The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-25

glect your imperative duty-to assist by
every means within your power TO hold up
the hands Of those who are struggling to
secure You these inestimable privileges -
you will remain as you deserve to do
hewers of wood and drawers Of water. You
can certainly urge no valid reason why you
should stand aloof in this emergency. Our
interests are your interests-your welfare
is our own. Your wives and families are GER
tainly ~ dear 10 you as ours can be to us.
Self-protection is natures first law. Neces-
sity has organized every Trades or Labor
Association in the United States, and this
necessity will remain so long as capital
reaps what labor has sown. We are will
ing to let by-gones be by-gones. Let the
dead bury their dead. Live for the future,
and resolve, God helping you, that you will
contribute your share to secure the eman-
cipation of labor. But this can only be
accomplished by pulling together, by act
ing III harmony. No religious, political or
nationahstic test is required. These are
questions entirely foreign to our organiza-
ton. 1t is purely protective and defensive
in its character-willing to yield 10 capital
its Just rewsrds-while it awards to its
creator Labor-its just equivalent.
To our colored brethren we also extend
cordial invitation. We recognize but
two classes, the men who labor and the
men who live on the proceeds of others
labor, the robher and the robbed, no
matter what the color. We are willing to
take you by the hand as fellow -toilers, en-
titled to the sane privileges and benefits
which we claim for ourselves, asking only
in return an honest, hearty and undivided
support of our principles and organization.
Like us your labor is your capital, and it
Is self-evident that you cannot afford to be
made the instruments in the hands Of cor
rupt or designing men to depreciate the
labor Of the white mechanic. Ask your
selves whether you have more to expect
from allying yourselves with the Miners
national organization or being the tools Of
those who have robbed and oppressed their
own kith and kin, and who to-day are en-
gagged in the damnable work If importing
Chinese laborers to supplant the colored
workmen of the South. Think on this
subject for an hour and we have no fear Of
the result
In conclusion, we trust that our laboIs
have not been in vain, that the miners of
the United States will rally as one man
under the banner Of the National Associa-
tion, whose object, in the language of the
Constitution, is to secure their social, in
tellectual and physical improvement" This
is platform broad enough for all to stand
on. Defence, not Defiance" is our mot
to- Our objects are known, and we conf
IDENTITY leave the issue to your hands.
The report was unanimously adopted.
On motion, 5000 copies Of the address
and 1000 copies Of the constitution were
ordered printed for the use of the Conven-
ton Y; and Committee OH Printing was
appointed to select the party to whom it
should be given. Mr.. O'Halloran, in be-
half of the Committee, presented the fol-
lowing
We, your Committee on Printing of the
address and constitution, unanimously re-
commend that the same be printed by A.
c. Cameron, of the WoRKINGMAN's ADvo-
CATE. JAMES O'HALLoRAN Pa,
DAVID MCLAUGHLIN, ILL.,,
THOMAS WATTS, Tenn,
GEORGE ADAMS, Ind.
The report was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Street presented the following reso-
luton
Resolved, That any State organizing under
the Constitution adopted, shall submit their
Constitution to the executive officers of the
National Board for examination, and they
shall decide if it be in conformity Herewith
or not.
Laid ON the table
The Committee on Salary reported in ia
vOr Of placing the Presidents salary at
1920, and all travelling and incidental ex-
penses incurred in the performance IF his
duties also in favor Of placing the Secre-
tary's salary at $1,000 per annum.
The Constitution was then unanimously
adopted as a whole, amid the cheers Of the
Convention. As amended, it reads as fol-
lows