The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-07-10

A special meeting Of Columbia Typo
graphical Union No. 101 was held last night
at Union League Hail, Ninth street, for the
purpose, as was stated, Of considering the
question Of employing apprentices at the
Government printing Office. We have here
toforo made mention Of the apprentice ques-
tionj but In order that It may be fully under
stood We present our readers with the fact
OF the case ne II stands. The constitution of
the Union, article II, under the head Of ap
prcntlces, reads "There shall not be more
than four apprentices In any objective In
all Offices employing less than seven journey
men-cxcept the Government Office, In which
there shall be allowed ten, as follows four
in the document room, four In the job room,
and two In the press ROOM"
On the induction into Office Of Mr.. A. NJ.
Clapp, rs Congressional printer, he found
the clause above-rcClted stand as O bar to
prevent him from assisting boys to obtain a
trade, therefore he addressed communica-
ton 10 Thomas Rich, esq, president of the
union, In regard to the matter. The COM
munlcatlon reached Mr.. Rich nearly three
months ago, but owing TO the fact that the
controversy In regard to Lewis II. Douglass
was bvs' :. was impossible, In the ordi-
nary course OF business TO reach It and take
II up.
As Mr.. Clapp was anxious to have an I'M.
Outstanding as to what the printers Intended
to do, some Of the compositors of the Gov
eminent printing Office Gas Is claimed by
the city prIntefs) called a mceting OF the
union last night, as stated above. The COM
positors from the city offices state that they
Tule nearly all ignorant OF the meeting, and
only those who read the afternoon papers of
yesterday were lucky enough to be present.
The printers OF the Government offices CON-
menced to arrive early, and by the time the
meeting was called to order about one hun.
dred and fifty had asse nbled.
The city printers mustered, all told, about
sixty mon. The doors during the carly part
of the session were strictly guarded, and an
Injunction Of secrecy laid upon each mem.
Der, but before adjournment an opportunity
was allowed reporters, "of the keyhole
species, 10 form an idea OF what was done.
From what could be CLEANED, the following
Is about what was done; President Rich &C.
cuplcd the chair, with Mr.. Langtree as sec
retary.
Tho communication Of Mr.. Clapp was read
Ill @ f. ,u-gcs,s TO the Union a modihca-
ton Of the law given above, In order that the
Government Printer can be enabled to ap-
point such number Of apprentices as he shall
see At. The communication was not acted
upon when Captain Brock, In charge of tn,
specification room at the Government office
offered series OF preambes and resolutions
to tic effect that the Co rgressioual Printer
be authorized to di. charge the apprentices Al
the Goycrrmen Office, that the Union shall
give them Che apprentlccs) working card.
as members Of the Union, and that Mr.
Clapp will be able to place ten new appren
tlces at work.
As soon as the resolutions OF Captain
Brock were clearly understood, the city men
seeing that Il was but ruse and that thu
Government office men proposed to ''whiy
the devil round the stump" in order tina
the ten Appendices should be gained, begar
to "allibuster' to prevent their adoption
A good deal Of confusion now prevailed, ant
for two hours the time was passed In calling
the yeas and nays and other ''dodges" O
the minority. The noise, confusion ant
tactics OF the city men finally had their eff
feet on the president, who, becoming dis.
rustei, recognized q member to make a
motion to adjourn, which was no sooner
made than II was put amid loud cries ON
both sides,
Notwithstanding the clamor the Chair
decided the motion carried, and accordingly
adjourned the Union until its next stated
meeting, on Saturday, nth inst, leaving, as
will be seen from the above, the apprentice
question In as bad fix as Is the Douglass
controversy.
The excitement incident upon the COM
mencement OF the meeting had died out be-
fore It's close, as may be imagined when
We state that on the first vote the Govern
ment printing Oncc workmen polled 1855
votes, and the city men 80, while at the close
but SO were polled by the government hands
TO 10 by the city men.
The feeling was at one time intense, the
city men insisting that an attempt had been
made to use fraudulent means to to obtain
an endorsement Of the request of Nj.
Clapp. However they seemed well satisfied
with the result of the meeting, which, -Yhcy
claim as victory for them, i!..asmuch as
they forced an adjourDndent without action.
II was stated Jys some of the Government
employees, NJ the close of the meeting, that
MI ClaISp will on Monday place number
OF apprentices at work. If this be so we
may expect n lively time in the Government
Office during next week.
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