The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-25
MEETING SATURDAY NIGHT.
SDeeches Of Messrs. Nolan,
Costello, General Burke
and FermOsa.

INC nSSNuS at VIC Soois AAo~
day was large and enthusiastic. Our
citizens were drawn together by the an
pouncement that General Burke, OF
Fenian fame, Mr.. Costello and others
would address the workingmen OF the
CITY on the subject of the tariff.
The meeting was called to order by
James Nolan, Esq John Nolan, OF
this city was called to the chair.
The object OF the meeting was set
forth by James Nolan, who said:
GENTLEMEN: l now call this meet
ing to order. The privilege Of doing
so is contained in this paper lit is no
less than my credentials from The
American Association of Home In
dustries, and is signed by Alexander
Armstrong, Secretary of that Associa.
ton. 1t is as well that should tell
YOU what called it into existance, and
what object it has in view. 1t was
formed in Chicago, Illinois, two years
ago it's members are composed of the
leading merchants and manufactures
Of the West and Northwest, there OBJ.
iect was to counteract the pernicious
influence which impeaded the progress
of the manu- 'acturing and commerce in
those districts. This pernicious in
Auence was worked up by an orgauiza-
ton known as The Free Trade League,
whose headquarters are located at 4S2,
Pail Mall, London, England, with q
! branch office in New York, where they
have a large staff Of learned savans,
whose duty it is to compile phamplets
and frame lectures for hoop OF young
sprisgs, used up preachers, aud one
horse lawyers, to scatter around the
country the first, and to mouth the
other. They mostly address Sunday
school meetings, college students, hold
open air meetings in provincial towns
during the summer time. You will
find them on the river steamers, where
they furnish agreeable amusement,
indeed in many instances their addresses
are very captivating. They must have
been so, for both by the force of their
eloouence and the steady influence of
Their read ng matter, they raised a deep
antpharhy to the trader and manufac-
turer OF the North and Northwest.
| am not here to make speech, but
before leave, wish to refer to some
local matters which l have taken pains
TO instruct myself on: First-I will
refer to your building societies. the best
tenn perance law in Gods world, and
one which requires no act from legsla'
TOR or Congress. Let a man once in
vest 500 or even less, in a lot and forth
with both him self and family puts forth
all their efforts to pay off it's indebted
ness. He has fixed object before him ;
home to live in; he owns no landlord ;
that is his, and those loved ones he
will some day leave behind him. No
longer is the proverbial Irishman found
in Wheeling with a whisky bottle in
his pocket. No; he now carries his
title deeds, and further. his tablet in
which is set down what price his friend
and neighbor paid for this and that lot,
its present market value. This he
compares with his own. Visit
the news depots, the cigar stores,
postoffice and even 60 into the saloons,
listen to the conversation going on,
YOU will find it is no longer of the fac,
lion fights or the triumph of one county
over another. No; thank God, it's all
about Tim Connell's corner lot, Hugh's
new purchase on the Island and go on.
Yes, to your great credit, workingmen
of Wheeling, you POSSESS six building
societies, owning over two millions Of
solid property. To one of these socie
ties wish particularly to aIlude, for il
is composed mostly OF 1rishmen. The
Workingmen Building Association,
about two years in existance, have to,
dav $4,000 in hand, loaned in cash
1000, with property worth nearly one
million of dollars. You, workingmen
of Wheeling, can boast of three large
rolling mills owned and worked by
yourselves You have a co operative
carriage works, that one near the post
office, which is strictly cooperative. |
might 90 along and tell more that |
know about your progress and industry
for it has been my pleasure 10 have
on two occasions written OF these facts
in the publication with which | am ed
itorially connected, and in its columns, for
some two years, spoke rather sharply
of your apathy in not looking
more to your railroad interests. To
night congratulate you that you have
woke up to It at last, and that the good
work is rapidly proceeding. As a grand
railroad centre Wheeling is bound to
progress and become full sister TO
Pittsburgh. l return my thanks for
having borne with me 80 long. | will
conclude by saving, if you value all
the blessings OF happy homes and all
paid for; il you value education for
your children; if you value the right to
worship God according to the dictates
Of your own conscience, and If you
would not debase by an enlargement
OF yourself from all these; il you
would not wish to see crisis that will
find you without the means to finish
the payments on your lots, and see
them pass into the hands OF the land
grabber, l call on you to hurl back the
lie into the mans teeth that speaks in
your name of the blessings of free trade
and English doctrines.
The President next introduced Gen.
Thomas Francis Burke, who said he
was sorry that on the first occasion OF
his speaking to the people Of Wheeling,
he was obliged to do it with his voice
almost gone from having used it too
much during the past two or three
weeks.
He referred 10 his late arrival from
an English prison. He begged the
- ba the 6rct in