The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-02-15
THE LABOR MOVEMENT.
Great Trades Union Congress at Leeds,
England

England.
We are indebted to the Glasgow Sentinel
of January 25th, for the following interest
ing account Of the recent meeting Of the
English Trades Union Congress
On Monday Congress of Delegates from
the principal trades of the United King
dom was opened in the Assembly Rooms.
Cookridge Street, Leeds There 5re about
1870 delegates present. Mr.. Alexander Me
Donald, President of the Miners National
Association, took the chair until the officers
Of the congress we're elected.
The representatives Of the societies in
cluded Mr.. George Odger Of London, T.
Halliday and VIM. Pickard (Mlners). Geo
Potter agricultural Laborers of Banburvy
Geo Howell Cornwall Miners Associa-
tion), John Kane 1ronwcrkers) Daniel
Guile Gronfoundersl, w Leishman and
ID. White Leeds and District Trades Coun-
ciD, J. Arch and Ii. Taylor bennington
Agricultural Laborers' Umon). Alex. Me
Donald and " Crawford National Miners
Association, George Potter (who had sew
eral nominations from various societies i'll
England), and w. K. Cremer, T. Motters-
head, and c. Matkin. (Workmen's Peace
AssociatIon), Andrew Boa Glasgow Trades
CounciD, Thomas Amber durham County
Collier Engineers), J. :. Common tEdin-
burgh Typographical Association, &c The
miners represented -. 900 men engineers
Al, 900 cotton spinners, III 300 boiler
makers and shipbuilders, H. 900 tailors
5000. Altogether, unions comprising
about 5000 members are represented at
the Congress.
Mr. VIM. Leishman, Of the Leeds Trades
Council, was elected chairman, Mr. knight,
Vice-chairman, and Mr Thomas Plackett,
Of Leeds, secretary Of the Congress.
Mr.. M'Donald, chairman uf the Parlia-
mentary Committee, was thanked for his
services as president of the committee.
A great deal of time was occupied IN the
election Of committeeman, and Of the other
officers necessary for the management W
the Congress. Then the report of Mr.
Geo. Howell, of the Trades Onion Parlia-
mentary Committee, was read by that gen
tteLnan. 1t was very long document, and
dealt with a large number of subjects. At
ter allIdlng with satisfaction to move
ment among the agricultural laborers, and
to the great growth Of Trades Unionism
during the year it referred to the Mines
Regulation Act (lS72,) and sketched the
history OF fhe agitation which had led to
that act being passed, the Parliamentary
Committee expressing the hope that IN any
future amendments Of the Act they would
have the hearty support Of the Congress
and Of all the trades societies throughout
the country The balance sheet showed
that the receipts since last Congress had
been f296, and that there was balance
in hand Of t95.
Mr. Harry Crompt n barrister, London,
read letter indicating some IF the meas
ures which the Trade Committee deemed
absolutely needIul to secure freedom Of
contract and equity Of service As between
employer and employed. Acting under a
sense Of deep responsibility, he Mr.
CromptOn) offered the following heads for
a scheme of practical reform upon this sub
ject-the repeal " the Criminal Law
Amendment Act; no imprisonment for
breach Of contract third repeal of the
small Penalties Act no conviction for con
spiracy u commit al act for which a max
mum penalty was already imposed by stat
ute to submit any person to greater or
other penalty than that which Is So i'm
posed
That Royal Commission he issued with
! fell powers to inquire into the mode ia
which the summary jurisdiction of magis-
trates had been exercised
That at least Parliament should be re-
CURED to consider and solve the important
constitutional question Of how far sum
mary jurisdiction was to take away the
right Of trial by jury.
Mr. Alex. NJ Donald after rcmarking
upon the ability displayed III the paper read
| by Mr.. Crompton, moved hearty vote OF
thanks to that gentleman
The resolution was seconded by Alder
man Carter, Nj. p, ana carried.
The Com ress adjourned at 3 p. m.
TUESDAY.
On Tuesday, the Trades Union Congress
resumed its slttIngs in the Assembly
Rooms, Leeds - Mr.. Leishman In the
chair. He proceeded to make his opening
address to the delegates, ~ whom he gave
a hearty welcome on behalf of the Leeds
and District Trades Council. With re
spect to the conviction of the London gas
stokers, he expressed the opinion that the
str Ike was inopportune and badly managed,
| -. hear and was calculated to injure
trades unions in the eyes Of the general
public. He held this opinion i'll regard u
other strikes, where these strikes were con
sidered intelhgently, and when they in
| jured their own cause rather than beuited
| It, A strike with all true trades unionIsts
should be the last and not the first resort
| Hear The more he mixed with well
instructed trades mIonIsts, the more he
was convinced that all means ought to be
tried before a strike was proceeded with,
and particularly with such an organization
as that possessed by the gas stokers an
organization only newly come into exist
cnce. The President next alluded 70 the
work Of the Parliamentary Committee and
the subjects that would come under the
consideration of the congress. He thought
the Parliamentary Committee deserve the
hearty thanks Of the congress for their
labors. They had been successful in ali
the objects they had in view, but in that
they were not to blame. Hear The
President alluded to several other topics,
including the direct representation Of labor
in Parliament.
The delegates then discussed at great
length the standing orders for the manage
ment Of the business Of the congress. This
adjustment Of the rules occupied a great
portion of the sitting, which was attended
by the Hon. Auberon Herbert, NJ. r.;
Alderman Carter, Nj. r.; and W. Harry
Crompton, barrister, Of London The
report of the Parliamentary Committee
was then brought up for discussion.
Mr.. q. Potter proposed, and II was re-
solved to divide the report into two parts,
viz, q record Of the committees work, and
| the paper of Mr.. Crompton, which had