National Republican., 1877-10-24
WORKINGMEN'S ASSEMBLY.
or A NEW LABOR
UNION

ORGANIZATION or A NEW LABOR
UNION
Oficers Elected = sympathy for Striking
Cigar-Makers - Cooperation with the
Journeymcn Taiiors.
Pursuant to adjournment the delegates from
the different trade organizations met at Baicr's
Hall last evening to perfect the organization Of a
general protective union. WIN. II, Mclean, presi.
dent occupied the chair. with Mr.. Jno. J. Meany,
secretary, Mr.. J. r. Hamilton, chairman Of the
committee appointed to dnft a constitution aud
bylaws, submitted report.
THE PRINCIPLES.
The preamble of the constitution states:
Whereas the emancipation of the working classes
must be accomplished by the working classes
themselves and experience has demonstrated the
ends that In their accomplishment all means may
be adopted not Incompatible with individual rights
or the welfare of society and i Is deemed All object
worthy Of such effort TO place labor and It's rewards
| on an equal bvsI, with capital;
whereas the workngmcn of this District are
Isolated when they. should be united, and are
without m exponent Of their principles or organ.
ization to give an effective voice to public scnti.
ment and
without an identity cf feeling interest and in.
teltion In common the workingmen Of the Dis.
trict Of Columbia must inevitably be subjected to
innovations upon their rights calculated to con.
niCt with their interests. and eventually tend to
their Generalization and subjeCtion to the com.
bined Interests OF corporations and capital: There
fore
Resolved, That we the organized workingrnen of
the District OF Columbia, form ourselves into nm
associated brotherhood To he known as the M
ionnl Workingmen's Assembly Of the District of
Columbla tn further advance our interests and
adop; the following constitution, by laws and
rules OF order for our government:
THE OBJECTS OF THE ASSEMBLY.
Section . 4 article provides that the object
Ia tN nj
cations and Orsnnized wOrkingmen for the purpose
oi securing unity of action and mutual support on
all measures of common good direct representation
Of the working classes in municipal aud State
Legislatures and Congress aud diligently urging
such needed legislation may be To the welfare Of
the workingmen throughout the United states, and
The repeal Of all conspiracy laws enacted to tho
detrimcnt of labor
'scc. g. Each trade organization or organized
body of wOrkingmen shall be entitled to three dele
gates for one hundred or less membership and
shall bc entitled to one delegate lurcach additional
iiny or fraction thereof"
During the discussion of the proposed cOnsttu-
ton, Mr., Emmons objected that the phraScoUgy of
the preamble would preclude representatives from
unurgnniZcd trades.
Mr.. Meany said that when the call from the Ty.
geographical Union was issued there Were no trades
unions in the city except the typographical.
Mr.. Barker claimed that the rrrunblC ns It was
wordcd would have a tendency II nrncouracc trade,
organizations, Rs the trades would like 10 send dele
gates To the assembly
Mr.. Boron moved 10 strike out the word organ
izcd."
This question was debated for some time.
Mr., EinmonS, who represents the navy yard me.
ChamCS and Others. although in favor Of retaining
the word organized" said that they would have
no voices In the organization rs soon as the lrcam
bic was adopted.
The Chair stated that it would not be so consid
crcd ns all accredited delegates would have u rca
sonnhlc time TO organize their fellow -tradCSmCn.
The motion To strike out was lost and the con
sttution, bylaws and rules of orler submitted by
the committee were adopted.
OFFICERS ELECTED.
The Assembly then proceeded to the election Of
the officers Mr.. H. T. Crump was unanimously
elected financial secretary. Mr.. j. T. Sulcr was
elected scrgcan.at arms. The chair was granted
until the next meeting tn announce the committee.
Attention was called tn the judiciary committee by
Mr. J. Whitcmore, who considered 1t very impOr
tant thnt the committee should be appointed md
get to work, especially rs the eight hour question
mtce McSsrs. Alfred Thomas :. llaldcman aud
Vim. SPIer; The duties of the Judiciary committee
are to collect and examine all laws relating To
labor and report all violations and cvasions TO the
assembly.
SYMPATHY FOR STRIKING CiGAR-MAKERs.
Mr. J. I. Hamilton offered the following which
was adopted without debate:
Reso'rtd, That this assembly tender It's sympathy
to the cigar makers who are now on strike in New
York for reasonable wages.
Rcso',td That we urge upon them the advisa.
hity Of preserving their organization against all
attacks from cigar manufacturers and we denounce
all laws and the mistaken public sentiment which
sanctions the Organization of capital and opposes
Mr.. Boron moved that u committee OF FIVE be ap-
pointed TO prepare declaration of principles.
AflGr some debate the motion was ndOptcd, and
the President appointed rs the committee William
herOn, J, 7. Hamilton, j. ". Stamp, y. l.. Barker
and o, +. Chappell.
THE JouRNEyMEN TAILoRs.
A delegation of three from the Journcyman
TailOrs Union at this point entered the hall end
were introduced TO the meeting.
Mr.. Mcdonald spokesman of the delegation told
the meeting of the action of the Tailor's Union In
striking on certain merchant taiOrs. lie said that
there were only about fifty iOurneymen tailOrs in
the city, and furty-GUur Of them belonged to the
union. The union was strong and could beat the
employers. They desired to have the assembly CO.
operate with them, and to call public meeting at
an carly dAy. The tailOr3 would pay all the CN-
pcnses Of the meeting Mr.. Mcdonald severely
criticized the press of the city lacking sympathy
with the labOrng men. lie claimed that every
meeting had not Dccn reported, although there were
reporters present. lie mentioned one paper which
had refused 10 publish Rs an advertisement no.
ticc 10 tuiOrs requesting them not To take ont work
from certain firm against which the journcymcn
had struck.
MAss.MEETING To BE CALLED.
| On motion Of Mr.. RalstOn, a committee of five
| was appointed to cooperate With the Tailors
! Union for the purpose of calling mass meeting
as follows: MesSrs RalstOn. Clarkson, Land.
| vOght, EmmOns and Whitemore.
| President Mclean said that II struck him that
II should go into this business with a vim us while
they were helping the tailors they would be help,
| ing themselves.
A committee was appointed to secure a hall, and
the assembly then adjourned for one week.
|
| Base BALL.
Yesterday afternoon the Democratic page.
of the IIou sc of Representatives forced their Re