Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-21


The Workingmen's Assembly held meet
ing at BeckS Hall last evening. Mr. w. II.
CTanstOn in the chair, and +. l.. Barker sec
Mr.. Robinson, from the committee appoint
ed TO prepare an address TO the business men
OF Washington, submitted the following, which
was unanimously adopted, signed by the Off
GERS OF the assembly, and 5,ouJ copies ordered
10 be printed:
10 the business Mem Of the District of Co
lunlbfd:-We, the representatives OF the work
ingmen Of the District Of Columbia, In cOnven-
tion assembled, feel 1t TO be our duty to cal
your attention to the fact that its organization
is To protect the various trades in their legiti-
mate business, and secure for their services a
remuneratiye reward for their labor. which
We know would prove beneficial to the bust
ness interests OF the District by giving activity
to trade in putting into active circulation q
larger amount OF the circulating medium
among our own citizens; and we sincerely be
neve that those who are struggling to reduce
la Dor below living standard are enemies to
the human race, as we'll as to the Business
community. and should not be patroniZed by
those whose interests are so closely allied with
the great industrial element of the country.
1t IS a self-evideIt proposition in political
economy that money is only a circulating me
dunn created for the convenience of trade and
fined to the hands of the few, it is evidently
detrimental to trade because it takes from the
WOrklngman the means of supporting his
family. No class of our fellow citizens are
vi
the principles OF the wOrkingmen than the
property holders. Why SO? Because they own
real estate and require remunerative rents,
and If the workingman is reduced by the CAPT
talist below living standard how is it possible
for him to pay his rent? Now, every sensible
man knows that the property holder is not the
tenement he rents he assesses the taxes upon
the tenant, and leaves himself margin of zen
per cent upon his capital. Whenever the me-
chanic anu iaboring man is reduced to that
degraded position by political mountebanks
and cha riatans, who come among us with that
avOWed purpose, it will be of no use to build
houses or for men OF small capital to COM
mence merchandising, because it will be
inn OsSibe to find tenants and purchasers.
We are determined not to purchase anything
from those engaged in business who patrOnize
any enterprise the object of which is to de
grade the wOrkiDgman by a reduction of his
wages below the legitimate standard of fair
and decent living and the introduction of a
body of men, known as rats - who have no
interest in the welfare of this community
Such men have no claims upon you for sup
port, and should be made to understand that
quiIe dictatiOn from them. The majority of
the assembly consists of some OF the Oldest f
our citizens, and OF those to the manor DO n,
whose feelings and interests are Identifies
With every material interest which affects the
Well-being of our beautiful city. 1t is too late
III the day for political adventurerS to under
lake 20 ALLEVIATE the affections of the citizF ms
OF Washington from truth aud justice. TIE
history OF our city from the time the govern
ment was removed from the city of Philade..
PIMA Is the pride OF our people. Our oldest in
habltantS talk about the progress of the city
with Infinite, delight and pleasure Unt e.
the municipal government such men as JO-
Seph Gales, Wi I'M Winston SeatOn. Roger
{. Welghtman, Peter Force and John T.
lowers, all OF whom were practical printers
were elected to the mayOralty, and under
their administration the interests of the work
in .FI , were guarded with jealous eve.
HE National IL teIigencer, under the man
agement of Gales & SeatOn, was a med i Ut
Journalism and it is truly notifying to those
VINO cherish respect for their memory to see
tail end OF the Sunday Herald to give it char
acter and dignity, when it has neither, to at
tract the attention of the business men of the
city Whoever heard of rats ~ being EN-
plOyed by Gales 4 SeatOn, Peter Force, Roger
Z. Welghtman, Blair & RiveS, Thomas Ritchie
Jacob Gideon, Thomas l.. McKenny, John E.
GOWN and Jonathan Elliott? No one. There
was no difficulty whatever existing at any
time between them and their employees: but
there existed mutual respect and confidence,
which which gave character and standing to the pro.
Michigan was John Norvell, who served his
time with Andrew Way, in this city; and, con-
tempOraneOuS with him. Simon Cameron, of
pennsylvania, and Luther Severance, of
Maine, were JOurneymen printers in the Office
OF the National Inteltigencer. These hiStori-
cal "reminiscences call to ones mind the honor
OF the past, when Journalism was in the hands
whose minds scared alOft in the field of letters
Tor some beautiful thought, and who never
descended to the low billingsgate Of Combs
thereby intimating that he IS an adept in ther
ehins' mind was entirely absorbed upon the
subject OF yeImin. Rats are claSsed in that
category, and it would be well for him to APP
by y, dne s comp TO his own carcass, If he,
Ing Is too great a luxury for workingmen to
ENJOY The felicity of scratching. This is the
classic Idea OF HutchinS and Burritt, who will
HAen they die, leave lofty names,
AS lights and landmarks,
Upon the cliffs of fame
TIE Posi- And SUNDAY HERALD DISCUSSED
MIR. Robinson made d personal explanation
regarding statement in the Sunday Herald
in which it was asked what he had done for
the benefit OF the wOrkingman? Mr.. Robinson
gave an account of an attempt made to reduce
the wages of stone cutters employed on public
buildings in 1888. The wOrkmen struck, and.
headed by himself, marched to the White
House, where an interview was granted them
by President jackson. After hearing their
statement, he sent for Maj Nolan, and told
him when he wanted to ecOnOmize to begin
with himself, The speaker asked his hearers
to point to single act by Captain Burritt in
which he had conferred benefits upon printers
or any other mechanics.
Mr.. Armstrong also asked to reply to the
Herald, and read statement to show that it
was impossible for a printer to earn s. So for
ten hours work, claiming that after all allow
nroesr rre maui saS that con g e
rate every trade whereby an unscrupulous and
unmitigated liar, as the author of the article in
the Herald is, could make most OutlandiSh
wrong out of just right and defy either the
malignant idiot" of the Herald, or StilsOn
Hutchins, manager of j. GOuld's libelOus
Washington Post, to deny successfully the
statements have made"
MIR. Barker, referring to the editor of the
Post said that as Hutchins had been educated
in the slums of st. Louis it was impossible for
him TO use decent language. The proprietor
OF the Post had said that the workingmen who
passed certain resolutions should be locked up
In lallS and station houses. when it IS a matter
of history that if HutchinS had his deserts he
would now be languiShing behind iron bars.
Other remarks OF the same tenor were made
Mr.: Hamilton, from the committee on mass
meetings, MADE report, recommending that
instead OF holding outdoor meetings the mass
meetings be held IN halls, and that the work of
organizing new unions is progressing: report
adopted.
Tie assembly went into executive session.
Summer Entertainments.
An excursion to Glymont will be given to.
morrow on the Express for the benefit OF ST.
Stephens Church. The boat will leave at a.
m. and ) p. m.
The Potomac Fruit Growers will give an
thor of fhaip lou hi