The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-08-24

nrinciples of the National Labor Reform
party, enunciated at Columbus. and recon-
mended t. our friends throughout the country
to maintain their distinct organizations at all
hazards r. NJ. DAVIS,
JoHN MAGUIRE
A K. FAY
A. 4. CAMERON,
Mr. Cameron, Of Kansas, presented mi
nority report which read as follows
WHEREAS, By the action Of the Columbus
Convention. which assembled on the 2lst Of
February. 1872, we secured recognition not
heretofore accorded by politicians to working
men and Labor Reformers, and set ON foot a
great political reform that has broken down
party lines, and will, il properly directed,
curb party spirit and sectional bitterness, and
WHEREAS Ii is our duty a. true patriots
and honest reformers, not tn resist what is
clearly the decision Of a very large majority
of thos, whom We have invited and those who
are willing to help IN the good work There
fore
R,soir-,l. That We deem it t. he our ina
perative duty not to relax our eXertion in our
organizations, but to continue the agitation
which threatens "a destroy all old party
rings while we reserve and multiply our
strength for future victory
Resolved. That We, following the example
Of the distinguished patriots and statesmen,
whom We nominated on the 22d Of February,
1872. withdraw from the present Presidential
contest, and thereby leave all Labor Reform
ers free t. he governed only by their own
Judgment and conscience IN the matter Of voting
for President and Vice President in November
next.
R,soired, That We recommend in all
locations where No Labor Reform ticket is in
the field for workIngmen 10 cast their votes
for such candidates a. have by act and deed
expressed sympathy for them
Messrs Manlay, Davis, Fay and Cameron Of
Illinois, spoke in favor Of the majority report
and Mr.. Cameron Of Kansas, in favor Of the
minority The majority report was finally
.l....4..l 4I-,.L 49,. .--~-- A. ---- -----.
Of Mass. BY aud with the consent of Messrs,
Cummings and Hunt authorizing Mr. Came
ron, Of Kansas, to east the vote Of that stats
in the Convention The resolutions was re
eeived, and ordered "a be placed on file
The following letter was also re al from the
Land Reform Association, of New York
To the Officers and members II the Labor Reform Con
vention, 70 assemble at Columbus. August 2l, 1872
GESTLEMEN After an active. earnest life
Of nearly half a century, devoted TO the great
and fundamental principles Of the Rights Of
man, which embrace all that your convention
proposes To discuss OF act upon, feel that
have a right to ask and receive hearing be
fore your body.
You are about to take most important &C
ton, action that shall help or hinder the
great onward movement Of labor MAY q
spirit Of enlightened craftsmanship govern
and direct your deliberations The time has
come when you can at, and should act,
with q harmony and unanImlty uneXAmpled,
and with force never before realized You
have the power u mark the present epoch IN
our history one Of unmlstakAble progress.
Shall it b. 50 f. ! feel confident that such il
your desire How then shall it be accomplish
ed, Isthequestlon, shall II be by the nomination
Of an Independent Labor Candidate by the
Endorsement Of President Grant, or Of Hor-
ace Greeley, Is for your convention to deter
mine You desire not To advance the interest
Of airy man but that Of the great laboring
class, whom you are there 10 represent Will
the interest of that class be advanced in any
way, by the reelection Of President Grant!
think you will answer no emphatieally no
VIII the election of Horace Greeley advance
said interest! Indirectly yes VIII an in
dependent labor candidate have the shad" W
Of a chance Of success in the canvas, No
sane man thinks he will without ali organi-
zation behind him, and you know there is
not time to work one up Then would such a
course help Grant or Greeley, Most assured
ly it would help Grant by drawing votes from
Greeley, and you cannot desire TO do that,
without hope of success for your own can
didates.
President Grants administration Of the
department of the Interior has been such as
no man Of the Labor Reform party can posi-
bly, indOrse, if he fairly understands it,
When the landless men Of the nation asked
for the enactment of the Homestead Law,
they asked that the Public Domain be pro
tected from monopoly, and when the Labor
Reformers in convention, resolved, That to
put q price upon the gifts Of the Deity is
sacrilege," they did not mean that the admin
istration should give without the least proviso,
restriction or safeguard over l40 600 900 of acre
Of the peoples very best lands, to a few Rail
road men, to build up system of land mon
opOly more oppressive than that Of England,
by and through which the present competa-
tive system and wages slavery is to be
perpetuated the future settlers reduced to
tenants and surfs our land dotted over with
BCoe u.COis Oh bne OOuJ POAticy ike Tile
city of New York, and others our labOring
poor crowded into dangerous and unhealthy
habitations reduced to the very verge Of
destitutlOn, pauperlsm and crime and CHART
able institutions ON every street With TO,
900 able-b men asking for the Opportuni-
ty to work, and NO power In the labor
organizations to reduce their hours If toll that
part Of this number may be employed
With these facts before Won can a Labor
convention long debate, Surely there il but
one course for It to pursue and that is to use
all the power it Possesses u destroy the ad-
ministr1tion whose policy has such tendency
and to support the opposition especially as
the leader of the opposition Ia Of their own
class, born and reared in . home Of toll and
whose instincts and sympathies are all with
his class.
But there 10 still q stronger reason for sup
porting the opposition. The danger of allow
ing the present party in power to crystAlize
into permanent organization Another
four years lease Of life, in which 70 build up
and strengthen its systems of monopolies,
will put your movement Of labor reform %
far back, that not one of M may live long
enough to ZEE It regain its power
In the name Of the landless Door of the
nation, appeal to you for justice to them
HENRY BEENY.
On motion, the communication was placed
on file.
The following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That the National Executive