Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-04-22
THURSDAY MORNING, April %, 1869
MECHANICAL PURSUITS AND
WORKINGMEN OF THE
SOUTH.
NUMBER THREE.

and control of demagogues, who will
use thea for political or personal ends.
The formation of societies among them-
selves for the purpose of rendering in
telligent and patriotic exertions in be
half of the interests which the new era
is opening up to the Southern people,
would add vast lever to the cause of
progress. But thep,if this lever is to be
made subservient to the political tricks
ter or demagogue, it had better, for the
good of the community and the work.
ingman too, not exist. SIN Union there
is strength" and there are thousand
good objects that union Of the work.
ingmen might promote, if that union
could be kept pure and indebted,
The future power and glory of our
own dearly beloved native State much
depends on the manufacturing interests !;
and although we have no great number
OF mechanics among us as yet, still there
are sufficient of them to form neuclus
around which the new corners may gath
err and strengthen their associations.
Patriotic and intelligent action on the
part of few, now, will lay the founda-
ton of deep and lasting good to the
Ct,to II, f,,tnra
You will speedily be called on again
to assume your portion Of the manage
ment of public affairs by means of being
again invested with the privilege of vo-
ting for whoever you may deem best to
fill the offices of trust and emolument
among us. Are you prepared to cast
your vote intelligently on that score,
without having to trust the matter of
your choice to the diclation of profess
sional politician or demagogue ? There
will be in the very start very important
subjects brought up for you to decide
Oh, and your decision should be well
weighed, or it may enchain your chill
dren in as bad a state of slavery as their
fathers have just escaped from. Have
you looked at the situation" closely
that you may be prepared to decide
properly? If you think there is an
antagonism between capital and labor
we know you have not, and we advise
you to look again. The great car of
progress that is to be started along for
our deliverance from ignorance and pow
erty, cannot be budged without the lni-
ted and harmonious efforts of both the
rich man and the poor man.
We fear for you and for your chill
dren after you, unless you got clearer
and moro intelligent insight into what
is your true interest as Southern me-
chanic and workingman, in the future.
We fear for you because, we ourselves
have been made victim of your wrath,
when wrought upon by designing men,
for their own personal objects. You
held your meetings and passed resolu-
tons denouncing us, and almost denoun-
cling any one who dared to pstronize us,
and sent your members around the
cities to make personal efforts to ruin
our business. For what? Did you
give us hearing before denouncing
us? No. Did you, after we made cur
statement, which was borne out and
substantiated by facts, call your body
together and rescind your condemnatery
resolutions, or let the people know that
you had been imposed on by interested
parties to inhict an injury on us? No.
To your shame it has never been done.
Will you wait for us to toady to you
before you will do it? Then it never
will be done. For we are mechanic,
and inspired with a feeling of indie
pendence from that fact, we can never
cringe to you or any one else who may
suffer themselves to be made the instru-
ments of interested parties, to inaict an
injury on us, because we have indie
pendence enough to resist imposition.
We merely mention this fact as an
illustration of how easily your societies
may be imposed on by designing men,
unless you are ever vigilant on that
score. We entertain no bad feelings on
the subject; these we have long since
dismissed There is another prominent
remembrance we will mention in this |
connection: Some years ago, there was
a very worthy and intelligent mechanic
in our city, working at his bench, and
the workingmen conceived that they
had the power and the right to be rep
resented in some of the offices. So
nothing must do, but this mechanic