The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-09
LABOR ENSLAvED.
VIEWS OF AN OLD TRADE UNIoNIsT.
DrrROIr August g. 1871

VIEWS OF AN OLD TRADE uNIoNIsT.
DETROIT, August 9. 1871
To THE EDlroR OF THE HraALD:-
For the last twelve years have been connected
with the trade unions OF this country for some
time President OF tho Shipwrghts aud Calkers' Ma
tonaI uriou; then President OF the National Labor
Union--out OF which grew the present independent
greenback party. From the National Labor Union
camc the platform OF tho present independent green
back movement As lar back 1867 the National
Labor Union, through it's officers a committee ap
poioted by that body, drew up and sent cir
culars to tho Leading men OF the nation,
including tho President OF the United States,
well Governors Of States and members oil Con-
gress Of the United States, asking them to carefully
consider the recommendations OF The Secretary Of the
Treasury before they adopted what We believed would
prove fatal blow to The labor interests OF tho country
We bel eyed that rum must follow he measures pro-
posed II adopted and carried out by Congress
Unfortunately the policy oil Hugh McCulloch, the
then Secretary OF the Treasury, was adopted by the
law mckins power, and has been persisted 10 until
ortgagcs like pail OF darkness, rest on railroads,
farms, factories, ioundrles, aud even the very
houses OF the poor until business could pay with
the exception Of holding bonds anu loaning
money THIS state OF things was clearly pointed
by the petitions sent out by the Labor Congress
both political parties. We had hoped that the written
history of England, from 1915 TO 1882 would have been
lesson to American statesmen but we hoped In VAIN.
Tho money power Of Europe had the control OF the
British Parliament al that time and the same power,
troll of Congress Today. Debts Of railroads. farms,
factories aud mills contracted when the volume
OF money three times large IL s at present.
The mechanics AMI laborers bought homes when wages
were almost three times as large as they are at
The present time. Labor had adjusted itself TO
the volume OF money IN circulation and debts
trac;ed on that basis laoorer bought little
home for 5000 when wages were So per day He be-
licved that 800 days labor would pay Tor that home
But contraction commenced, the volume OF money
reduced until his wages were only ~ or 81 50 pcr day
Then labor was to givc 600 days work at 81 80 ana
90 days. work at 81 settle what he expected
pay with 800 days work. Thus is that labor has
been robbed for though his wages fell. the debts
manned the same. ana three days labor taken by
capital Tor day promised 1t is this that has
crushed the business OF the country, driven
merchants into bankruptcy, labor out OF employ
incnt, and filled our land with tramps The people
have looked Tor help They have been told by tho great
press the country that they wait until spring.
until after harvest until after election, until this
that party should be elected and all would be WELL
but they have waited vain. II has gone from
bad tn worse, until hope is blasted by despair, and
the midst Of abundance hundreds Of thousands
on the verge OF Starvation
had hoped trade unonlst that by the men
uniting together IN their tra-es each would the
other to STRIKE bat 10 learn that tho ballot box
alone could save labor from slavery.
II. i. TREvELLICK