National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-26
THE WORKINGMEN'S UNION.
EIGHT HOURS AND THE ELECTION
OF CONGRESSMEM.

OF CONGRESSMEN.
THEIR ACTION OPPOSING EIGHT HoUKs
no pE PURIIsHED AND CIRCULATED
Az ATrENfpT WILL BE MADE TO DEFEAT
THEIR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE
TRADES, UNION CENTRAL COMMITTEE
LAST NIGHT,
The central committee of Trades union held
q repular meeting last evening, at Mechanics
hall; Mr.. F. Whitemore in the chair, and j.
T. Halleck, secretary pro TEN.
DR.. Thomas, from the special committee ap-
pointed to prepare suitable resolutions or
plan of action to govern the laboring men in
selecting candidates for their support at the
coming fall elections in the different States,
submitted the following, which, after q brief
discussion, were unanimously adopted:
Whereas men whose labor is their capital
can never secure the legislation necessary for
the advancement and protection of that capital
except by union-union of strength, union of
thought, union of action. The policy of
moneyed capital to divide and conquer has
hitherto been too successful: few of our politi-
clans or legislators believe that the working
men ever can unite fer effective action, hence
their careless indifference to our appeals; ana
u,
that we will, We need expect no legislation ia
Vorable to our interest;
Whereas the worEingmen never had such
an opportunity as they will have at the coming
elections throughout the country, nearly sll
the great questions dividing parties having
been finally settled, there is really nothing be-
tween them now, but a struggle for place and
power, a mere eight for the spoils.n by united
action we can hold the balance ofpower in nearly
ria oil mr. 6nfa r.la
punish our opponents, and reward those who
befriend us;
Whereas, to secure that union of thought
and consequent union of action among work
ingmen, our efforts should be concentrated
upon the enactment and enforcement OF the
eight-hoUr law. Upon that question united
front is almost certain and, if successful, other
needful legislation will surely follow;
Whereas in the first session of the Forty third
Congress the hostility manifested by many
Representatives to labor unions, and the effort
to reduce the wages of labor in the Depart
ments of the Government, and to make the
eight-hour law a dead letter on the statutes,
is proof sufficient Of their belief in the idea that
capitalists may associate themselves together
for the protection and advancement of their
interests, and how said interests, fostered,
1ourished and protected By law, while labor,
attempting the same thing, should be de-
nounced, condemned and legislated against;
associated capital may fix the price for which
they will sell that capital or its products,
while associated labor must not fix the price
for which they will sell the only commodity
they have to dispose of-their labor: There
fore, be it qS
ReSolUed, That the practical workings of the
General Government should he based upon the
principles laid down in the Declaration of In
dependence, which guarantees an equality of
civil and political rights. -
ReSolved, That we regard with great pride
and confidence the wise, efficient and practical
efforts of many of our Representatives in Con-
eress in adhering to the policy which looks to
the protection of the worEingmen, and to the
maintenance Of the digIity and standing of
labor.
ResoIred, That we look for and confidently
RELY upon the earnest COOPERATION Of the differ
ent branches of the General Government for
the enactment and enforcement of such laws
as shall secure to the workiC-Ecn of America
q just recognition Of their CLAIMS.
RcsolUed, That the recent effort in Congress
to reduce the wages Of the employees IN the
printing and binding department of the Gov
eminent and to virtually ignore the eight-hour
law, was a deliberate aud UnTsrTanted inter- |
ference of legislation and in artagonism to the |
true principles of republican democracy, which
looks to the elevation and hot to the demoraH-
cation Of labor.
RESOLVED, That special legislation controlling |
the wages of labor is dangerous to the success |
and prosperity OF the lsborirg classes, as it |
affords to capitalists ard nonopolies the power |
to hold the workinSElan in subsection, and |
forces him into system OF suOserViency both |
degrading and humilisting.
RESOLVED, That the thanks Of the working |
men are due to their Representatives in Con |
gress who, rising above mere partisanship and |
standing upon the high level Of statesmanship, |
a.,
and thus defeated an attempt to insugurate q |
system of legislation pregnant with eVn conse- |
quences to the working classes.
RESOLVED, That we earnes,.y entrest all work
ingmen throughout the SAFES al the coming |
elections TO vote for IO IIl2n for any position,
who, in the interest OF the employers of the |
city of Washington, voted in Congress for the |
Of the wages o. wo-kingmen in the |
employ Of the GoVclhfEelt.
Rts6iped, That we recommend Messrs. Al |
bert, Albright, AveTill, Banning, Barry, Bass, |
Begole, Biery, Bowen, Buckner, Bundy, Benz. |
F. Butler, Rodericll r. Butler, Cason, Cessna, |
Amos Clark, jr., John 3. Clark, jr., Freeman |
Clarke, Clymer, Stephen A. Cobb, Coburn, |
Comingo, Conger, Corwin, Cox, Creamer, |
Crooke, Dobbins, DueIl, Dunnell, Eames, Field, |
Glover, Gooch, Guuckel, Hogan, Benjamin W. |
Harris, Hathorn, Ravens, John B. Hawley, |
Joseph R. Hawley, Hays, John W. Hazelton,
Hooper, HoskiDs, Houghton, Howe, Hynes, |
Kelley, Kellogg, Kendall, Lamar, Lamport,
Lansing, Lawrence, Lawson, Leach, LOT
land, Lowe, Lowndes, Magee, James W.
McDill, MacDougall, McJunkin, Mckee,
Monroe, Moore, Negley, Miles, O'Neill, Orr,
Orth, Packer, Page, Isaac z. Parker, Pelham,
Pendleton, Perry, Pierce, Pike, James b.
Plat, jr., Thomas c. Plat, Pratt, Rapier, |
Rice, Richmopd, James ". Robinson, Isaac |
w Saee{,,.,r Sharxrnnd 7
D. Shoemaker, Sloan, Sloss, Small, A. Herr |
Smith, J. Amber Smith, Sprague, Stanard, |
Standiford, Stsrlfweather, Stowell, Strait,
Sypher, Charles R. Thomas, C. |
Y. Thomas, Thornburgh, Todd, Tremain, Ty- |
ner, Walls, Marcus L. Ward, Wheeler, White. |
head, Whitley, Charles w. Willard, George |
Willard, Charles G. Williams, j. NJ. s. VIII |
hams, William B. Williams, Wiltshire, James |
Wilson, Woodford and Woodwork, members |
of the Forty-third Congress, to their respective
constituents as worthy of their confidence and |
support in having thus demonstrated by their |
speeches and votes, in opposition to the reduc- |
ton Of wages, that they are the friends of the |
Resolved, That the workingmen, irrespective |
Of party consideration. should aid by their |
votes and in every way they honestly can in |
securing the reelection to Congress of these |
who 30 nobly and ably, without |
regard to party utilization, fought our battles
and maintained in the face of the clamor Of the |
press and interested capitalists the right of
to organize for their own protec-
ton, and compel, if they can, the payment of
q fair remuneration for their labor.
Mr.. Maher, from the committee on mass
meeting, reported that all of the expenses in
CURED had been settled and there was q bal
ance of S2.50, which he had turned over to the
financial secretary.
The delegates were instructed to return to
their respective associations and make state
ment of the purposes of the above resolutions,
and Solicit their pecuniary aid in preparing and
documents of information among
the workingmen of the country.
The meeting then adjourned.
FEMALE GRAlLKAR SCHOOL, GEORGE
TOWN.
The annual examination OF Female Grammar
school, located in the Prospect street building,
Georgetown, took place yesterday afternoon,
IN rroeapoa If O vo-v largo oudieDce The