The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-02
SECOND DAY.
MORNING SESSION

MORNING SESSION.
The Convention re assembled at 10 o clock,
the President, E. NJ. Chamberlain, in the
chair.
The proceedings of yesterdays session
were read and approved.
The Committee on Credentials reported
in favor Of admitting Mr.. John Campbell
Of Indiana, and d. Y. Kilgore, of Penn.
sylvania, as delegates. On motion, Mr..
Campbell was admitted.
Mr.. c. Ben johnson moved that all that
portion of the report relating to the dele
gate from Pennsylvania be referred to the
Pennsylvania delegation.
Mr.. H. H. Day, Of New York, said that
some Of his remarks yesterday had been
misunderstood, and he was sorry they had
given pain to some Of his friends from
Pennsylvania. He spoke in highly COM
plimentary terms of Siney, johnson and
Herr, of that State, as.leaders in the Re
form movement.
After some further remarks the motion
was put and carried.
The Finance Committee reported that
they would require more time to prepare
their report. Granted.
Mr.. Cameron, Chairman of the Com
mite on Platform, read the following re-
port, which was enthusiastically applauded
at the close of each resolution
To the President and Members Of the National Labor
Reform Convention
Gentlemen Your Committee on Plat
form herewith submit the following as the
fruits of their labor
We hold that "all political power, is in
herent in the people, and free government
founded on their authority and establish
ed for their benefit :" that all citizens are
equal in political rights, and entitled TO the
largest religious and political liberty com
patible with the good order Of society, a.
also the use and enjoyment of the fruits Of
their labor and talents, and mo man, or set
Of men, are entitled to exclusive, separa-
tive emoluments, privileges, or immunities
from the Government but in consideration
of public services ;" and any laws destruct-
i've of these fundamental principles, are
without moral binding force, and should be
repealed and, believing that all evils re-
sulting from unjust Legislation, now affect
ing the industrial classes, can be removed
by the adoption of the principles con
tanned in the following declarations, there.
fore be it
| Resolved, That II is the duty Of the Gov
ernment to establish Just standard Of distri
button to capital and labor, by providing
purely national circulating medium, based
on the faith and resources of the nation, is
| sued directly to the people, without the inter.
vention Of any system of banking corpora
! tiOns, which money shall be legal tender in
the payment Of all debts, public and private
and interchangeable at the option Of the hold
er for Government bonds, bearing a rate Of
interest not to exceed Co. 100 per cent, sub.
ject to future legislation by Congress
2. That the national debt should be paid in
good faith, according to the original contract, al
the earliest option of the Government, with.
out mortgagnlg the property of the people, OF
the future earnings of labor, to enrich a few
| capitalists at home and abroad.
8. That justice demands that the bur.
dens Of the Government should be so adjust.
ed as TO bear equally on all classes and in,
terests, and that the exemption from taxation
of Government bonds bearing extortionate
rates OF interest, is a violation Of all lust prin.
ciples Of Revenue laws
4. That the enlightened spirit Of the age
demands the abolition Of the system Of con.
tract labor in our prisons and other reforma.
tory institutions.
s. That the public lands Of the United
States belong to the people, and should moi
be sold to individuals nor granted to corpora
tiOns, but should be held as a sacred trust fol
the benefit of the people, and should bt
granted free Of cost to landless settlers only
in amounts not exceeding l60 acres Of land
g. That Congress should modify the tarif
SO as to admit free such articles Of common
use as we can neither produce nor grow, and lev,
duties for revenue, mainly upon articles O
luxury, and upon such articles of manufactur,
as 1--WE having the raw material in abundance
viii assist in further developing the resources
Of the country
z. That the presence in our country O
Chinese laborerS; imported by capitalists il
large numbers for servile use is an evil en-
failing want and its attendant train of miser,
and crime on all classes of the American peo
pie, and should be prohibited by legislation.
8. That we ask for an enactment of a Law
by which all mechanics and day laborers em
ployd by or on behalf of the Government
whether directly or indirectly through DER
sons, firms, or corporations contracting will
the State, shall conform to the reduce,
standard Of eight hours a day, recently adopt
red by Congress for National employees, an,
also for an amendment TO the acts OF incorpor
alton for cities and towns by which ali IA
borers and mechanics employed at their ex
pense shall conform to the same number a
hours.
4 9. That the protection Of life, liberty. an,
property are the three cardinal principles q
government, and the first two more sacre,
THAN the latter therefore the money neces
sary for prosecuting wars should, as it IL re
quired, be assessed and collected from th
wealth of the country, and not entailed m
burden on pOsterity.
10. That it is the duty Of the Governmen
to so exercise its power 6ver railroads and teIe
graph corporations, that they shall moi
in any case, be privileged to exact such rate
Of freight transportation or charges, by what
soever name, as may bear unduly or inequall
upon either producer or consumer
II. That, as both history and experienc
teach MS that power ever seeks to perpetuas
itself by any and by all means ut its cor
mAnd, and that its prolonged possession in th
hands Of one person Is always dangerous 1
the liberties OF free people and believing