The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-12-04
THE INDEPENl ENTS.
Meeting Of the National Elk
ecutive Committe e.


Independent fArty. Anu hummer "a IL
vited friends, met at Burke's Hotel, Chi |
cago. on Wednesday, Dec. LIST, for the pur- |
pose Of selecting time and place for call |
ing a National Nominating Convention,
and taking the necessary steps to effect
thorough organization in the various sec
tions Of the country.
The meeting was presided over by MIR.
s NJ smith. who stated at some length
the circumstances under which 1t had been
called and the objects sought to be accom-
plished.
On motion Of A. q Cameron, formal ac-
ton was delayed till Thursday morning,
till the arrival Of a majority Of the Com
npttee After adjournment the meeting
was called together for informal discussion
and free Interchange Of opinion, with 5.
NJ Smith IN the chair. Speeches were
made by Hon J. NJ Washburne, Of Viii
hanson Co., H.; William Elicit, Of MIN
nesota; VIM. Aldrich, Of Wisconsin; j. 5.
Arms rong, Treasurer Of the Illinois State
Grange; s d. Carpenter, Of Wisconsin;
and Messrs. Thorp, Slade, Guy, Ellsworth,
| Wolf and Parker Of Illinois, the tenor OF
which was encouraging III the extreme,
predicting glorious success for the green
back cause in 1876. The meeting then
adjourned to meet in Farwell Hall, on
Friday morning at 9 IL o'clock.
FRIDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
The Committee reassen0led, according to
adjournment Mr.. Smith acted as chairman
and stated that the forenoon would be de-
voted to an open discussion upon the best
methods OF organizing in the several States.
Mr. Ollridge, Of Wisconsin. asked per
mission to make few remarks. tie said
that Tor the gentlemen Of the press he had
the greatest respect. lie hoped they would
be kind enough to do the meeting Justice.
They might be as severe as they choose In
their crltIcism, bat they had no right t. vii
: fully nIsrepresent the statements Of the gen
tlemen present.
speeches were made by Messrs Trevelhck
Drew, Olleman, Streator, Mooney OLrIdge and
T Finch, the last If whom offered tine follow
} ing resolutions, which were referred to the
Executive Committee:
Resolued That It Is the sense OF this meet
Z ing that the great primary objects TO be &C
compished, III order to secure the reform for
which We coDtendIng, are TO unite the
{ farmers Of the West, the planters Of the
r South and the toilIng millions Of other por.
tons OF tine United States on one political
organization, pledged TO vote for honest meE
IN office; pledged To maintain purity and hon
!, esty ia official trusts; pledged to bring al
> | monOpoles and corporations into Subsection
. | under the laws OF the State and nation
repeal the national bank law, the re
I resumption law and all other laws lnImica
p | to the interests VI the industrial classes
pledged to retoI III the currency by passing
law substituting greent acks for national bAnl
= notes. and To make greenbacks interchange
a able, at the option OF the holder, with ma
tIonal bonds bearing interest at 3, 90 per cent
interest. and pledged to pass such other laws
c as the Interests VI labor may demand
Resotc.d That We pledge ourselves to per
feet local organizations to promote thes'
i | principles IN our respective districts, and W,
d Will heartily cooperate with the ndustIa
classes ia all sections Of the country. IN Orde
? to secure the blessings OF these Just reforms
|, R,-s0ired, That We wage no war upon tn
. | capitalists as such. but that we demand thai
= the industrial class shall be placed upon ful
J equality with the corporations and capitalist
q before the law.
Y Resolved, That we Will enter the Presiden
tial canvas Of 1876 with candidates of on
Z own choosing who shall be pledged to uphol,
/, our principles.
= The Hon NJ W. cid, Of Michigan, thel
followed in long and eloquent speech ii
favor Of greenbacks and the convertible bond
The Independent party, the speaker said
said Is the only party that proposes to redeem
) the greenback at all They would redeem }
in al Overwhelming bond He denounce,
the bulhcnIsts the only real repudIator
and communists. Congress IS ruled by tn
: money elias ess. There were 2o9 bankers AM
lawyers in the last Congress, and only on
: mechanic. God save the people who hav
: such lawmakers. He belIeved that unless til
y party succeeds In the next Presidential cleo
= ton. the Republic is dead a iush.
The meeting then adjourned, to meet at
| o'clock at Burkcs Hotel.
AFTERNOON Session.
e The Executive Committee met at burke
I Hotel. IN secret session, Mr. Smith IN tn
I char, ami A L. Cameron, Secretary.
: On motion, the Committee proceeded I
name place and time FIR holding Nations
Nominating Convention. After a full an
! tree Interchange u opinion. participated ii
by every member present, Indianapolis wa
selected ~ the place. and Wednesday, tn
l1Ih OF May next the time for holding tn
Z National Nominating Convention.
. The following resolution was adopted
RtSofrea, lhat II Is recommended to tn
4 several committees Of the several States t,
all State conventions previous To the 10th o
: May, 1876, and that the number 81 delegate
to the National Convention be double tn
! number Of Senators and Representatives IL
Congress
On motion, Messrs. Drew and. Wolf wen
! appointed committee to draft call for tn,
. National COnventnio
! On motion, Messrs. Buchanan, Cameron
Fields, Crooks and Drew were appointed
) committee to draft an
J ADDRESS To THE PEOPLE OF THE UNTIL
STATES.
The informal convention was resumed a
$3.50 o'clock, Mr.. Smith IA the chair
MIR. T. A. Olleman offered the following
resolution:
hesotCed, That we recommend to the peopl,
OF the l ulted States favorable to the principle,
adopted by the Independent party, to organ
lie themselves at once into Greenback indie
pendent clubs, as the most effective means oi
organization and cooperation, and report the
officers OF such clubs to the Chairman OF the
Central Committee Of the respective States.
The resolution was adopted.
The CALL.
Mr.. Drew reported the call, which, with
some amendments, read as follows:
WHEREAS, Our legislation, both State and
national, for the last few years, has been al
most exclusively for chartered monopolies
against the people, ia favor OF foreign inter
eSts, and for the excLanger to the detriment
q the producer; and,
| WHEREAS, Such legislation has resulted in
almost entire Prostration and disintegration
Oh our Industrial interests. while at the same
time enormously stimulating parasitic devel-
opinent; and.
| WHEREAS, The civil service of the country
under The old party leaders has become thor