The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-02

without iauit of their own, arc now suffering
extreme want While II Is true that leg
lsialion do litio for their relief ~
well TO understand clearly The causcs which
have led to their distress In 1850 there COM
paint OF lack OF employ ment scant wages The
money OF the country was specie or paper convertible
into IL at will The currency subs tantally steady
aud uniform, as was the condition OF ali branch Of
trade and inausty aud the prices OF labor and OF tho
necessities OF lie The laws OF trade regulated and
controlled the entire energy OF our community.
Immediately alter the commencement OF The civil
In 1851 the general beran an imitation OF tho
currency by the issue OF paper money THIS soon led
10 tue suspension 81 specie payments, and, conse
quently tue volume OF the currency de-
three or four years the volume OF our cur
rcncy was swollen to more than double the
amount IN IN 1860 and 1851 The inevitable resu
followed rapid increase OF the price of all commod
tiles, IN unnatural stimulation OF trade and manufac
lures, aud necessary increase in the wages Of
CHANCES, artisans ana aborcrs. At tho same lime
another great evil strongly developed Individu-
ais and corporations engaged In the various branches
OF manufacture TAX ng advantage OF the necessities of
the government rushed to Congress and, by every
means IN their power. procured each Tor its own
benefit the levy oil what we're called protective duties
under the false pretcnce OF raising Tor tho
government, but really TO compel consumers TO pay
exorbtant prices for the favored articles thus pro-
tected Under the wing and stimulus OF this so-called
projection new enterprises were undertaken; new
and extensive factories built and needless rail-
ways projected and undortakcn; new mines and
loundrics opened, and armies Of aborers ailured by
high wages 10 these enterprises from uelds of agri-
culture ana other sober aud rational cmpoymonts OF
lie. The lew notes OF warning raised against certain
consequences OF this wild overacton UNDECIDED.
extravaganza OF expenditure, the absence of every
ming ike rugality and economy obtained IN all direc
tons. The empty and dclusive bubble thus raised
could not endure, and although kept ahoat by the
whole power oil the government 50 long AS II was
possible, II met at last the inevitable day OF doom.
Imaginary fortunes vanished ia moment, III I'D lsed
railway schemes mnes mills and factories wore sus
pended and tens OF thousands OF ipnoce and un for
unate iaborers were lett without employ mont
means OF subsistence. Instead OF the high wages by
which they had been onticed from other occupations
to these enterprises they received wages all It
Is easier to discover the OF this distress than to
point out the manner OF its relief There be but
one permanent ana cfe remedy. That Is to re-
turn speedily possib To tho condition OF things
that existed before the road TO ruin was entered
by means OF return TO specie payments sound and
stable currency and tho reduction OF tho tarif TO
strictly revenue Standard
Under tho influence OF these measures all branches
OF Industry Will resume their old and reg
ularity ana SUCCESS. All departments OF labor will
call Tor employees, TO whom such wages Wi, be paid as
tho business will warrant and the parties can agree
upon. II surplus OF unemployed laborors still re.
mains there are open to all In this great country
countless millions OF fertile acres OF land upon which
every industrious man can be OF securing for
himself and fanny at least comfortable subsistence
One OF the greatest evils resulting TO the laboring
men, from the false ana dolusive appearances
which have been displayed before them, Is tnat
they have been inauced 10 leave the saie poaccfui
and Independent walks OF agriculture 10 congregato
IN the largo Cities and there 10 watch ana wait for
something that they fancy might yield them larger
returns than they could hope for from tho
oil tho SOIL But, by following faithfully and earnestly
the road here Indicated II will not DO very long be.
fore business and trade will DO restored to their
natural channels and laborers receive iul employ.
men with fair wages All Efforts TO delay this result
VIII do no good, but infinite harm. Tho worst
thug that could IDLY happen to business and
labor would bo anything approaching return
TO tho unsound and vicious condition of things
which has SO long prevailed and from which
now slowly emerging II can have no possible result
but another downfall and moro widespread ruin. If
in the meantime any Legislation Is found necessary
and practicable for the protection OF the aboring
classes against frauds ind wrongs the part tho
individuals or corporations oy whom they are
ployed It should be promptly undertaken with
proper sense OF the Importance OF the great Interests
involved.
RIOTS OF JULY.
Times OF Distress ike those referred TO- never
failed 10 open wide field class OF agitators und
demaeoguos, Who while declining TO work themselves,
make II their business TO 90 among honest men who
would labor II they could nnd work endeavor 10
stir up strife anu dscord. During tho last summer
these agitators reinforced from every large city In
Europe, we're unusually active mali gnanL Spread.
Ing themselves all over tho country they endea
to create discomfort among all those who had en-
pIoyment and to stir tho evil passions OF those who
had not Combinations were formed tor strikes on all
the principal railway lines and IN all tho largo mining
and manufacturing abllshmcnts These efforts cu.
minated IN Wild scenes OF riot and bloodshed IN
several States. Like scenes were threatened IN this
State LIST July broke out IN acts OF open
violence the 2lst OF that MONTH The trains upon
the Erie aud New York Central railways torcibly
stopped, the depos. freight houses and rolling stock
taken possession OF by violence and threatened with
destruction by IRE. Honest aud innocent laborers
aud employees who refused to abandon their work and
from the shops Excited crowds OF men were
collected at Albany, at Syracuse, ut Buffalo,
at Hornesv.iie. a. Corning' AZ Elmira, and
Threatened. In this condition of things Il was
impossible to hesitate % to the course 10 10 pursued
by the Chief Magistrate OF tho State Much as all
dependent upon the laws Tor protects on there
Is one class more constantly In need OF over
whom It's protecting power should be more con stantly
exercised than the poor and iaborng. And, greatly
AS our sympathies might DO exercised IN their behalf
when wicked and cvi-disposed mcn undertook even IN
hcir name To set the government at defiance and to
ovcrturn the laws made Tor their protection II
cumUcnt upon the authorities III vndicate tho
majesty OF The law and make It's power te Seeing tho
magnitude Of the disturbance and the danger It's
spreading over the whole State the entire force OF
the National Guard was ordered under arms to hold
itself ready TO move at a moments notice. The man.
which the military forces Of the State
TO this order was worthy OF ALI praise. Tho Fifty
ourn regiment OF Rochester; the seventy fourth OF
Buffalo; the Ono Hundred aud Tenth battalion and
battery Of Emira, ana the TwcDtythird regiment, Of
Brooklyn, nrst ordercd TO Hornclsvilic, where
the disturbance commenced The NIntt regiment, OF
New York; the Tenth and Twenty -nith, OF Albany;
the Troy CtIzens' corps aud the Tbbs corps Troy
with separate companies, were ordered Albany
The Albany Bursesses corps and the Jackson corps
volunteered their services and were accepted. The
Fortyninth regiment, OF Auburn the Sixty-iith, Of
Buffalo, aud several separate companies were ordered
to Buffalo; tho Fitieth battalion, OF Ithaca or
dered 10 Elmra. and tho Eighth regiment Of New
York. to Syracuse. The several regiments, battaons
aud companies above mentioned moved to the re-
spcctve points designated with extraord 1ary rapdy
aud gooi order Their behavior throughout was
highly credtable to their discipline aud training
citizen soIuers.
One OF tho most dangerous modes OF interfering with
tho tracks and the placing OF distractions upon
Tor the purpose Of wreckng trans, thereby
the lives OF passengers and destroying the property IN
process OF transportation. Fortunately, the Legsla
turc It's last session passed an act INJECTING
penalties upon parties guilty OF this mon
strous crime. Along with the movements
0. tho troops above mentioned issued procla-
nation recitng tho provisions OF tho sad act and
Offering reward OF $500 for the and vction
OF any person guilty OF It's violation calling upon
all magistrates sherins ana district attorneys to 10
vigaut III the prosecution OF oncndcrs. The meas
thus taken proved entirely cn,ctual within
from the outbreak OF the disturbances they
entirely suppressed, peace and good order restored
and the military iorCcs dismissed and returned to
their homes without bloodshod or serious destruction
Of property tho accounts Tor the Services trans
poaon aud subsistence VI the troops have been
July examined AMI audited by the AdJutant General,
and, with few trnug exceptions, paid. rho aggrc-
gate amount, IL IL believed, Will not exceed S230.0O0.
only lew applications nave been made for tho
wufd offered IN the proclamation above referred TO-
The oler OF the reward having fully accomplished
Immediate object, have, IN view OF the cohvcning
Inc Legislature, Withdrawn II. | recommend, now
ever, some increase oil tue usual appropriation Tor
which rewards Tor the apprehension OF criminals
paid.