The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-11
WORKINGMEN I'm COUNCIL.
MEETING AT CON.
CORDfA HALL Last NIGHT. =
AN ADDRESS TO THE UNoRGANIZEE
MECHANICS, OF RICHMOND.
Speeches from Iessrs. Henry Of the
Iron. MOulders' Union, J. Il. Wright
of the typographical Union, !,
James :HoRle, w. HI.
Burton, and others.
&c., &c.,

&C., CIC., SC. s4 .r
Pursuant to an announcement in yester.
days Dispatch public meeting, under the
| auspices of the United Workingmen's Coun-
Gil, was held in CQncordia Hall last night.
In the absence of Fhe president the meeting
| was called to order by Mr. j. L. Wright, Sc
cretary Of The Council.
On motion OF Mr.. M. r. Pace, Mr.. J. W.
Flaberty was invited to preside.
The Chair announced that the public
meeting bad been called for the purpose OF
bearing an address prepared by select COM
mittee appointed from the several working
| mems councils in the city, of which Mr..
Pace was chairman. HaviBg mnde this an
nouncement Mr.. Pace read Il,
THE ADDRESS. .--.--
To the Unorganized 'Workinsmen Of the
Citv of Richmond: 81. ~ " st'y3 .
Some eleven months since measures were
taken BY the several trade organizations of
Richmond to form an Association for the fur
ther advancement Of the interests of all me.
chanics, and TO promote social intercourse
between the trades and an interchange of
sentiments bearing upon the question of Ia
bor-its relative position to capital, and the
effect Of the one upon the other.
These efforts thus fap have been crowned
with success, and to-day the organized me-
cbanics of Richmond are cemented together
by representation in the body known as 4" The
United Workingmen's Council" the prince
Piles of which and the objects to be attained
are set forth in the pronuncamento:
First. We believe that " in union there is
strength" and that " divided we must fall"
Second. We recognize as proper and
timely the efforts of our fellow. workingmen
throughout the land to ameliorate their
physical and social condition as justly de-
serving the countenance-nay, the support,
the aid-of every good and honorable man.
We believe that the time has come for every
mechanic of the city OF RichmOsd to put
bis shoulder to the wheel in the work Of
promoting the general interests Of all, and
reaching the safest accomplishment OF our
educational advancement and social clera-
ton.
|. Third. We believe we are right in desir.
ing, aud attempting in all fair ways, the ac.
complshment of large equality between
capital and labor; and that if we did not
seek this equality, in such country as ours,
we would be unworthy to receive il.
Fourth. Believing that temperance, moral
ity, and religion are the chiet basis of good
society, We assert that it is in the interest of
humanity that the working classes should
receive the means of attaining general cul-
ture, and that the man who tolls should be
the peer Of the proudest and richest, unless
disgraced by dishonesty and vice.
Fifth. We believe that every worklngman
owes assistance and friendship to his fellow
workingman. and tba; without these there
can be no union; therefore, it is the duty OF
all through this. Council to use their utmost
endeayors to further the interest, both indi-
vidual and general, of al connected with this
organization, and by concentrated action to
uphold and protect themselves.
With this creed established as the basis OF
eDeratiops. and each and al! directing their
efforts to a consummaton of the objects
therein declared to be essential to the ad-
yancement of mechanics, the Council deter
mined to issue San address to the
USoRGANIzED woRKISGMEN
of this city, presenting for their considera.
ton the benefits and advantages to be de-
rived from tradesunions."
1t is only within the past fifty years that
mechanics in this country have been forced
20 organize for self. preservation. Before that
period there were no trade.- -Hnions, in the
modern acceptance of the term, although
there existed what were then known as socle.
ties, and they were of a purely beneficial
character, until the multiplicity OF workmen
and the scarcity of employment was taken
advantage Of by master mechanics, and the
compensation Of the jaurneymen cut down
to such low figure that many of the neces-
saries Of life were beyond their reach.
To add to the distressed condition OF the
mechanic, about this time several OF The State
prisons we're turning out large quantities OF
manufactured goods, and thus forced the
honest, intelligent artisan either to accept
and support large family on remunera-
ton that would enable his employer to sue
cessfully compete with convict labor or him.
self commit an overt act Qhe punishment OF
which was confinement in the penitentary),
and thus secure for himself at least an
equality acih criminals and enough to satisfy
the cravings OF hunger.
In some sections another prolific cause OF
retarding the progress Of WorkinSmen was
the unlimited number Of apprentices with
which master mechanics carried on their Sc
yeral businesses. Work of an inferior char
acter was thrown on the market with the
guarantee of having been performed by the
most skilled Workmen in the handcraft.
These things had very demoraliziDg effect
upon the journeymeD, and for years that at
tention to the apprentice SO necessary for his
becoming skilled in the avocation OF bis
choice, or to which arbitrary fate had
consigned him, was not bestowed,
aud the result was most disastrous
TO the apprentice. When his term
of indenture expired, instead of being re-
tanned ia the employ of bis master he was
turned adrift on the world. Life requires
nourishment-n nature aciJ force resistance
TO starvation if there are any means bY which
It. NAV be ayerted--and the urSEilled work
nun in many INSTANCES found WillIpg CO.
adiutor in an uuprincipled employer, VINO
found preteXt for further reducing wages
from the fact that q workman who couia
produce judentures aom his master was will
ing to accept enough to buy crust as com"
pensation for bis services.
After many sNtile attempts to secure
Justice, or at least that consideration
which the slate of afiirs Jussiked
and their ressectability demanded, the
advanced thklkers in the ranks OF
those who followed the mechanical
ar,s.constructed the basis of an organization
that is destined 10 regulates all imperaetiors IN
the labor system of the United States, and
to secure to- the laborer compensation com
mensurate with his services, ana 10 reestao'
lish declaration Of Holy Writ that Tor years
has been buried beneath the weight oi capl'
tai .z-u
| " THE l.ABoRER IS WORTHY OF HIS HIRE
One of the fruits of the efforts OF the geo
men in this movement is to-day apparent te
all who have taken the trouble OF inqulrine
into the merits of the present system OF ap
premiership.
Fifty years since when boy was inden
tured his term of appren !iceshlp was hxet
until ne arrived at that age declared oy TN
law to constitute freeman. lie was IN LII
service of his master day and night-theE
| rraS No limit fixed for his labor in the WOCk