The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-01
Wendell Phillips Defence of the
Paris Communists.
What America Owes to the
French Democracy.
Political Corruption the Great
Danger i'm a Republic.

seminaton OF their views and the rehearsal OF their
growls and to resist the opportunity was physical
II mot moral, impossibility. They met this morning
IN horticultural Hall, ana run not only lively fore
noon session. but IN the afternoon and evening there
were spicy and entertaining discussions peculiarly
characteristic OF that class who are industriousy
and perseverngly stirring up the feud between capl
tai and labor. The most eminent philosopher pre-
sent was the accomplished ana rreprcssble wendell
Phillips, who was backed by such coadjutors as
Parker Pilsbury, Stephen Foster and others OF less
distinction but equal enthusiasm in the cause.
+. r. PLACE called the meeting to order, and S.
w. HODGES, of Boston, was chosen chairman. ON
taking the chair he addressed the Convention, and
briefly recapltuiated the leading arguments for the
eight hour reform, and answered some OF the
objections which have been presented against e.
He rejected upon the action OF the recent
Legislature or Massachusetts, in regard TO the
ten hour bill, and suggested that If the members
of the Legislature had their own wives and children
at work in the factories twelve or fourteen hours per
day it would not take them long to see the pro-
priey OF putting legislative restriction upon such
destructive and dem0ralzing practice.
WENDELL. PHILLIPS then came forward and read
series of resolutions, declaring that labor reform is
based on principles lying at the root Of demo-
cratic institutions, and is therefore prob.
lem OF national concern; favorlng cooperation,
but regarding impracucabe until the poverty and
ignorance OF the aborlng class and the excessive
wealth OF The employing class have been reduced;
affirming that the reduction Of hours of labor Will
gradually equalize wealth and not increase the cost
or production ana endorsing the wOman's rights
movement as part Of labor reform.
ADDRESS BY WENDELL PHILLIPS.
WENDELL PHILLIPS was the principal speaker
The aim OF his remarks was to show the usefulness
and the necessity OF the eight hour reform us illus
trated by the recent events In Paris. The more he
reflected the question OF labor reform the larger
graver and the more important 1t seemed. He did
not join In the universal voice OF the American
press IN their ndiscrminate condemnation OF the
conduct OF the revOlutionists Paris. Certainly
ne felt disgust at the vanda destruction OF public
and private property; but in this struggle between
Paris and Versailles Paris represented what every
American ought to love-the desire Of the French
people to govern themselves. The Parlsians knew
that Theirs seeking the restoration OF the Bvur
bons the Orleans branch Of them while other
ciques were striving for the restoration OF the
Bonapartes The effort OF the Parisians was 10
RFPUBLICANIzE FRANCE,
and II was honorable efr0rt and one that is
to be honored. There was no other people IN
Europe that mad done Onehaf the service to science
tns i. anc has within the last one hundred years.
There was 40 other country IN Europe that In the
last two hundred years mad done one.half what
Europe to-day; and when you come TO consider the
question OF liberty Incorporated in institutions,
to ''I be- named IN The same month with
France. When Prussia had aDased herself before
a ..kngling," France was giving lessons TO Thomas
Jefferson. And If We In this country, had escaped
ralists who had launched the government, we owed
1t to France II was debt TO be remembered ty US,
He proceeded to speak Of the growth of great
cities compared with the growth Of the country.
Boston was growing twice as rapidly as Massachu-
cpt q I'm "a Ornn
ratio the growth Of New York State, and similar
the condition Of London as compared with the in-
crease OF population and wealth In the rest OF Eng
land. Cities thus became u hive in which were
gathered the very rich and the very poor-a per-
peopeana from such Condition nn' of d class s
permanently fixed came insanity and crime. The
in he next generation viii be those arlsing nom
the congregation OF the masses in the great cities OF
the land, anu the condition OF Paris may be possible
II the proper safeguard be not taken IN due
The solution or this, the problem OF future lay
in part in the establishment of the idea that the
laborer shall work less and get more pay for 1t. The
success of institutions in the future wrapped
up in this proposition, that the mass OF mankind
should work less and enjoy more.
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES DEFRAUDED.
The attendance at the afternoon session, like that
IN the morning, small. Indeed, there were less
than two hundred present. ana they comprised
restless. weary SET who kept hopping from seat to
seat and IN and out OF the hail. as II they dis
contented with the result OF their labOrs.
Mr.. +. CHILLlNGwoRTH, OF Springfield, explained
and euloglzed the operations OF tue Eight Hour law
. resolution which was passed to the effect that
The twenty per withheld a part of the govern
he aw b. e ;s
the workmen aud that It is the duty OF the senators and
their power to secure its payment without further delay
LABOR REFoRMERs SOLD OUT By POLITICIANS.
Mr.. STEWART, OF Cambridge, SAID that the failure
OF labor reform hitherto has been Of the
honesty OF politicians. who sold the party out in
New York, Connecticut and elsewhere. The idea OF
the Eight hour League Ia nothing more nor less
than the abolition OF poverty, aud TO carry it out
We should not NEEDLE with questions outside. He
continued 10 elaborate his peculiar ideas at ,
great length until his eyes rested upon a
commandment old veteran In the front row Of
setlees, and ne was warned to a summary close.
condition OF the working classes could only be bet
tered substantially by an increase OF wages and the
granting OF more leisure for mental Improvement.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN FACTORIES.
Rev. GILBERT HAVEN denounced the employment
and lnstanced case within his own knowledge
where q little girl OF eight years was compelled to
twelve hours for SIX days in the week, with no
time for recreation or study. He argued the proper
way 10 remedy the evil was to double the stock OF
machinery and thereby decrease by the labor
OF the operatives Place two men to do the work
performed by one now and the result Will be seen
not only IN the elevation OF the condition OF the la
borcrs. but IN the better quality OF their work He
advocated cooperation as powerful agency IN the
LucRETIA MOTT,
IN full Quaker garb, deprecated the differences |
which seem to exist between servants and masters,
made more grevous by class egisa, on and trusted
that all would work together before the world upon
an equal plane
Addresses OF similar tenor were made by stephen |
=. Foster ana others. and The Cow dourned
TIL evening.
Evening session.
WENDELL PHILLIPS 0S CORRUPTION IN POLITICS.
The principal speech after resssempling for the I
evening bv Wendell Phillips, but It was
delivered TO more empty seats, though nteresting
Its hearers certainly. There were not more than
$50 present. and fully two-thirls OF these were
women. Mr. Phillips after being introduced. went
on TO say that Massachusetts, was emlnentiy the |
best State In which To commence the work OF
labor REFORM for the working classes here
were Infinitely better OF tnan those OF any
other portion OF the world. II Improvement
could be made anywhere New England Is the field |
IN which ~ TO work. Mr.. Phillips wished TO touch
the root OF the matter There Is sn ARRANGEMENT OF
society which gives TO the man who has got money
an unfair advantage over him who has got none and
II Is tlis arrangement and Its remedy that we are
called here TO endeavor To settle. The
policy pursued in France OF starving