The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-04-09

letters, d 80. g. Grant, President, 1870"
i which 10 on . shield covering group OF nAsss
i two cannon and round shot At the bottom 10
a basr ON a shiaid. covering two swords at the
ton. ana a nick. shovel and pan, with gold in Il,
/ a the bottom. representing numerous tools and
means Of defence. On the bottom and part OF
this shield is = solid. pure gold plate, and in-
scribsd thereon Is presented by the mecnanics
Of California" The bear Is to represent the
State, and Immediately below Is 10 10 raised
letters the word-California.
| On the right 10 q monogram with L. d. l.,
meaning eight hour law. On the lett 10 anotner
monogram with q. 8. A.
The inner edge of the frame that covers the
edge of the picture is heavy gold band, about
an inch and half vide.
| The stone on which this picture IL drawn and
the design and printing has cost large sum q
money. and copies will be sold ut q reasonable
Sum to such persons 10 may desire them % par
lor pictures or certificates of membership for
members Of societies
The following are the particulars of
the presentation, with the remarks of
Gen. VIM. and the reply Of the presi-
dent:
Agreeable 70 previous arrangements, yester-
day, March 80, at l2 O'Clock, . committee, con-
sisting of Gen. A. n. WinD, president of the
Mechanics State Council Of California, Col. d.
8. Curtiss, secretary Of the National Eight Hour
Executive Committee of Washington, DC, and
E. Ackurray, secretary Of the Mechanics' State
Council Of Maryland and the District of Colum
bia, and AessrA Libby and Myers, Georgetown,
called at the Executive Mansion and we're To-
troduced by Gen. Dent to the president, when
the beautiful emblemltic picture was presented
to the president, Gen. Winn making the pre-
ssntation speech, 40 follows:
M PRKsIDENf,-The mechanics OF the United
States have for years been trying to improve
their social position, 90 40 to be more agreeable
and happy. They have learned that the want
Of education In the lion In their road to success
They toll 90 many hours that, overcome by fla
tigue, they find no time for study of science OF
any kind, or TO learn the rules OF etiquette de-
manded BY polite or educated society. They
have seen the necessity Of appearing N well
and 70 ~ good advantage as their neighbors
that what 10 known 40 society may be no bar to
their ssplrationa To bring about an end 50 de-
sirable they have determined for themselves to
work bot eight hours day, and thus give more
time Tor the acquisition Of knowledge tn at
would make them equal 70 the educated, With
whom they are in measure compelled TO min
gle In business As the government is the true
index Of aggregate pablo opinion, they sought
the passage Of . law fixing eight hours as d avs
work for all government employees. In this you
know how we'll they succeeded
On the 9Th Of January, 1868, the House of re-
personalities passed the eight-hour bill BY al
most IN unanimous vote. In June of the same
year the Senate passed it without amendment.
only six senators voting against it on final vote
An attempt, however, was made to amend 20 as
70 make it nugatory BY reducing the wages in
proportion TO the reduction of hours. Even Tor
this only eleven senators voted, if my recollec-
tion serves me right. The attempt to amend
having failed, We we're led to believe that off,
GERS oil the government would not refuse to c,m-
ply with the law made 90 plain.
In this We were greatly mista ken, for officers
experimenting At once refused to comply, and
appealed 70 the secretaries of the army and ma
w, who agreed with our opponents, and the
oPlnlon OF the attorney general was demanded
de also agreed with the secretaries and their
Interiors that wages must be reduced in proper
ton TO the reduction of hours. The House
passed resolution that il should not be 90 con
strued, bus the Senate has never acted upon it,
just al this time millions of workingmen were
excited upon the subject; they believed their
feelings ana best interests we're being trined
With BY the government officers having control
OF the public work. All eyes we're turned with
|
States, to see What would be your course in re-
latlon 70 those unfortunate decisions. Very
soon, With lightning speed, the people were III
formed that you had issued 4 proclamatio de-
ciaring that no reduction in wages should be
made OO account Of the reduction Of hours
Your action met the appreciation of the me
chanics throughout the United States, the men,
bers Of Ct de associations became wild with de
light, and passed resolutions reIurniL vou
thanks from nearly all of the eight hour asso-
Citations throughout the country. The mechanics
OF CaliiOrniA, mot satisfied with mere expressions
have gotten up this splendid picture in CONNIE
morItiOn Of the passage Of the Eight Hour Law
and In honor Of yourself for the noble act 10
coming to their relief when everything else had
failed.
The frame that surrounds this picture is carved
BY our own workmen NJ a stronger evidence o.
their gratitude and satisfaction.
The honor conferred BY the selection Of my
self as the medium of presentation is duly ap-
precisted, and the duty performed with pleas
ure.
Before closing, permit me to say that We
have with US men of all shades Ut party, but
none voted against the appropriation to pay you
this compliment.
Accept it, General, Is the hearts Offering Of
thousands OF our eight-hour men who work Tor
. living.
To which, receiving the present, Pre-
sident Grant said:
GESTRAL,-I have no reply to make, except
10 thank the mechanics Of California for this sx
preston Of their appreciation Of what have
cone Tor them, which was only what the law re-
Quired me TO do.
After which the committee thanked
the President and withdrew.
Gen. Winn, leaves for California to
night, 10 resume operations in the good
work in his old home there, and he
takes with him the respects and best
wishes of the laboring classes here, for
whom he has done good service during
his stay among US, and his absence viii
be regretted.
Gen. Hugh Cameron is wide awake
among the committees in Congress,
with his presumption friends to thwart
the schemes Of the land grabbers in
Kansas and elsewhere if this prevail
ing practice, of allowing companies to
monOpoliZe such vast tracks of the
public domain, is not soon discontinued,
the farmers and other working people
will be brought into a worse condition
than old Russian serfdom. The labor
ing classes, all over the land, should
speedily, earnestly, unite in protest and
opposition, by voice and vote, against
granting any more of the public lands
to these mammoth companies, and rail-
road schemes.
As soon as Congress takes decisive
action on the new or amended eight
hour law l will give you the proceed
lngs. The tariff and the appropriation
bills are the engrossing business, just
now, in Congress-the arifF to protect
and benefit labor hirers, not labor doors.
d. S. G.