Evening star., 1870-01-01


and should be equal by having common rights.
This black man, whom some OF you would
clnie from our Union, has interests and rights
in common with ourselves. he l. our eGual as
a workingman. u is no more degrading I'd have
Douglas TO come 10 our meetings than it is to
have him work at our craft and by sides.
How ahsurdly inconsistent il would he, them for
the l nion TO accept one OF the cowardy COM
promises which Douglass enemies have pro-
posed, namely. to permit him to work only
outside OF the UlioD.'
Another OF the compromises which has been
limited at by those who seek cowardly evasion
OF the true issue is that the Government Print
ing once shall lie excluded from the Union.
! We. who are interested, say nay, because We
have 10 RI ght to entertain such proposition
| which would be suicidal of the Union, T. OF any
protection to Us at all, Il is rather our duty to
I preserve tl.G Integrity OF the Union 10y adAerins
| 70 H. and lighting out this good hsht wlthih its
| lines. HXcIu!e Ss from the un.9n. afG , an,
! plovees OF the Government,
| could propose, with better grace. being in the
| majority, 10 exclude the other Offices, which
! tleV would undoubtedly DO if this disrupting
! proposition should be forced TO an issue.
| But suppose YOU reject Douglass what then?
| Do Won think strike at the Government otfce
| should follow such ar insane act of prescription?
| When yod remember that a strike can only be
! ordered hy a twO-thirl> vote OF the Union. do
! Won believe vOu can force one on this issue?
! Cent, men, Uudcccive yourselves if such be
! your halucnatiOns! We shall resist your at
! tempt il YOU make Il, and We have the power To
prevent ourselves irO1n being forced into a strike
Tor illISt reasons bN lltn DN
| and madened by malicious spirit. Attempt it,
| and you go the all i'll shame and confusion.
| Still another miserable and dish NEST COM
| promise suggested. i to give Douglass permit
to work without allagng HIM to become MEM
Der oI the Union. This proposition Is unworthy
OF serious discussion. 1t would be vIo.atiye OF
| the constitution and the objects Of the Union; il
/ wCuld he a stretch of power OF which the socIe.
" l. incapable; il cannot be accepted.
I But the spirit of invention may produce yet
other compromises for our acceptance. 1t may
Al into
tiers OF his own color" We reply, as Doug glass
| iS the only colorcd printer at work in Washing
! ton. he i not numerous enough for that; he is
| too few to run new union Besides. even it
, there were other cJlCred printers in Washing
! ton, there il no reason or necessity for their
forming separate union. 1t would only be
DIVISION OF forces by the craft where there should
| lie consolidation and unity, and a pandering To
| wickedand unreasonable preiudices.
| Thus, gentlemen, it is seen that all these pro-
| posed compromises for the settlement of this
| important question are insufficient. The friends
| of equal rights can accept none Of them. 1t is
| aquestion to hc settled only upon the broad
| ground OF right. The cyasive action of the
International Union at its last session in reIus-
| ing tn deal frankly and courageously with this
| vital subject. brought squarely before that body
| in the resolutions of your delegate. Mr.. Flyun,
| makes il doubly incumbent npon t. settle it
| for ourselves 1t is question dangerous to
| leave unsettled, and one which our interests
| require should be settled soon and finally.
The adoption by the National Convention OF
| a oSolution censuring the Congressional Printer
| for his '.wanton attempt as the resolutions
have it, '.tO force upon Columbia Typograplii-
cal Union, No. 10l, l.. II. Douglass, an ar6,ced
| ret. was an extraordinary piece OF parliament
| airy wOrk-alike extraordinary and unfortunate.
| A representative body, acting in national
| capacity for the craft, without deliberatOn or
| investigation, Oh mere er-porte charge, uTsus-
| tanned by any proofs. i'm one sentence malign
the Congressional Printer, the majority OF
| this Union, and the struggling black
man, Douglass. Mr.. Clapp, the officer
thus rudely assailed, is a man who has
earned i'll a career OF thirty-fO years an en-
| plOying printer. reputation among the craft
| for fairness, which is an honor TO him. and a
| complete rcfutation OF this latter-day siander.
| He is a liberal man, = just man, and q man OF
| large patience; but he iS also firm man. and a
! man OF high courage. He will neither be fright
| ehed by resolutions of censure nor cocrced into
| cOwardly and cruel prescription of this new
! citizen who represents his race in the National
| Printing Office, and who, sustained by the
| might of the nations power, will con-
| tnue to represent it therein. The Congress
siOnal Printer. as the agent OF the Government.
OF the nlted States seeks no quarrel wih His
! Lody. II the crisis-thc Strike-comes. il will
have been brought on by You who can ill afford
! to make such an arbitrament. 1t will be the
\ rebellion Of n single weak society of artisans
! against the will of their Government, for Doug
| lass stands to-day where he does by the will o;
| the nation. Can you, gentlemen, afford such An
unequal contest? As wise men, adjurc YOU
not to prccipitatc il.
| Look at the results that are sure to follow if
yon reject Douglass. First, he Will, if your
rules are enforced. have to- cease work in
| the Government Printing Office. What then L:
| Congress will interfere, and by legislation
remove the public printing beyond the control
OF this Union, and the Globe with much other
public work now done outside the Government:
| Printing Office. would then be gathered into
that Office. and Thus the Union would be Reduced
| to oRe-tIiTd OF its present me mcmbershp: many of
the smaller private offices would be crippled:
the ability OF the craft to secure desirable legs-
| latiOn by Congress in their behalf would bc
weakened. because there would then be no
unity. and consequently no power in our orgaui-
! Zatior. Or. if the Congressional Printer should
| refuse tn dismiss Douglass at the behest Of the
| Typographical Union, we must strike. and a
| strike would be disastrous, strikes
| nearly always strike on this
| question in the Government Printing
| Office means the throwing out Of employment,
for no reason except 10 crafty the senseiess de
| mands of prejudice. a large number OF men who
would be morally justified in refusing to strike
under such circumstances, if the strike should
| fail, it would split up the Union, causing il to
| lose majority of its members-a result OF
almost incalculable injury to the craft here and
elsewhere. The end would possibly be the tisrup-
| ton OF the NationOl Union, itself for with the
! power of the Government Printing Otfice in
! creased by the concentration there Of the
| work have named it would become a iormids-
| ble opponent Ofthe national organization, sus-
! tanned as its chief and employees would he. bv
| public opinion, by the influence Of capital.
| which ever rcioices in the disOrganizatjon of
| labor, and more than all by the direct aid OF
| Congress itself.
| Already powerful combinations are at work
| III the COIItlN llluuCt congress 10 repeal the
eight-hOur law whose bcneiicent results YOU are
| now enjoying These combinations will be con-
sOldated and strengthened, should you become
| the authors of your own downfall as a union by
| the perpeTatOn OF the contemplated high act
Of injustice. Think well, fellow Craftsmen, be-
| fore you bring upon yourselves such punish
! ment!
| Finally, to sum up-lOOking candidly over the
field OF argument in this case we find no lepiti-
| mate reasons for the exclusion Of Mr. Douglass
1 from our Union, but many good and all sufii-
| cient reasons why lie should te admitted. |
have shown You, in no exaggerated TERMS /
| trust, the deplorable results which wOnld follow
| his rejection. Then, let us, rising above preiu-
dice, which is base, casting aside passion, which
is blind, be controlled by reason, which is calm
| and guided by justice. which only can lead us
| Alright. Let us resist the madness OF the hour
| which fiercely demands the sacrifice of this
struggling son of toll.
Let US. while we may, accord to this black
citizen, the right to labor along with us-a right
which, if denied to him by us, will surely oe
| secured to him by the interpOsitiOn OF that
supreme civil power which is above societies
| ana states, ana which We must all acknowledge
Let us admit Douglass to our union.
| WINCHESTER.
| ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO KILL.-Last even
| ing, about O'Clock, as party given by colored
people was in progress at a house in f.Oyster-
shell Lane" an alley between Second end Third
| and and G. streets, the door was forced open.
and white man, named James WOrden entered
\ the room. and before any person could prevent
n hiupav IN f1,r,.e u, -