The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-10-23
FROM NEW YORK.
LABOR MASS MEETING, RESOLUTIONS,
SPEECHES, ETC.

! UAcu Vi ANCW AOihp ~ OS~HNA
consider the propriGty of nominating labor
candidates to be voted for at the ensuing
election. The meeting was called to order
At few minutes after eight o'clock BY Mr..
Troup, of the Printers, who nominated Mr..
Young, president Of the WoTkingmen's AS
sembly, as chairman of the meeting Mr..
Young, on coming forward, was greeted
with much applause. He said:
SPEECH OF MR. YOUNG.
Fellow CITIzENs-I appreciate the com
pliment YOU have paid me by making me
the presiding officer. 1t is an honor that
shall long remember with pride and salts
faction. We have met tonight together to
talk over matters bearing upon the great
cause in which we are enlisted, and to give
expression to our views upon the labor move
ments now attracting the attention OF all
classes an conditions Of men. We have met
not as partisans, but as free aud independent
men, untrammelled by political perty aftilia-
ton. and with a sincere desire to uphold the
rights Of labor, and 10 demand eT f0rcements
Of the lust laws passed for our relief, and to
denounce the unjust and unequal taxation,
making the rich man richer and the poor
man poorer. Applause Thanks to the
union and harmony prevailing among us we
! are in q position to do this, for we are every
day gaining more and more the confidence
of the public at large. The conservative
pls torn adopted by the Labor Congress in
Philadelphia is doing its work, and its effect
will soon be seen and felt. Contrast the
position we occupy to-day we, that only few
ears ago were looked upon little short of an
| organized moi, ready at any moment to re-
sort 10 violence if our demands were not
complied with. Applause.l Now re find the
public approving of our principles and urg-
| ing us to put these principles into operation.
From the United States Senate, from the
/ halls Of the Legislature-from the business
centres of trade and commerce we are receiV-
ing evidence that our work is appreciated.
The idea that laboring men have banded
together simply for the one purpose of Sc
curing advance wages, is dying out. The
large attendance of reporters, the presence
Of 50 many professional men, and notice
professional politicians amongst US, is a
proof that ignorance is giving place to intel
| iigence and reason. Applause. Capital
lists no longer trembling with apprehension
| lest the assembling of ourselves should en-
danger their treasures, and whyP Because
conference has been reasoning with capital,
and labor has been reaping the benefits of
that conference. Labor has begun to de-
monstrate that it is an ally and protector
| of capital, and that the interests of both are
| identical But there is one class Of men that
view the work in which We are engaged with
fear-I mean the politicians, who are the
sworn enemies Of both capital and labor.
Their corruption levies millions of dollars
uniustly upon the people. Yes, they uaIn-
| pie over the people BY their vast extrava-
gance and corruption. | know, fellow-citi
Eens, there are some who say that we should
not meddle with politics, but confne our
| selves to matters appertaining strictly to
working unions. Now all the acts OF politi-
clans concern us-they levy the taxes and
we pay them they pass obnoxious laws,
and we are obliged to abide By them. When
the landlord charges you exorbitant rent for
tie houses in which your wives aud little
ones live, these politicians tell you that the
hiUh price Of labor is the cause of it, but
thew take care not to tell YOU that the taxes
thew have levied are millions Of dollars more
than ia necessary for the purposes of the
municipal government. Applause. They
do not tell you this, for they want these ex-
ira millions to produce sinecures for per
sonal appropriations. 1t is not one party
alone no, but by the combination of both
political parties who divide the levies among
themselves; who punish you for holding
lust such meetings as this. Do these things
not concern us as workIngmenS Do they
not concern the taxpayer And are we not
justified in finding from our ranks men who
will remedy the evil? Gentlemen, ponder
upon these things, consider them and weigh
these matters well. They concern you as
citizens, they concern you as tax payers, and
they concern you as workingmen. And as
the representative Of the workIngmen of this
city, pledge myself to give all my time, all
my labor, to bring prosperity and peace to
the 6re-sides Of my fellow wOrkingmen Of
this city, and 10 this am backed BY a power
full array Of honest workers In the labor
movement, who are determined 20 assert their
rights and maintain them. Gentlemen,
thank you for the attention with which you
have listened to my few remarks. [Cheers
and applause.
Speeches we're also made by Messrs
B.ssert, Troup, Ccnuelly, Of England, Kuhn,
Aathers, Purcell, Burke. Purdy, Walsh,
Carr, WIN. BOssong, Tourele, Shaffer, Cut
ters, Luton, and others.
Taken altogether, the meeting was great
success, and tended to be the precursor Of a
series Of similar gatherings to be held, pre-
vious to the November election.
Mr.. Blissert, the Secretary, then intro
duced the following:
RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas Both OF the existing PARTIES are
corrupt, serving capital instead Of labor, assum-
ing the control of the masses by means of con-
ventions, rings, caucuses, and defrauding them.
10 place OF being the servants of the people
hence the necessity Of organizing new party
for the bette preservation of the Government
of the people, unfolding the honor and dignity
I Of the republic, and maintaining the prosperity
! OF the country.
Resolved, That we, the workngmen Of New
York city, in mass meeting at Cooper, Institute
assembled, recognize in the new organization
known as the Labor Reform Party, organized on
the platform If principles adopted by the Ma
tional Labor Union, shall make it the duty Of
every mr. mber thereof to sever all combinations
with the existing political parties, and not sup
port any candidate who does not wholly repre-
sent the principles contained in the Labor plat
form, and makes it his duty to enforce the same
and urge the immediate necessity of organizing
in their respective districts for the purpose oil
sending representatives direct from the ranks Of
labor, to represent workingmen in the councils
Of the Nation and State.
Resolved, That while we admit that the
Eight Hour Law" passed in this State for the
alleged purpose of regulating the hours Of la
boz was merely party concession, conceived
without honesty and with no intention thai
such law should be enforced, we, In the spirit o
law abiding citizens, do hold the Executive O.
this State wholly responsible for the non-en-
forcement thereof, and we further pledge our
selves, as workingmen, to withhold our support
from any candidate who will not pledge himsel
TO an unqualified enforcement Of its provisions
and the removal Of all legal or legislative re-
strictions now on the statutes bearing on sucE