The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-06
THE WOaKINGMEN's UNION.

The regular meeting OF the Workngmen's Union
was held last night al the rooms of the Union oct
Bowery. The attendance OF delegates was not very
large, and the enthusiasm and tall talk prominent
at the meetings previous TO the election waned
considerably under the influence OF the defeat OF
their candidate In the recent political contest This
defeat was attributed to fraud IN the casting of votes
for ana against Mr.. Nelson w. Young and 20 the
traltorous conduct Of newspaper hitherto supposed
to be the organ OF the Union.
Tue chair was taken by the President, Mr.. Nelson
w. Young, and after the calling OF the roll and
other formal business reports were received from
the different trades. The delegate from the paper
stainers said that this trade still strike; the
sbosses' were combining against the men, and 1t
had become a test question whether labor should be
equal to capital. The. meetings OF the men were
held daily, and he was happy to say that every
was at his post. Mr.. James Fitzgerald who it was
reported had absconded, had returned, ana had
already paid the trade 5000 towards the amount
owing from him, and he had promised to pay the
balance very shortly. The delegate from the giders
said that the trade for some time had been In q
depressed condition, but since they had organiza
ton 1t had improved Tney intended this (satur-
day. night to make demand for an advance OF
wages. The present rate thirty cents per hour;
they would ask for FIVE cents additional and II not
granted the strike would commence on Monday
The Secretary read copy OF letter addressed to
the Secretary OF the United States Treasury, III
reference to the infringement OF the national Eight
Hours bill IN tue building Of the new Post Office at
New York. No reply had been received. 1t was
resolved that the Secretary should write to President
Grant on the question.
A letter on this subject was read from Mr.. A. NJ.
Winn President OF Mechanics State Council! or Cali
fornia in reference TO the violation or the national
Eight Hour law In the building OF the Post Oalce at
New York SAID he understood tnat It was done
tractors 1t ceases to be work coming within the pro-
visions Of the law II that was the construction o.
f1an nf inn In ITtItA
States had done great deal OF work for nothing.
Thousands Of dollars and thousands Of days have
been spent by the mechanics to secure the passage
oil the Eignt Hour law, and IL were to be con-
sidered mere tub thrown TO the whale" the work
ing men mad been badly fooled. But they were not
inclined to submit to Ruch evasion or the law
without struggle to maintain their rights.
The government were now building In
San Francisco and II the principle were admitted in
New York the contractors on that building were
entitled to the same privilege. The law read 'that
eight hours should constitute days work for all
laoorefs, workmen and mechanics then employed,
or VINO may hereafter be employed on behalf Of the
ana nars OF acts inconsistent with the act to be and
the same were repeaied.n
inc contractor was employed by the government,
and the men ct work Tor him were employed on
behalf OF the government, and it would be d great
stretch OF imagination TO say that the go.ernuent
OF this law when he took the contract and therefore
1t would be no hardship to- insist upon the
The safest plan however, would be to ask Congress
to pass bill which could not be likely to lead any
was 70 establish moral principle necessary for the
pubic good. The writer or the letter then referred
to the fact OF the existence OF the sabbath day and
| to the wisdom OF Solomon IN building the temple,
dividing the time Cl tie builders into three sections
eight hours OF which were devo ed TO labor lie also
referred TO the hardship OF the necessity OF getting
recognition or the Eight Hour law by bill through
| Congress whe the clerks in Washington employed
by the government worked only six hours per day,
and thirty days the year for play during the year.
at the mere win OF the heads Of the departments.
However ne said there was no good in arguing the
point II tney wanted legal justice they must send
proper men to the City Councils, state Legislatures
men holding THESE offices as the masters OF orKng
men, Instead OF considering them as their servants.
report was also read from the committee ap-
pointed TO act with the Arbeter Union In reference
the mass meeting, and the late agitation IN The poit
| cal campaign. and the concluding paragraph OF
! this report was as follows-
II gives your committee much pleasure able to say
that as soop as became known that they had made the
81 Of MT ovns was rescyed b.
Immediately endorsed the workngnens nomination. The
diced yields the victory to candidate
him Of his rights edmonon to the worfingmeh that
their organizations canno, BE- too perfect compete with
| with their associates from the Arbeiter Union
A letter was also read from Governor HOFFMAN in
reply to requlsitlon OF the Union asking him to
| appoint three members Of the Union as Commits.
sioners for the House OF Refuge, or Asylum Tor
Dellnquents. at Kandals Island. Governor Hoir.
man replied that he was NOT aware that he had the
point out that he had and suggest names it should
receive that consideration 1t was so e!ninentlv
| Three members or the knights of st. Crspn were
| appointed to inquire INTO the question OF prison
labor in the State and to report at future meeting.
| Mr.. WELLS, Second Grand Lodge OF Knights OF
/ st, Crlspn said that the question Of prison labor
was now beng ,s worked up BY the knights Of e
| mass meetings respecting IL.
| 1t also decided to employ legal gentleman
to draft bills 10 be submitted to the Legislature and
Congress IN reference TO several questions now
| before the Union.
recent defeat OF the candidate OF the Union In the
| last political contest.
| Mr.. NELSON W. ToUSG said that he thought it
right to make statement with regard to the posi-
! tlon he had recently occupied before the people
He referred a. some length to his dissemination
! accept no nomination but that offered him by the
workingmen. Ihe ioilt committee lrad seen lit TO
nominate him for tho ONCE OF Coroner lucn oanst
his wish. From that moment he had been tue object
OF considerable abuse from one newspaper In the
city, although supported by all the other news
then referred 10 the endorsement OF his nomination
by me various political organizations. lie gave no
representative OF the $1,000 workingmen who voted
ior him last Tuesday. After he had received these
accept an aldermansnp, and he mad reason to
know that that oder came from Tanmany.
lie declined 1t, aud said In reply to that oder
that he was workingmans candidate, and
that lie should remain 80 ana stand upon
the platform Of the Labor Congress. Had
Justly he mir Young would have been returned.
In several wards OF the city 1t was known he had a
majority ana yet 1t was cast against him. AT two
O'Clock on the morning OF Wednesday nc received
news from Mr.. Superintendent Kennedy that Mr.
Young was certainly elected by ut least ten thou.
sand majority and yet they made the return some.
thing IKE forty thousand for himself ana slxtyeCht
thousand for Mr.. schirmer. He thought that II was
an insult TO the workingmen for him to be thus he.
uayed. Mr.. Young then alluded to his own
character and career as a workingman ne
was square, and he dehed any incubation
OF wrong doing TO be truthfully brought
against him. He was allied TO the workingmen and
With them he should remain until the last breath
left his body. tApplausc.) He believed that tie
worklngmen were sound upon this question and In
the END prove victorious. In reply to an inquiry
MI. louha said that ne had been offered an aloer-
four months ago, In writing, to gentleman who had
spent good deal OF money to secure his election.
Otner speakers followed in . similar strain all
oenuncatory or the organ which had been the
representatve OF workingmen, and formal resola