New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-01
PROTESTS OF WORKINGMEN
MASS MEETING IN TOMpKINs. SQUARE.

The meeting held last evening in Temp
knssquare TO protest against the breaking Of the
meeting in the square last January and the arrest ana
imprisonment OF Christian Mayer for assanltng Police
Sergeant BerghOlz was comparatively insignificant
Affair." Those who In charge OF the arrangements
for the meeting seemed to have no method The large
German societies, which are understood to sympahjze
IN part with those who had the meeting In charge were
not invited, and consequently were not present Chris
tan Mayer released few days ago from prison by
Gov. Dix, was present on the platform, but made no
speech. Indeed in conversation held on Sunday with
reporter Of HE TRIBUNE, he disavowed all sympathy
with the objects OF the meeting and declared that he
bore no iwi to Gov. DIX, and thought the latter par
doned him because he convinced Of his innocence
of any desire to fOment riot. There were present
members OF the Painters Taors and Bakers Unions,
and number OF Social Democrats" These marched
to the square In procession. John Fitche delegate
from the Carpenters Union OF Philadelphia, was pres
ent The Vigilance Committee appointed to look after
the rights Of the workngmen and make preparations
| for mass meetings were Messrs Samuels Elliott, Me-
Mackin. Thompson. DIR. Kinget. Mcclure, and McCul-
loch. The meeting orderly one, small force Of
park police under Sergeant Van Doan being ample to
| prevent any disturbance
Soon after o'clock W. MacGregor called the assembly
to order and nominated Leander Thompson for Chair
man. Mr.. Thompson, after appointing p ]. Mcclure as
Secretary made the opening address.
They had assembled he said to vndcate the right OF
| peaceful assembly and free speech He then gave a
brief recital OF the circumstance which led TO the meet
ing, beginning with the police interference of JAN IS,
1874, speaking In terms OF great condemnation OF the
action OF the Governor, Mayor, and Police Commission
ers and laying the blame Of the whole trouble upon
their shoulders He spoke, In conclusion, OF the
cessfu appeal to the Legislature and reminded his au-
dence that long they remained dsOrganized they
would he denounced by the politicians
The following resolutions then read by p j. Me-
(nfF0 Will fla
Wha' The Institution by the fact that it secures 70 the people
the right to assemble denies the authorities the power to Interfere with
the people permission 70 assemble and -,
1874 By
eowariy authorities b dpere. in contempt Of the coniq
ton peeesbe asseblage OF starving Horngmen citizens OF this
eouit who enteed meet by permission that the said
authorities had assumed publicly TO grant and then secretly to With
Ukeas dispersion unexpected
and DsaD eg 1y So ua e B Of the SSS AND
e or G e Governor OF S or s S OF 1 the
a On the So 1 he e@ 9 ss 81 Dan5 me
80 much A. TO erir an iuTs.uson and il VS. ony unde, The
Of public INDIGNATION d queag the eeo prospects Of
Of acOn was at length compelled TO release Christian MAYER while
gH} , s 3 asye sst the s 6 @o"n and an con-
WrS The ronbs Of our anan the corruption and neg
e Of governing classes threaten renew tbs coming Winter tue
oe personal vigilance has become tue duty of the people, there
Rored That hold Mayor personally responsible
the outrage pet5aied On the b Of Januar' and on tie bis
traitor ard coward That We ,t demand the
the prosecuting justice
90 their b procuring the angnms9t and punishment Of the ad
against charges Of violation of the Constitution and conspiracy
me HS si all 5e open on ds@ad people fi
people Of this city.
SPEECH OF JOHN swINTON
John Swinton was then introduced to the audience
am sorry said be, there not hundred times the
number Of people who appear before me tonight for
stand on the spot made memorable by the most in
famous outrage perpetrated in New-York Here
in this TompbDs-square, on the 18Th OF last January,
assembled hat helpless, haggard multitude OF unem.
ployed wOrkingmen to consult as to the means OF
saving themselves from the doom by which they were
Torce or whose you are taxed fell on
them furously. unexpectedly, and without warming,
sweeping those mOnstrous clubs to right and lett,
smashing heads apd limbs IN their mercless a9g reek
less excitement, while gaioping horseinen dashed
through these swarmlng streets, DRIVING the panic
helter-skelter. on, it was heart-treezlng spectacle.
starving muitituies were swept from this square
hunted from these streets Scores were wouude5s
so0'e perish i"' IN despair: All Of them,
taught lesson. Yes. We are tod that
which the old Nero much OF Christian to give.
but which the Nero OF these times was too mlcn OF
paCan 10 refrain from. In this superb city, OH this
spot. a brief hayear ago. TINS Tragedy OF man was
enacted. When all the elrcuus tances OF II are taken
that cruelty and atrocy, II was never surpassed IN
maTor Who Authorized IT. smith Gardner, shylock
yytteri Duryee were the Police Commissioners WHO
ordered it, Matsel was the superintendent who took
Greron of it, DIX was the Governor VINO, after being
uuplored advance To prevent H. sent dispatch from
Albany which secured its perpetraton Did the Alder
| men who represent you attempt 10 interpose their
power for salvation OF the victims Dd the outrage
rouse tie indignation Of the legislators, Republican or
| Drmoeratic Whom YOU elected and were then in
session at Albany Did anybody In authority stand up
az shield for popular liberty or say Word ior suef
/ was about to say that this Tomrklns,sqqare
was In January last the battle field which the Initial
| action "A struggle when II sure 10 DC loh- iuu
| which hope Will hereafter he peacefully carried on
with moral weapons, was fought. But II was not a
conflict at all The armed cOmbatants were all on one
side helpless resisting objects OF assault were on
the other side. This Tompkinssquare theh, was hoL
battle field. 1t was the sacrihcia ground ON which rne
victims of municipal diaoolisn were lnuloateu; AS
such, lett be remembered, uht Tue worsnp "a Va
Internal god Of modern heahendon Is aooAsheu. We
are told by some people 1na and dt s memories Should not
be stirred up that Ii took place SO many lohg years
ago No gentlemen 1t must never DC forgotten WINE
The principles which smuatedit are in the ascendant
while the who guilty OF it 60 about unpublished
time in existence; man may iorgve an uis ,ut,
| who wrong him, but no people should ever PARDON
liberty. TO overlook or condone these is to iu
wife their repetition IS to give warranty ior sum n1r
| iber,y itself is assassnaied. The Tompkins- quare
outrage should be forgotten when the principles AGAINST
which II was directed shall have won It's secure and
final triumph; but not TIL then Applause Unu then
the believers free speech should hold It IN perpetual
| RENE nbrance; should never weary or asltatlnk H.
holding meetings about IT, and should commemorate It's
anniversary here on this spot for hundreds ana tnou
| OF Concord and Bunker Hill, where You won your
| liberty Thus aud thus only can Its recurrence mere
after be prevented Thus and thus only can tue people
hope 10 guarantee their safety III forgive or orse
| ths affair OF last Winter let me warn you OF next
| Winteri We are also told that the peo-
| pie will he infamed by recounting Its memories
tell You that any people who eau 20 along without IN
dnlvne m angry feelings about II, are rpenng for
potical perdtion We are told that the au norites IN
Crushing the square meeting did not interfere
with the Constitutional right Of free speech This Is
fraudulent sophisry The poor workpeope Of TINS ely
could NOT afford 10 hire halls last Winter The pablo
squares were tue only places in which they could as
semble the only places where they could possibly e1
| ercise the guaranteed right OF meeting ana speech.
shakesneare makes shylock say. You take my house