The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-07-17
v ELSH TODAY.
MINERsvILLE, July 6, 1875
c. Ben JOHNSON.

Horace II Day, Esq.-Dear Sir On March
y, 3 and last, there was in session at Har-
risburg, this State, large number of working
men, representatives Of different localities and
calhngs, who had met together with the pur-
pose of giving expression to their views re-
garding the immense monopolies, State and
National, which in the past two decades have
assumed proportions so gigantic, and powers
so enormous, as III the estimation of many to
threaten the very existence Of the republic
At that Convention, the largest Of the kind
Yet held IN this OF any other State YOU
and ! were both present, you as an invited
guest with all the privileges Of delegate, |
through the court~y Of NV feRow members,
its chairman. At your sugg sstion, Your
friend. Mr. Ward, made a motion locking to
the holding Of National Conference Of farm
ers and worklngmen The motion was de
bated at very great length, the fear being
generally entertained that such a conference
would only result in adding one more to the
many national organizations which the work
mgmen Of the country asked TO support
| none of which can ever amount to much, ex-
cept a means of agitation, of course until
there is a practical consolidation of all under
one head. However, after certain moditica-
tions the resolution was adopted, and on the
minutes reads follows
Resotred, That the meeting and conference
together Of the laboTing classes engaged ii a.
tual industry throughout the whole country.
East, West, North and South, whatever may
be the final conclusion Of their action, would
promote lasting benefits to all departments Of
| American industry.
Resoired, That with the object to bring
about such conference and cooperation of III
the industrial classes of the nation, that the
president and secretaries of this convention
together with the following well known and
trusted gentleman he requested to act as an
invitation committee, with power to add to
their number such others they approve
w. Saunders, d. H. Kelly, Washington,
ID. g.. e.. Ben johnson, SchuykilI ounty ;
+. NJ. Davis, /. NJ. Thompson, Philadelphia;
N. f. Piollett, Bradford county, Pa w. ri.
Earle, +. NJ. Chamberlain, John Orvis.
Massachusetts, Alexander Troup, New
Haven, Connecticut II. J Walls. John
Fehrenbatch, Parker PIlIsbury, Ohio Marcus
| w. Morton, Rhode Island $ NJ. smith.
Charles Boone, John Hinchhffe A. c. Cam
eron, Illinois Horace II. Day, q. Osborne
| Ward, John Swlntnn, New York
Under these resolutions ! became chairman
of the committee, which was b. send invita-
tions for the conference. But my time beIr !
so completely absorbed BY my duties as Presi-
uenJ OF the Miners anu labuIcfS Benevolent
Association Of Schuylkill county. which was
then and until recently engaged i'll the great
est industrial battle OF which there is any
record in the history of this country. con
scented that you should take the active chair
manshIp (leaying me the nominal honor the
labors of which you kindly offered to under
take without charge to the convention
believed that under your administration the
| work of the committee would be performed
with an eye single to the welfare of the whole
working people, and especially 50 as not to
ALLEVIATE any portion If them who have been
pushing on the good cause under other an
spices than our own. But | regret that a
large number Of communications recently re-
| ceIved from the west and elsewhere have con
| WINGED me that your invitations have been
sent and your other work done IN such a man
ner as to have rendered our movement with
many men, whose intentions neither YOU nor
|, friend Day, have a right to question. an OBJ
ject Of contempt, Of rldIcule, or Of absolute
enmity. After careful consideration. there
fore, aud after having consulted with those
upon whose Judgment | rely in such matters.
| ] have concluded for the sake Of the move
ment to thus publicly express my displeasuIe
| at the course You have seen tit to pursue.
and to demand, unless your plans with refer
ence to the coming conference are altered &c.
cordIng as | shall indicate, that my name be
no longer used in connection with it.
want
First. That the wishes Of all named in the
resolutions passed at Harrisburg, and who
| have accepted the trust there assigned them.
together with those whom they shall recon-
mend, as to the sending of invitations shall
be respected equally with your wishes or
mine
Second That the conference shall be held
to be-not in antagonism to any previous
movement Of organized workingmen-but as
in sympathy with and assistance to any and
| every effort which our brother toilers any and
everywhere IN the country may have seen tit
to make it the direction Of benehtting their
condition.
Third That the conference shall not be
secret or called with a view of its being re-
solved into a convention to nominate lnde-
pendent candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency
| want to see the Cincinnati conference
held though | think it should be postponed
until October and will do all | can to bring
it about But had rather the proposition to
hold it were withdrawn and forever forgotten
than that it should result In dividing our lit
tie army of Labor Reformers into cllques and
rings, and at time, too, when it is neces-
sary that every man Of us should be in line
to make the showing anything like a respecta-
bic one.
In conclusion, permit me TO say that have
not been Impelled to write and publish this
letter IRON any want Of faith in your integ-
rity | hold you to have been prompted BY
honest motives only in wha, you have done,
but your assumptions that the conference
should be a secret one, that its doors should
be closed against any honest work Inpman or
LabOrer Reformer, and that it is intended to
offset airy other movement, are fallacles which
would prove dangerous in the following. /
hope to hear from you promptly in answer to
this, to the effect that you have modified
the plans Of the committee, or else that you
have dropped my name from the list Of in
vlters. Fraternally.