The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-01-01
THE RIGHT HOUR MOvEMRNT.
rRocEEpiNos or the NATIONAL EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE.

1
Executive Eight Hour Committee, held
It Washington, D. c., few evenings
4ince, Gen. VIM, its chairman, made
fhe following report:
GENTLEMEN: Since our meeting fo'
organization, / have made my busiDess
70 learn all l could about what has been
Zone by the Government in rehtlon to
the establishment of the eight hour
system oflabor among its employees.
By the politeness of Hon. George G.
Horham, Secretary of the Senate, 1 OBJ
lained all the information necessary for
pur action at present.
have obtained an exact copy Of the
Eight-hour law, which reads as follows:
4 An ACT constituting eight hours DAVIS work
for ali laborers workmen, and mechanics
/ EMPLOYED by Ut on behalf Of the Government
: Of the United States. Approved June rs, 1858.
: " Be il enacted, &C., That eight hours shall
Constitute a days work for all laborers, work
nen, and mechanics now employed. or who may
hereafter be employed BY or on behalf Of the
iSoyernment of the United States, and that all
scts and parts Of acts inconsistent with this
Bet be, and the same are, hereby, repealed"
l understand that this law passed the
House of Representatives by a unani-
nous vote. In the Senate it met with
vigorous opposition. The Senators
from the Pacific coast were all in favor
IF it, and by the exertions of Senators
Conness, Cole, Nye, Stewart, and
others, it became the law of the land.
Very soon we found to our sorrow that
The Superintendants and some Of the
beads of Departments misunderstood
The law, or, not liking it, sought to
bvade its provisions; this brought the
question before Congress again, and,
st the last session, the House took
action upon the subject by adopting the
following:
Resolved, &c, That the joint resolution re-
slucing and regulating the hours Of labor Of the
Government laborers, workmen, and mech Anics,
approved June 25, 1853, shall no. be so con
ktrued as to authorize a corresponding reduction
IN wages"
This was passed on the 9Th day Of
asst April, and was sent to the Senate,
put Congress adjourned without acting
,lpOn it. This was, perhaps, well
enough, as it is Legislative mistake in
its wording. 1t denOminates the eight
hour lava "joint resolution" How
ever, it has served the purpose as an
e1 tession Of national feeling, coming,
as it does, from the popular branch Of
Congress.
After adverse decisions by the Sc
cretaries of War and Navy, confirmed
by the opinion of the Attorney General,
the President called a meeting of his
Cabinet and they decided that the re-
duction Of hours did not corresponingly |
reduce the wages. The President &C
cordingly issued his proclamation to
that effect, which thrilled the hearts Of
millions of workingmen, who advocate
the establishment Of the eight-hour sys I
tenn oflabor. In San Francisco, where
reside the news was received withth
widest enthusiasm.
The House Carpenters Eight-Hour
League, of 2 500 members, one of which .
I have the honor to be, unanimously
passed a resolution returning thanks to
the President and adopting a certificate
Of membership, to be headed with the
and embellished with |
emblems and designs, to perpetuate the
evidences of their satisfaction.
This is now being gotten up at great
expense by one Of the best artists in the
United States.
Senator Morrill,, Of Vermont, opposed
the passage Of the eight-hOur law, and
we had no reason to suppose that he
had changed his views upon the sub
iect, until, last week it was announced
in the papers that he had given notice,
that he would on Friday last, call up
the bill in relation to the eight-hOur
law, as some Of the heads Of Depart
ments had so construed its provisions
as to make it useless to the working
men.
l and others were induced to believe /
that be had changed his mind, and l so
stated at our last meeting. Since then
/ called upon him, and had an interview
in relation to the matter. Mr.. Morrill,
was polite and agreeable in his CONVEX
sation, but his views upon the subject
are inconsistent with ours, and I'VE must
expect his opposition.
The National Labor Convention of
Colored Men, which has been in session
here for a week, did not forget the
eight-hour system, but declared the
eight-hour law wise, just, humane, and
economical, and hope the President of
the United States will compel the
Government contractors, as well as its
own officers, to give it fair and equit-
able Interpretation and carry out ITS
provisions.
recommend that we agree upon
bill that will meet tn views of the la
boring men as we understand them-a
bill that shall provide that all officers,
superintendent, architects, agents, or
contractors, under any law Of Congress,
shall have the public work done at
eight hours per day; and if they, or
any Of them, shall attempt to evade the
law they shall be removed or otherwise
punished for such offence.
The citizens that we represent cast
majority of the votes Of the United
States, and have right to fix their
hours of labor; and they have an equal
right to demand that the governments
under their control shall set the ex-
ample by having the public work done
at eight hours per day. We are sent
here 10 make that demand, and if we
do not succeed in obtaining what they
ask, it is our duty to SO report, and then
it will be their right ia elect Congress
that will properly represent them. But
/ have no fears Of the result. The
members fresh from the people under
stand the wants Of their constituencies,
and will, am sure, vote for such bill
as we may prepare and present.