The workingman's advocate., 1869-05-29
WORKINGMEN IN COUNCIL.
Lecture by Richard Trevellick.
RESOLUTION DEMANDING THE DISMISSAL
OF SECRETARY BORE FROM TIE CA
BRET.

On SATURDAY evening isst large ana en,hu-
siastic meeting Of the mechanics ana working
men % Chicago vl- heId at Burlington Hall 70
listen 70 q lecture, delivered under the auspices
Of the Trades Assembly,, by Mr. Richard Ire
velHck, tLg aaI-anoen La5or Uaion orator
The bri,kiaYers u ne number of 800, headed
by band, marched from thoir hall on Randolph
street % Tie place 0f meeting, ana presented a
very oreditable appearance.
On motion O., Mr. O'Connen, President Of
the Assembly, CAas II. Ham, Esq, vas ar-
pointed Chairman of tLe meeting and Mr. w.
C. Mcclure, Secretary.
AC. Cameron thcn offered the following resO-
luton, which vas unanimously adopted
Resolved, That tbo thauks Of the mechanics
~ Chicago are due and are hereby rendered TO
our Senators ana Representatives for the able
and co si,tent manner iu which they redeemed
their pledges, a ala, by voice ana vote olr I'M
tetests. during the rcc-ut session Ji tle Illinois
Legislature.
nj Ham, on taking the chair, spoke as fo!-
lows:
FEILow CIrIzENs oF THE TEAnYs' ASSEMBLE
AND WoBEISGNtN CF tAGo-i feel Profound.
favor ih sgain calling me to preside over this
vast assemblsge, Whi,u So well represents the
industrial and producing classes Of our noble
city.
I accept the position With miugled pride and
difidence; diiid. nee because am conscious of
my Inability 70 Al anything like justice 90 the
Cccasi0t, pride I'D thc satisfaction feel iu thus
identifying mBel Nth q movement which
solemny believe Is intimately connected With
the welfare ANA prosperity of our country.
In aIl governments, past ana present. the
concentration o. wealth n The hands oi Che
few, has resulted in legislation for The pr0tec
fiou of -uch accumulated wealth. and oppres
sivc II the lahoTing and producing classes; and
AZ the udastTiai class far o-tlumhcrs al others,
such legislation is msuiiestly 1udymocratic and
therefore subveryiye o both the letter and spirit
OF our organic laws.
The onlr say to remedy this evil, and render
our government a blv lvssug aud not curse, is
for the mechanics and lahoriug men. OF the
great cities and the agricultural classes OF the
whole country % unite heart and hand 10 such
political y t.1n us wiil ensure their oVu pr0tec-
tion against thc y. cIoachmcrts III die m0neyed
Institutions # the country. Money costs TOO
much 10 tlr borrower; and the result is that
al the profits of ths producing classes 20 %
the money lender "a pay interest. The rate Of
iute ESQ on the national debt is too high, and
must be reduced; at The present rate it operates
as a mortgage on aIl lhe earnings 81 the labor
ing and producing classes. and transfers every
dollar Of surplus over a bare support, into the
pockets Of the non producing class.
Gentlemen, i is your proyit w 70 attend ~
these evils, and 50 shape the legislation Of the
country as 10 make the burdens Of government
rest equaliy uapn every citizen. You corsii-
tute a vast majority Of the voters, ami you
have onl- to unite, and stand shoulder TO shoul-
der IN order 70 bring back the government @
Tie simple practices oi early times, and nos
ti ile world taat our institutions are in fact
what the, purport TO be il theory.
an happy 70 be ablr, upon this occasion, to
congrstu ate you upon the passage, by he last
session OF the legislature, OF the law ia iegard
10 mechanics liens, which ven asked for IL is
4 steu iu advance when any low can be made
solely for tie benefit Oi mechanics and laoOr-
ing men While however the law in question
Il. far their sole benefit, y IL just 70 All concern
w. ara trust this will be true NJ al legislation
which may, in the future, be asked Tor by the
working classes
I congratulate you upon the feet that We have
with u Tonight distinguished champion Of
tie rights of workingmen; a ran who is devot
irg his tine and attention to the amehoraiion
oi the condition Of the lab6rlg classes, and
doing noble service III the cause Of humanity
have the pleasure Of introducing to you Rich
ard 1feyellck, who will address yoa upon ths
subject Of Land, Labor an Money.
The Chairman then introduced the lecturer
who spoke substantially as follows:
Wmkingmen should remember one fact
that which they sowed they wonld reap. |
they did did not attend to their own interes
some person or persons would attend to il fo
them, and leave them out 10 the cold ever
time.
They could not violate any natural law with
out receiving the punishment which iuvariabI,
followed the violation. The National Labo
Onion demafded &c the United States the eli
,Of God to man--the earth, the air and th
water, that no man or corporation or Stat
Legislature has more right 10 take than any on
has TO fence and cage the atmosphere. The
should demand every rod Of soil, and not per
NIT Il to become the property of spectators,
Who gave man the power to sell the cart
while nc toilng millions we're asking 70
bread Legislation at Washington and Stat
legislation because the working men had nc
taken them by he throat snd demanded thei
rights. (APplause.l The WOfkingmen ha
L0s