRON the
government but in consideration Of publ
service and any laws destructive of these fua-
damentL principles are without moral bind
Ing fore, and should be repealed. To do SO,
however, ia q difficult work, when such laws
or usages are interviewer with pride, prejudi-
ces and selhshness. Besides. experience shows
that laboring people are, more than Others, dis
posed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than
to organizs for their abolition, and,
. Whereas, We are admonished BY the imper-
Tiled rights oflabor throughout the United States
to organize and agitate In our own behalf with
the decree, Z" 10 the sweat Of the face shalt thou
liberty 10 eternal vigilance" enthrOncd in our
hearts AID emblaEoned az notices on our
banners, assured OF success over corrupt
political schemes and the spectators and
bsakeF who are preying like narpies upon
the fruits of honest labor, and thus restore
to oar political and social system that equil-
ibriSm OF rights and justice 10 necessary to
good government and domestic Tranquility
therefore, be it -
Resolved. That laborers in all depart
ments Of useful industry are suffering from a
system Of monetary lsws which were enacted
during the lite war, 40 measures, It was as
sumed necessary TO tbs life Of the nation. and
which is now sought to be perpetnated in the
interest of bondbOlders and bankers as a means
to subvert the government Of our fathers. and
establish on its ruins an empire, in which all
political power shall be centralized to restrain
and oppFess the rights Of labor. and subordinate
its votaries to the merciless demands of aggre>
gated capital and superscillous authority.
Resolved, That the National Banking system
being inimical to the spirit of liberty, and sub
versive II the principles Of justice, and without
warrant in the Constitution of the United States
and wrongfullv increasing the burdens Of the
wealth producing classes millions of dollars an
nually, Justice, the aspirations of honest indus
try, and the spirit Of imperilled liberty demand
its immediate. repeal aud the substitution of lega
tender notes as the exclusive currency OF the
nation.
Resolved, That the "Eationsl Labor Union
is opposed 10 the continuation and creation o
banks BY acts Of Incorporation, by either State
or National authority, with the privilege o.
making, issuing, or putting in circulation, AMI
notes, bills or other paper Of any other bank t.
circulate rs money, except the legal tender
Treasury notes. therein contemplated
Resolved, That the present rste of interest i,
~ excess Of and disproportionate 60 The increase
Of national wealth, and being the governing
power In the distribution Of the products Of cap
itAl and labor, is oppressive to the producing
classes
Resolved. That the revenue laws Of the United
States should be altered 50 that, instead Of sub
Ordinating labor to capital, they may afford JUS
protection to labor and the industrial interest:
of the whole country.
Resolved, That the legal-tende money should
be made a legal tender in the payment Of al
debts, public and private, and convertible al
the optionlof the holder into Government bonds
bearing interest at the rate of three per cent
per annum, with privilege to the holder 20 re-
convert the bonds into money or the money into
bonds, at pleasure.
Resolved, That the claim Of the bondholders
that the bonds which were bought with green.
backs, and the principal of which is by law pay
able in currency, should nevertheless he paid in
gold, 10 unjust and extortionate.
Resolved, That the exemption from tax oil
bonds and securities, is a violation of the lust
principle Of revenue laws
Resolved, That land monopoIies are at vari-
ance with the doctrine that " all freemen when
they form q social compact are equal ia rights,
snd if persisted in, must ultimately result ia tie
subversion Of free institutions rs also the social
and political well being Of the laboring masses.
To prevent this calamity, the public lands
adapted to agriculture should be given, in rea-
sonahle quantities. to none bnt American ciri
EeDs. and such as have declared their intention
10 become citizens. Individual owners OF ex-
tensive tracts Of land should be encouraged tc
dispose Of the came in small parcels, at reason
able prices, to actual settlers, that may thus be
eO.ae Identified With the soil, as responsible, in
telIigent citizens
Resolved. That it is a duty which should BE-
exercised with pleasure, to guard with vigilanl
care the delicate and sacred rights of the daugh
tiers of toll who are engaged in various industrial
pursuits, and solicit their hearty co cooperation il
our efforts to vindicste the rights of the labor
ing classes, while We pledge them, in return
our individual aud undivided support.
Resolved, That religion, morality and know
ledge, being necessary to success, schools and
other means Of education should be encouraged
such as the formation of labor unions, mechan
les institutes, lyceums, reading-rooms, anG
whatever additional agencies may hereafter be
deemed conducive to the cause Of morality and
intelligence.
Resolved, That as labor Is the foundation and
Cd use of national prosperity, it is both the duty
and interest of government to foster and pro-
tect it. Its importance, therefore, demands the
creation Of an Executive Department Of the
government ct Washington, TO be denominated
the Department Of Labor, which shall aid in
protecting it above all other interests.
Resolved, That the Prote ction of life, liberty,
and property, are the three cardinal principles
Of government, and the two first more sacred
than the latter therefore, money necessary fol
prosecuting wars should, as it ia required, be
assessed and collected from the wealth Of the
country and not be entailed as a burden on
posLeTiy.
Resolved, That the National Labor Congress
earnestly recommends the adoption Of such
measures among all classes of workmen, in al
sections of the country, as will secure the adop-
ton Of the EighS Hour system, and calls upon
the respective state legislatures to follow the
example of the National Congress, in recogniz-
ing eight hours rs legal days work.
Resolved, That voluntary associations Of
working'n-n and women are entitled, at the
hands Of legislation. State and National, to the
sane chartered rights and privileges granted
10 associated capital, and we demand their
practical recognition aud enforcement.
Resolved, That political equality being one
OF the cardinal principles of this organic ton
We therefore urge full restoration of civil rights
80 every American citizen, except such as have
been convicted OF felony
Resolved, That We are unalterably opposed
to the importation Of serviIe race for the sole
aud only purpose Of pauperising the labor OF
the American wOrkinEmen.
Resolved, That demand the adjustment
Of the system of contract labor in our prisons
and penitenIiaries, and that the labor performed
by cOnvicts shall be that which will least coz
fict with honest industry outside of the prisons
and that the wares manufactured by the con-
victs shall! not be put upon the market at less
than current rates
Resolved, That the Labor Congress would
most respectfully recommend to the wor kingmen
Of the country that, in case they are pressed for
e. wl~.- - ~ =