The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-09-23

IL D A~
80 SOUTH CLARK sTREET.
vogue are thus showing themselves ingeniou
snd csuninglv, msnioulAted frauds upon tn
~urkinEclas~ee, whom they keep In ignorAnc
sud srTvitude and whereas, tho eight-hOu
i4s. by his same syssen. 2 arrogance aud mon
I cpoiy. has been kept in aheyanca and waive
~ made fraudulent use Of BY contractors o. th
/ public works; aud whereas, these are but a feV
OF the macy untold grievances the down trod
den producers Of the ~orld's wealth are obliAe'
g. endure, there ore be il
Resolved, That the working classes, who ar
he producers Of all the natural wealth b,
which society is benefited, bat who are denieC
It's enjoyment by system Of class legislation
/ shich, if not at once put stop to, will reduc,
4 be working classes of this country to q stat,
/ Of serfdom; it therefore behooves them &
continuously struggle and organize for thei
rlghuul portion, both by corporation and leg
/ -laiion for a recognition OF their social aRC
political interests, ard for the abolition Of al
mOnupolies, that in the future the clIsse tha
nov cheat sud rob them may themselves b
forced to work rather than rob for their living
1 TApplause.
Resolved, That the conduct of the commits
soners and others having control Of public
buildings now in course Of erection for the
State government, and for the city aud county
Of New YoIk and other counties Of the State
in exacting more than eight hours for day,
wo,k, in direct violation of an explicit State
law, is an usurpition of authority which de-
mands prompt interference and the immediate
inquiries of The Governor Of the State aud as
said persons have kno ingly evaded the pro-
visions Of the act constituting eight hours a
a l.. Al. L..
brought to punishment.
Resolved, That we deprecate AID condem
any and all attempts to act aside a law Of the
STATE, being in it's very nature a revolutionary
aud dang rous precedent precedent damag
ing in its future results to the interests Of the
nation, which through representative and legis
latve enactnents has conSd red the laws and
discussed their bearings, and, through major
ity OF the representative assemble d, decided
such laNs to he the will Of the people, and ac-
cordngly placed upon the statues OF the State,
there to remain law until revoked by the same
power that created 1t; and the eight-hour
law remains de facto, entire upon the statutes,
we demand an immediate enforcement of il
without any equivocatlon and the full and com
plete punishment Of its violators-thc Commits
ssners OF the State Capitol And more espec-
iaiiy DO We copdcm their action or usurpstion
law, and also in being privy to plundering the
State funds by alloSing the superintendent of
the afor' said Capitol, John Bridgeford, to cred
il men on the piy rolls Of said Capitol while
employed by him in private buildings, churches
std contracts in which he IL interested, and
therefore We demand his immediate removal
and punishment. 'ntnued applause
Resolved, That we, the workingmen of New
York, on behalf II he workingmeu Of the Uni
TED States dtnfunce the action Of the heads OF
the department under which the new post office
is now erecting in this city and that we con-
slider their persistent evasion Of the law consti-
futing eight hours as a legal day's work petty
sct OF tyranny, inconsistent with the Laws { fthe
country and against the spirit Of American
liberty
X soivei That We, as lav-sbiding citizens
claim that thr law making eight hours a day.
work i and will be a benefit 10 the toiling mil
lions Of this nation, and that an attempt to
evade or interfere with its provisions will be
me ~ith resistance.
r solved As uEskilled laborers are now en-
ployed IL different departments Of public works
As skilled mechanics, among whom are painters,
machinists. masons, c'rpenters, stonecutters,
&c, 20 tie injury of our citizens who are strug-
Cling to Obtain 40 honest subsisteuca, that We
demand that hereafter none but skilled work
men ~ mechanical departments shall be EN-
.loyed IA any departments OF che Natsa-l, state,
C~unty or City governments.
Resolved, That in as much as the legislature
of this State has failed to comply with the de-
mands OF the workingmen Of the State by not
passing law to abolish convict labor, whereby
great portion of our citizens would derive
great benefits and advantages, and the entire
state be relieved OF burden which is nov al
rra. stt-t t,l.f
and snlemuly protest against any further DELAY
n the ptesage Of bill which shall abolish the
present abOmiuabe system 10 our prisons, pen
itentiaries, and reforma ories. By the passage
u such bin se consider that crime will be re-
tardcd. Ne drain on the State Treasury lessen
cd, az simple justice alone done, not only to
those who make this demand (the wot kingmen)
but 70 the people Of the entire State.
Rtsolvei, That as the government Of Ito
ULite States and the State Of New York rec
ognzr eight hours as legal days work, We
The law-abiding workiugmeu Of the city Of New
York, have determined that the law shall be
epf'rced. Loud applause, aud cries Of That's
ii
Resolved, That if the post Office, army pro
visionment, public parks. &c, can be and are
go economically and satisfactorily conducted by
the people through partisan government, toll
Grating class legislation so also coal mines, rail
roads and steam lines, gas works, canals, tele-
graphs, &c, can, and ought to be conducted BY
the people, through the government, thus furn-
isning abundance Of steady and useful labor to
the people themselves and that if all aud not
part be thus turned over to the government to be
conducted by the honest organized maiorites.
the proceeds might be distributed among the
producers at cost, thereby dealing death blow
to monopolies that are threatening the life of
our republican institutions.
Addresses were then made BY Messrs.
Quinn, of the Stonecutters, McDermott, Of
The Plasterers, McMacken, of the Painters,
Troup, OF the New Haven Sunday Morn
ing Union, Powers, Of the Stonecutters,
Matthews, of the Bricklayers, and others.
An able and well-timed address was
read BY Mr.. Ira Steward, Of the Boston
Eight Hour League, which was well re.
sived.
Meetings we're beld outside of the hall,
at which Messrs. Kuhn, Of the Cigar
Makers, BlIssert, Of the railors, Walsh, Of
the Laborers, Hennessy and Ennis, Of the
Plasterers, and others made speeches.
The meetings did not break up unit
a late hour, and we congratulate the work.
ingmen Of the Empire City on the success
full manner the whole demonstration wa.
carried out.