New-York tribune., 1872-02-15
WORKMEN IN COUNCIL.
MASS MEETING OF WORKINGSlEN AT
COOPER INSTITUTE.
AN EARNEST OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES BY
InuN nIrIN- IArIEs CONNOLLY. MInuAE

| GOOD, AND OTHERS.
The most earnest and sensible meeting that
Las yet been held by the worklngmen of this city took
place last evening at Cooper Institute an audience of at
least I,OOO orderly, practical men being present All la
bor associations were included in the call and all re-
fponded with heartness. The was originated
in order lay before the worlngmen OF this city
ures the passage of several bills before the State
Iegsaturc events In the City OF Albany and in
this city have caused agitation and in the gather
ing last evening the addresses while sober and less
inGammatory than the speeches previous demonstra
tonH, all the more earnest. and had determined
ring them which the former had. The speakers
were exclusively worldngmen.
James Connolly opened the meeting by proposing John
Quin for Chairman selection which unanimously
and cordially acQuiesced in. Mr.. Quin took the chair
and strong, eloquent voice thanked the audience for
the honor conferred upon him, and added: We seek 10
redress grievances and wrongs which now labor
under, and which is unpleasant necessity that we
compelled TO redress The stranger who comes TO
this country finds great tyranny here he does in
the land OF monarchs which lie but jus. left Unfor
tunaely there have many Of this kind OF meet
ings with too often poor result, and-I am
panied 10 admit it-there has been Jealousy
among the laboring classes which has prevented
that full unity requisite in order 70 triumph
over the power OF capitalists, monOpOlists,
and tyrants. lApplause We IA body OF reason
able wOrunGnen, to demand nothing but what Is ours
Laws have been made Of which We American citizens,
should enjoy the benefit and those laws have been vo-
lated particularly ut Albany where there is building
going THAT interests every OF for IL Is against
our interests They seek build up the tenhour system
there aud IL is our duty TO axe such action as shall he
prDper ard rs We are Justified upon the statute books IN
taking In order to defeat those ends. ApplauseI ]
need saw nothing 10 YOU about The eight hour system
its benefits 10 health, its aid to happiness IL affords u
breathe fresh air. and keep our children out OF the sus
Of city life. Applause s.o.,.,.,.. o.. ,,,. ,o,r.
Thomas J. Hagen, OF the stoneoutters, az this point
proposed the OF John Ennis 70 preside as secr-
ary OF this meeting and then wal' ing PACK us teh
dent who had stepped forward 10 put the qnes'i0n'
called for tue vote himself, and announced that Mf'
Ennis would read resolutions gentleman In The audi
opce rose To point OI orneI, 10 lnquIe as u W IIo
prety OF Mr.. Hagen rutting the question: but he was
rowned down the ground that tcclnieaities could
not be permitted 10 disturb the harmony oI the neeIhg
| Mr. Ennis then reaa the following:
measures I To- Proisc, mca ey1,ed Grda ssy
insure life careless aHa EHscTapuoas builder and
sojcsd call upOn National Government to place
said commission such have had TIaeeal cap hence anu kho"
Eo'rel That Is undoubtedly and w44aeY the Hgi OF wosng
era and dat upon points prepared take the respon
bIy the issue and results Ay a.eae vii he ateei here6
es Of the present We snoS ihst the 9 me county
vgcr AMI All con'eq4lee We will he able
sfoier time sad DO sEd ae.
That the couuc, o; the having
control Of public b1r Ges IN o OF Sraoa io u stat Coy
IT, state b. eight wort ia d.
demands yoa IT sqgir
Aud said have knowingly yaded the Provisions
Of tie act containing thi .2- s 's "ofA We pte'4i ne
Pered That We the Wor.iugmer SevYos behalf
Wot gaa Le intel S @ & sPo. P ,' aTSA @ 81 As ne a %,
@ civ consider their persistent OF the law
at WIS Sc if sT: 1s Of tie he 'ih Of Is
H I.r.las ii.ea. eiaS That hat .l, The law ,s m,,AiGs
Of tbs nation attempt interfere with
a. Thai We der,c sIl condemn any Al attempts
law of the STATE beng m iia ey na Te5e1onaI snl aaI
g6' to',iy ~ SOM future initiate to 'br prejudice 1her
.H eT,a i, 'l ouTe I IN be si.,u,s.
RS5F Int We 5epcat- The Produce Exchange,
interfering gh winch tey claim for heelves and which i m
our founded and upon which all laws Of equity justice
'l t We rern,st that provisions made ray laborers
AMI Others employed b he unity teas, IN two "eeks and that
Ro d That we prompt and immediate payment Of all
persons sSg & ego 6 s' o I F p ssa " Tie '' lAo
The resolutions were loudly checred, and adopted
The Chairman then introduced James Connolly, who
said that he had never spoken IN pubic before ana he
knew there were those in the hall who watching
mistakes, bat there were many more outside who
watching more aiXonsi TO rec "hat action was 10
bd n,e.,ntod bi 10 the Iesltnre for The benefit Of
the working classes They tell said he That ask
TOO muchi that We don't know what we want,
enact The FIRST bin we gave bin pro ect
workngrnen engaged in mechanical p.rsuts, was there
PLANK the scadOld or stronger rope above 1t
Applause. Then there bill To abolish the STATE
contract ystem, 30 tha te CIsls might I'VE ana hd.
fair remuneration. The clause they don't like amounts
this" This law shall be passed 80 that II you are
compelled to nave shoeLhakhs gong on IN the prisons
that .wOrk shall be done on behalf OF the state,
| aud the profits shall go into the Treasury
instead of the pockets Of the contractors" / told
| that spend nearly 10000 year to sustain the
prisons beside derived from the contractors
and also find the profits OF the contractors are
greater than the whole expense Of al the prisons and
vet the people are called To pay the balance. We
say that want educational law. which is OF
course wrong because would then learn how TO guard
interests better. Again, there Is another bil com
| pellng the authorities throughout the state to pay
! the laborers once in tive weeks instead OF
|
because it takes money out Of the pockets Of the grub
bers" around town. who loan Che poor man part or his
salary at Is and 20 per cent interest Then say that
the several departments ~ the state are hed by hang
erson OF politicians, and We claim that none shall lie
to be competent mechanics Then the labor would be
well performed and the workn gnan would De paid ior
The speaker then referred TO the Board OF Commission
ers Tor the construction OF the Capitol at Albany and
charged them with fraudulent appropriations Of
and materials. He detailed the failure which had at
tended the visit of the d e OF sna sn TO
frauds They applied TO the Chairman 0t the nVesga-
tIon Committee al the Dclayan House 10 nave the Com
stand and have the books and papers OF that De-
thoroughly sad e h was epd of
the workingman, and If they had no money with when
SaSed II hm said the speaker behalf
OF the workDgnen and told him we had not got SO low
as to receive o money IRON on se testimony aeS at Al
bany and eoncded by saying that the faut ay WIN e
o bd To s Tey have not yet the man
Michael Good OF the Piasterers said We Assem-
bled here tonight to complain grievances and yet
why should we have any to complain OF as We nav & ,
vidng eight hours should constitute legal day
work, added providing that Tor extra hos
OF labor compensation shall be gwen ana tha Is
the way they got OF it, Then they enacted an Appre
tice law but mechanic in New YORK has been
by It, the men who made these laws did not know what
the working people want They we are Communlsts
Internationals. do not know what they are DnI II
they in favor Of the workngmans receiving waGes
enough that he will not be Obliged 10 I'VE In cellar