Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-08-18
THE wORKENGMEN IN NASH
WILLIE.

county, Court room at Nashville on
asst Monday night. The meeting OF
vas called to order by John Ash in
ord, who said: Oh
GENTLEMEN-It is with pleasure II
that the committee which called "
this meeting meet so many Of you Sc
here tonight. We have not come u
here to make speeches. The COM
mittee appointed some four or five !"
days ago have got up some resolu-
tions which will be placed before L
YOU for your adoption or alteration e
as to YOU may seem fit. 1t has been U
earnestly desired that fellow work
man should preside over this meet \
ing, and / therefore nominate j. L. e
Mckenzie as chairman. l
The nomination was unanimously 9
sustained.
Before taking the chair, Mr.. Nc
Kenzie said:
GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW-CITI- ]
ZENs- fellow-workmen | should say
This meeting tonight is very graf
living. 1t is something very unus-
ual, something unlocked for, l pre- !
sumo, in the history Of the United
States that a mass meeting of work
ingmen should be called together
for the purpose of asserting their
rights as men; but we don't propose
to do it by bloodshed, riot, or other
violence, but in the legitimate man
ner in which this great country has
said it should be done-we propose
to do it by the ballOt-boX, and to
that end this meeting has been
called. The committee, as the gen
tleman has already stated, has
adopted a series of resolutions for
your adoption or rejection. But be-
fore we proceed any further it will
be necessary to appoint a secretary, |
and would state that John Ash |
ford acted as chairman of the Orig1- |
nal committee, and | suppose he
will be appointed to that position
and read the resolutions mentioned.
None of US are speech-makers, but
we must 90 to work together as If
we were at the bench; work like
the capitalist, who puts his heel on
YOUR neck and tells you to work,
and if you do not, starve you must.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. Ashford then read the follow
ing preamble and resolutions, which
were unanimously adopted, seria-
tim:
Whereas, we, the working and
: producing class of this country, the
2 only source of wealth and prosperi
. tv, and without any representatives
: in municipal or legislative bodies ;
l and, whereas, we believe the ballot
4 box to be the only true and reason
D able course whereby our rights can
: be maintained, therefore, be it
! Resolved, That we earnestly rec
l ommend the organization of the
e Workingmen for political purposes,
# to be called the Protective Labor
}, Party.
;, |. For the protection of labor, not
deeming it antagOnistic to capital.
e 9. For the enactment of just laws
e for the protection of labor.
# 3. Be it resolved, That we heart
:, iIy invite the cooperation of every
) man who earns his bread by honest
e industry, and that we hereby pledge
h ourselves to uphold and sustain by
V all legal means any or all candidates
% that we may choose to represent us.
4. That we recognize and uphold
le all the amendments to the COnstitu-
s ton of the United States.
" 3. That the Central Committee be
h empowered to call a meeting in the
various wards, commencing at the
III first, etc., and there the working
T. men of the ward shall elect two
representatives to the city cOnven-
~ ton for the nomination of the vari.
- Gus officers of the city, and at said
IT meeting shall nominate the candi
of dates for Aldermen and Councilmen
ne 6. That the Central Committee
~ have power to call the State ano
county conventions when deemed
" by them advisable.
9d 7. That we are in favor of silver
of being remOnetized so as to make i
nj a legal tender, without regard to thu
"a interest of the bOndhOlder.
III s. That we are in favor of green
to backs being a legal tender for al
rs debts, public and private.
,s- 9. That we demand that the Gov
- eminent issue ten million dollar
Az per month until the distress of thu
"A country is relieved.
no 10. That we are opposed to TIN
elk contraction policy of the Govern
"a ment and will sustain no one for OF
Ii' fee who is in favor of contraction.
he II. That we will not sustain an.
lst candidate for office that is not in full
od accord with the WOrkingmen.
- Is. That we as wOrkingmen ig
lS' more both the old parties as bein
We detrimental to the interest of tn
IN working class.
10. That we look upon the Peni
no tertiary system as an outrage an
III one of the greatest evils in theStat
III of Tennessee that the Workingme
in have to bear,
ed r, NJ. Allen offered the following
ror which were also unanimously adOl
~ ted:
M l, Resolved, that we regard labC
go, as having its origin from God, tn
en- divine Legislator for mankin
nm throughout the confines of this ten
' pOral world.
cry ~. That the cause for advOcatin
= and protecting the workingmen
I'VE right by Just principles has the con
of bined sympathy of all moral an
~, honest men.
the 2. That we as a combination of Ii
jul, borers and mechanics, of Nashvill
in Tenn, do earnestly advocate tt
bis WOrkingmen's rights, and we a.
1il0 bent. bound, and determined to u
Jus all of our eXertiOnS and influence
Oys give labor an equal representatiC
md with capital in the legislative hal
mo of the country.
'NS 4. That we advocate the prote
eu. ton of our rights by just Legislation
g l and that no act of the Legislatu
md should become a law without beir
md ratified by the majority Of the pc
10 pie in their sovereign capacity an
'io' signed by the Governor in conform
1to- ity to the principles and genius
ok free government.
late 5. That we sincerely thank Jud|
net Whitworth for the publicity of {
oio article giving his views on the su
'i"' iect of labor and capital. The ar
ma, Gle is able, sound, and conservativ
pc Judge Whitworth was loud
dist called for when the chairman sail
ono "NOne other but wOrkingmen a
'ih expected to speak here tonight.
lev. you are a practical workingman, v
and will listen to you with pleasure. v
into have got too much in the habit
IiC+aDino To SDread eaDIp orator,