The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-10-28
Esistol and Purposes of the International
societies.

1t is no wonder that the governments OF
Europe are banding together to suppress the
International Society. Whatever quarrels
they have must be waived in the presence of
common enemy whose benefcent purpose
ii is to free the laborer from his bondage,
abolish such obsolete monsters as kings, and
establish the brotherhood of man. 1t is no
wonder that European kings and priests join
hands to crush out the accused sect whose
worldwide benevolence would make the pro.
fession of privileged classes living on the tot
of others an impossibility. But it is a little
strange that in Protestant America multi
tudes are found who willingly join in the
Romish plot to bring such discredit on the Or
ganization by means of falsehood as to drive
it out of existence. The report that the In
ternationas set fire to Chicago will be found
to have originated in the Jesuitica brain of
some ultramontane priest. The following ac-
count of the society which Democratic Amer
i0a is expected to help overthrow gives con-
else and rational history of its origin and pur.
poses:
1t seems that the International as a Euro.
pean society dates back to the visit of the
French Orpheouists to the Crystal Palace in
1851. 1t was there that the Quarters of
France and the workmen of England first
came into communication with each other,
and interchanged ideas respecting the inter-
ests, rights, and duties OF laboring men. The
next year, on the occasion of the second ex-
hibition, leading continental laborers held
several conferences with the heads of the la
Dor and trades-unions in England. The re-
suit OF these interviews was the formation of
a society with sixty members in Paris under
TOulain. In September, 1864, a meeting was
held at st. Martins Hall, London, at which
the foundation of the present Jnternatoha
movement was laid. A central committee
was appointed, an office was taken, and a
Working. Mems Congress was convened in
1865. Another Congress was held in Lau-
same in 1867. A still larger Congress was
held at Basic in 1868, followed by another in
London in 1869. The organization has
spread through Europe with wonderful rap
idity, and already includes hundreds of thous-
ands of laborers in all countries
The entire programme OF the Internationals
is never fully announced by its members,
though it is generally understood to include
much more than the demand for increased
wages and shortened days; it means com.
munity of laborers, and their participation in
the profits of their toll; it means the refusal
of laborers to compete with each other fol
the enrichment of capitalists, and such a
weaving together of the interests of working
men in all countries as shall render wars and
national competition impossible. 1t means
universal democracy. The trowel, plart,
and awl think as well as bayonets, and MI
think bayonets and thrones out of the v1rld.
1t is plain to whoever has eyes that ed,cated
labor holds the future in its hand, and Aeither
capitalists nor courts can long resist its de-
mands. If the latter are wise they will avert
by wise and generous~0oncessions conflict
which can have but one result.