The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-10-12
Richmond Palladium.
SATURDAY. OCTOBER IL, 1872.
To the wo,kingmcn of the Nation.

To the WOskingmcn of the Nation.
The Republican party has been the consist /
ems friend Of the workingmen of the nation |
Its record proves this. l, has done more to !
elevate the laborer than any party since the
foundation of the Government. Under its |
fostering care wages havel been advanced
new fields Of industry have been opened, and
the hours Of labor reduced. These facts are |
matters Of record, and cannot be deniei.
General Grant is man of the people;
knows their wants, the necessities. their as
pirations, and has shown by his consistent
course that he is in full sympathy with every
effort that has for its object the Improvement
and elevation Of the toiling millions. In one
Of his messages he said J: '.Tbe true prosper
ity and greatness Of ration is to he found
in the elevation and education Of its laborer -
Again he says: "By the late war the i'm
iustry Of one-half Of the country had been
taken from the control OF the capitalists and
placed where all labor rightfully belongs-iu
the keeping Of the labors."
His private sympathcs have always been
with tho workingmen his official encourage
ment has been extended to them on every
proper occasion. No better evidence Of his
substantial sympathy could be offered than
his approval, June 2oti, 1858. of the follow
ing act:
he IN enacted by The Senate aud House of Rep.
resentatires Of the United State, Of AD,erica ~
Congress assembled, That eight hours shall
constitute days work for all laborers, and
workmen, and mcchanicssnow emp loyed By
or on behalf Of the Government OF the United
States and 'hat acts and parts of acts incon-
sistent with this act be and the some are
hereby, repealed
Some of the officers of the United States
tried TO evade this law, and required the men
under their charge to labor ten hours or sub
nit to pro rata reduction of wages. Com
plant was made TO Congress: an explana.
tory act was passed, and General Grant is
sued an order to the several departments
calling for a rigid and faithful observance OF
the eight-hou law. Through his active in
fuence the amounts deducted from the wages
OF the we're refunded to them. uere we have
a practical illustration Of General Grants
sympathy for the workingmeu. The exam
pie set by the nation in the reduction of the
hours Of labor has already had good effect
on private enterprise. Thousands of en'
blowers have conformed to the eight-houI
movement, and before long the examples Sci
by the Government will be the basis of labor
throughout the Union.
The record Of Henry Wilson on the labor
question is too well known to need more thar
passing notice For thirty years he hai
been the cham 2ion of the laborer. Actual ex
perience as a workingmen has made hin
alive to their interest. In the Serate, on tn
platform, or as private individual, he ha
been the same cons stent friend, and advocat
Of labor. Nearly every public measure the
has had for its object the elevation OF tie toll
ing masses owes much of its success to hi
energy and warm hearted impulses.
Gran. and Wilson may therefore be calle'
tue true representatives ofsthe workingmen
the nation, and every vote giv>n 10 them is
vote iu support of the nobility OF American la
Dor. Every vote cast against them is 70.
in support of that system Of aristcc'acy hic
max es labor the slave of capital, and denie
to the workngu en- the right OF equal par
,icipation in the fruits which are born of hi
industry. Horace Greeley sets himself up as
reformer. Can he do more for the reforma
ton Of labor than General Grant? We mus
Judge the future by the past. Senator Trum
bull has been from the frs. Mr.. Greeley
right hand man, and would in all probabilt
hold a Cabinet position in case of his election
He has no sympathy for the latoring mar
has opposed nearly every effort to advance hi
interest, and on the 9Th Of December, 1877
offered the following amendment to resolu
ton entitled "Joint resolu lion in relation t
pay of laborers, workmen, and mechanic
employed by OF on behalf Of the Govern mer
Of the United States approved June 2
1868, be, and the same is hereby repealed"
This amendment reflected substantial
Mr.. Greeley's views on the eight hour Law
Can the workmen Of America support par
that acknowledges such men as its leaders
Iithey can, let them vote for Horace Greele
II they believe in the oppres sion Of labo
long hours and small pay, let them favor u
Liberal movement, for the Trumbull amen
mcnt foreshadows the labor policy of NJ
Greelcy's administration.
But every workingman who believes in Il
thorough protection of labor; VITO believ
in the justice Of reduced hours Of toll in tn
age of mechanical inventions, and who
sires..thc prepetuation Of the generous labo
policy inaugurated BY the Republican part
will not orly vote for but labor zealously I
the triumph Of those two distinguished repT
sentatives of American labor-U'y sses
Grant ard Henry Wilson.