Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-20
THE MECHANICS.
Meeting at the Chamber Of Commerce Last
Niqht---Letter from Jefferson Davis.
-~-.Speeehes, and 50 on.

Meeting at the Chamber Of Commerce Last
Riqht---Letter from Jefferson Davis.
Speeches, and so on.
A large meeting convened at the Hal
Of the Chamber Of Commerce last night.
The Hall was nicely lighted up with
portable gas, and Mr.. Flaherty was IN the
chair. The proceedings Of the previous
meeting were read and adopted, and the
following letter from Jefferson Davis was
read: ,o-,
GENTLEMEN: 1 have the honor 60 &C
knowledge yours of this date inviting
me. on the part of the Memphis Mechan'
ics' Manufacturing Union TO ADDRESS the
Association in regard 20 the interest they
represeut. on Monday evening, the iyth
inst. 1 regret that circumstances require
me to decline such grateful task allow
me- to EXPRESS the satisfaction l feel at the
progress which has been made, and Is
making in the establishment Of manufac-
tories in Memphis. The peculiar adVsn-
GOES p1ssessed cannot fail, when proper
Iv aDnreeiated. to attract to this place,
| ~canirsI TO be Invested in manufactures OF
many kinds. No where within my know
edge is there to be found 50 great va
riety of valuable iurOads, TO be Inrnlsheu
AN so low x LAAGa II WbeA4
to be paIpably to the advantage OF manu-
fsctuFine capital to make investments
hero. not only for home consumption DuL
even for other markets, rather than 10 In
mort the articles made OF wood rom uls-
tant sections, -
The iron Of Tennessee and Alabama,
which. by existing and projecting rall-
-os5s can Ice cbeaply brought to this
place. as wen known for its peculiar quar-
tiles. as best adapted to the uses TO Whlch
iron Il being now 50 extensively sppIiedi
viz. fronts of houses, stoves n orna-
mental work. Memphis, midway De-
tween the great zinc deposits OF East len
. nessee and the White river region OF Ar
kansas. and having also CheaptranspOr6a-
ton from both. and ready means Of dis
tribution throughout the Mississippi val
lev. the proper location for q great manu-
factory Of speltre and the oxide OF zinc
The large coal beds connected with your
town. by water and railroad trsnsporta
ton. the latter about to be largely IN
creased, gives security for a constant snu
cheap supply of fuel. You have q large
cotton market. and the increased quantity
brought here during each succeeding
year, indicates this as q favorable point
for the manufacture of cotton yarns ana
cloths. There are others, perhaps less
cspscious objects Of manufacturing In
dustry to which I might refer, were
it not needless to do so to you VINO are
so much better informed than myself.
The wealth of a country must be mainly
derived from its agriculture and manu-
features. IL has been the result OF our
social condition heretofore that the farm
er absOlved nearly all the LABOR OF our
section, and the augmented value which
fabrication gave TO raw material thus
Injured to the benefit of those who pur-
chased orr agricultural products, and In
---.#s-- 18th Fhnrn skill and IQhnF- rH-
turned TO US a part OF their purchase IN
exchange for the whole. Whether IL Will
be to the interest Of Memphis to diversity
her manufacturing industry so as to en-
brace a large portion of the circle OF the
country's wants, 1 viii leave others TO
determine, but viii hazard the remark
that the extraordinary adaptibility or
versatility possessed by u people, may
warrant the belief that IL will not be
found here. as in Europe, that each branch
Of industry succeeds best when 1t aggre-
gates in one locality. It was probably by
accident that cotton spinning was located
at Manchester, rather b a at Leeds,
wool spinning at Leeds rather than Man
chester; but now new establishments Of
each industry grow up around that pre-
existing as mineral particles gather
around their primitive form. / have
written to you in much haste, and have
not time to elaborate any OF the points TO
which reference has been made, without
mourning the hazard of q delay in the re-
ceipt Of this reply, which might Interfere
with the choice of another person TO make
the proposed address. Please gentlemen,
to make my thanks acceptable TO your
associates for the consideration with
which they have hOnOred me, aud believe
me 10 be, very respectfully
JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Then more speeches were made. Mr.. Far
rfs made some sensible remarks. he said
thst there could be no clashing between
capital and labor. 1t was not true that
this organization was got up to clash with
capital. They could not ask money 70
carry on their projects upon an under
standing Of that sort. When we shall
have succeeded in convincing capital that
il can find q better Investment here than
elsewhere. then IL will settle here. IL
never failed that capital did nOt seek
investment where it was safe snd
profitable. Our location has no superior
on the whole belt of country OF the width
between the mouth of the Ohio and the
mouth of the Red river. This is the best
location on that belt across the continent
from ocean TO ocean. He said there was
q time when they did not want msnufac-
lures. Farming was then the best policy. !
That time is past. Things are changed
now. He said that there was plenty of
AELNNL w 10 AhA 4 LAo ~ AoAH I
in fOrty-eight hours, labor in any de-
partment equal TO any in the coun-
try. We have everything, almost,
that enters into any manufacturing
business. Ii was not true that Memphis
was unhealthy or an INIT place in which
to live. He had wOrkmen from NOva
Scotia, and they were getting along as
well az possible. He had applications
this yesr from over fifty boys who wanted
TO learn trades. This accounted for the
frequent reports which appears In the pa
pers about the dOings Of maCkerels. II
was not their fault. They could get no
thing to do. Mr.. Farris made what we
call a sound speech.
Minor MeriWether was called upon, but
said he merely came rs a spectator, As one
interested in the progress of manutac-
lures.
General Wallace made 8 very firm
speech, az did also Colonel Duglass.
Mr.. Burke. chief mechanic of the Mem
phis and Charleston railroad shops, was
called on by everyone in the house. &e
said be Endorsed everything that was SAID
by General Wallace and Mr.. Fsrris. The
problem they had to deal with was,
whether they could make Memphis
q manufacturing town or not, whether
Memphis c0uld be made great and pros
porous without manufactures. The his
tory and example Of all commercial cities
showed that mere trade enabled them 60
reach q certain eminence and there stop;
after that manufactures come in to
carry along the tide of progress. BE had
the same experience in regard to boys
seeking a chance to learn trades that was
detailed by Mr.. Farris. 1t was always 3
Of regret with him that he could
not afford those little fellows the means Of
learning trades. He hsd no doubt in the
world but those young men would make
rate mechanics and excellent men,
bers of society.
The next meeting is to be held on Sat
urday Whens all parties who wish to become
members Of the association sre invited to
attend and enroll their names.
& NEWS.