Evening star., 1869-12-09
The National Labor Convention of
ColcreI Eeu.

Yesterday after our port closed, Mr.. Langs-
ton moved that the caption Of The address re-
ported from the Committee on Addresses be
modiiied so as to read "The coiored people in
their relations to American industry" !" and that
the Convention now adopt the address as the
sentiment of this Convention. Adopted.
On motion the address was adopted and 5000
copies ordered to be printed
The following is an abstract of the address:
TRe Relations Of uts Cotogsd People to American
Industry.
The laboring class of any community educated
and united constitute its strength and in so far
as the leading men thereof realize and appre-
cate this consideration, they will be able 20 raise
the masses of those identified with them in CEN
dition to rank and influence socially and legally
Among the colored men of this country there Is
| industrial capacity native and acquired. All
| over the South and North workmen in gold,
silver, brass, iron, wood. brick. and I'm all the
arts are found doing the most difficult tasks in
| their several departments of labor. They are
not generally engaged by white men who can
| The most accomplished gun-snith among
| Americans is a black man, who not
long since received special notice from the
| Prince of Wales, to whom he presented pistol
/ of his own make. and received in return "a
token OF consideration magnificent medal of
rare value. The most finished cabinet makers
| and blacksmiths of our country are OF the same
| class, and the most valuable invention given US
| by the South-the cotton plough-was the crea-
| ture OF slaves genius. One OF the finest land
scape painters, and of the finest seulptors Of
our country are of African descent. Instances
| of colored persons engaged in commerce in the
large cities of the states, and the capital OF the
nation, furnish illustrations of their capacity in
| this pursuit. These are not exceptional cases;
| take the case of the freedmen in the State OF
| North Carolina. The report OF the general in
\ spe,tor of the schools for freedmen for that
| State is especially significant in its bearing oH
| this point. In one OF his reports for 1853 he
| says that more than One-third of the entire
| cOlored population OF that State are mechan-
| les. The census gives less than 20,o90 OF
the white mechanics, while there are more
| than 60 900 colOred mechanics. All trades are
| represented by theT-also pilots and engineers;
| nor are they behind any class OF worknen in
| skill, taste and ability. The coored mechanics.
| when employed, command the usual wages paid
| others OF like calling. and are taking work on
their OWL responsibility, and doing it TO the sat
| isiactiOn OF their employers. What is said of
the freedmen OF that State is also true OF the
| other States of the South, for, i'm the degrada
ton OF labor by slavery as it existed, the slave
was made 10 DO the mechanical as well as the
| agricultural work, and so became an artisan.
| The two great staples of southern industry can
| not be grown successfully without his labor.
| Thisis proved by the attempts which have been
| made since the war by northern men to grow
| cotton and sugar i'm the South upon plans sug-
gested by their northern experience, and con-
trary TO the method of the cOlored labOrers OF
l the South, which have proved abOrtive in well
! nigh every instance, as many wrecked in their
means ready to testify. With a voting
| power under our present system of reconstruc-
ton of seven hundred and fifty thousand electors,
| and a laboring force Of thIes millions sIt of
four millions and quarter of hardy sons and
daughters of toll, native to the soil, we are an
element in the industry of the country of i'm
p0rtance, value, and power. But for our own
| good and the welfare of the country in her ma
| terial and moral well-being, we seek a better
and broader opportunity to gain knowledge in
| the fields of agricultural, mechanical, CONNER
cial, artistic and professional labor, and this
knowledge we would energize and make more
effective through education. The spelling book
| and the hoe the hammer and the vote, the op-
pOrtunity to rise, place OH which to stand, and
to be and to do, We ask for ourselves al child
rem As tie means in the use Of which, under
God we are to compass these achievements
which furnish the measure, the last and justiti
cation of our claim, to fair treatment and deal
ing. To this end we ask, first of ALL that trades
be open to our children tor q just system of ap-
premiership; second, that for every days labor
we be paid full and fair remuneration, that no
avenue OF industry be closed against us, tibet We
may work in the printing Office whether private
or government, the factory, foundry, the work
shop, upon the railroad the canal, the river, the
Steamboat, wherever labor is to be done, that
our color; hence we rejoice in all the evidences
of prosperity which we see III the erection of
factories and foundries in Maryland, Virginia,
Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, and
Alabama, promising that our strong and labor
hardened hands shall be given to the de-
velOpment OF tie resources of our several
States in the interest OF our employers.
Recognizing ourselves as native Americans,
and knowing ourselves as members OF the great
American body polite, while we ask the recog-
milton and protection due any and all of like pO-
hticei CONDITION, in the past in all time to
come, with untettered limb and manly enjca-
vor. we shall labor with our white fcllow-coun-
trymen, native and naturaliZed, in mine.
farm, in workshop, in foundry. in factory. every
where, to develop the material and industrial
powers Of our land making wind water. AMI
earth to aid in the accomplishment OF its mis-
sion Of liberty and law. honor and justice, Chris
tianity and civilization. In all laboring mems
movements, as in all political organizations. we
hold as binding and inyiOlate the sentiment
that the national honor and the national
faith should be maintained in all its ful.
ness, being as sacred the sovereignty.
which We have pledged as its sure guarantee
We are not Insensible OF our weakness in
our present disOrganized condition, and our
utter inability to compel a full and just recog
milton Of our claims for larger and more certain
compensation for services rendered, and a larger
opportunity to follow these diversified pursuits
Of industry which, in New England and our
Northern States generally, have done 30 much
to enlighten, elevate, and bless the people.
This brings US to question Of vital moment. 1t
Is practicable to so organize our industrial forces
and direct our labor as to compel the wealthy
classes, the landhOlders and planters, to recOg
nize and admit our rewer and respect our claims
accordingly. We have attempted the solution OF
this question in the organization Of our Ma
tional Bureau of Industry with none other than
anxious and earnest sOlicitude for the well
fare Of our working millions and their p0sterty.
We would, therefore, have the lab0rer under
stand that acres, however vast, in plantations
however immense, uncultivated, are prOfitless;
Ike principles promulgated through party plat
forms, unaccepted by popular Endorsement at
the polls; and besides, that these uncultivated
acres cannot be made profitable without labor,
any more than political principles can be made
influential and effective through party agency
without the approval of the popular will. We
would teach that labor is the parent of capital
and that well-directed, intelligent and united
industry brings national wealth 1t brings indi
vidual competency and Independence. "The
Irishman would starve IL not employed by the
railroad company" said a brainless and heart
less agent thereof; "but," replied the sagacious
and philosophical son Of the Green Isle, when
thus addressed, "there would have been no rail-
road had God not made the Irishman to dig and
shovel" Whether the Irishman be indispensa-
Bile to railroad building, the principle here in
dicated Is correct. 1t is digging and shoveling
which makes capital valuable; and the wealthy OF
this and other lands, once poor, but now aiuent,
can testify that this saying Is not fgurative.
In our organization We make no discrimina-
uon as to nationality, sex or color. Any labor
movement based upon such discrimination, and
embracing but q small part Of the great work
ing masses Of the country, while repelling
others because Of Its partial and sectional char
ter will prove to be OF very little value. Indeed
such movement, narrowed and divisional, will
prove suicidal for II arrays against the classes
represented by 1t all other laboring classes
which ought to be the rather allied in the closest
union, and thus avoid those dissensions and di-
visions which in the past have given wealth the
advantage over labor.
The address concludes as follows :-ssIn the
cultivation Of such spirit Of generosity on our
part, and the magnanim0us conduct which IL
prompts, We hope, by argument and. appeal ad-