The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-02-12
our Wrongs.


well as every other intelligent and
honest thinking man are aware, that
our grievances as laborers-a along
the hanks Of the Queen IF Rivers are
many and yexatious, bptabove all at
Mason City and its contignities,--
Our distress-and the cause Of our
distress and grievances for the past
few years have been sadly and indeed
deplprably neglected, and therefore,
we have not seen until at present,
any hope or prospect Of our condi.
tion being amelioatel.
Towhat fountain or source may
we trace the cause and origin Of our
annpyances and complaints? It is
an easy question to solve? 1t is to
faulty, inadequate, and perhaps, |
might add, corrupt legislation
At present we are enliycned with
high hope and deem it quite oppor-
tune to.lay the cause and nature Of
our suflelings before our Democratic
Legislature and feel quite assured
and confident that our leaders of the
people out Of the fullness Of their in
tegrity, their love aud respect for
order and society, will at once ehica-
cionsly redress our wrongs and re.
move our burdens.
Well, then, our wrongs, our bur-
dens and stripes, rethese: Here I'M
der The MERIDIAN Sunof intelligence
and freedom, we groan; weare bonds
men, selfs and slaves! We work for
rich Companies, they are protected
BY State Charters, they are sheltered
by State legislation, to them most fa-
vorable, to us poor lahorers, most
Calling and repagnant, as to us most
onesous. We dig them coal, we
make their barrels, renew and repair
|their machinery,-in a word, we dc
Iall--and load thousands Of steam,
boats for them with costly mcrchan.
Idise, and then flom week to week,
from month to month, from year to
Eyear, we poor, handwriting men, dc
notreeeiyeas Il rccompense for "the
Sweat Of our brow" five dollars in
National currency. Mpnssi grduiro
Idabit Deus his quoqc f1,ema What a
complete farce is such legislation
What a superb injustice is actually
and truly perpetratedon the sappor.
4 7of'thvriCnand the poor; the up
holders Of the State, the pillars Of
the country, as in reality the labor.
ers are the feeders Of all classes in
society. Well, then, if the laborer
hires ndagrees for pennya day.
is not the laborer worthy of his hire,
and when the day is about to say
Farewell" to Eve, WHY not, in the
name of honesty, religion, and socie-
Ity, give the poor man his penny
for which he toiled, and let him dis.
pose of it as his own or as his family
wants may suggest. But, no, the
practice on our horizon is somewhat
different, as it is repugnant to the
dictates of reason and nature, and
also initiates against the refined
sentiments of religion, common
sense and humanity. 1t isthis M
doubt coal-digger, "copper" blacksmith,
or doctor you have been working
hard for our Company for the last
three months, here is your recon.
pense. Thankyou, Ipay you. Take
this document or Scrip" and go to
my store and my well-paid clerk will
give you as much musted coffee as
you need, or any amount Of shoes,
mustard, ginger, epson salts, if your
children or wife be sick, and a bottle
of castor-oil; but U. S. money in any
shape or form you shall receive
jas | am this State. Noast,am hovrcn-
Fdum i,Jorme ingcus! We demand
nothing only what God and nature
allows and awards to honesty
Therefore, in the name Of order, So
lciety and religion, and for the sake
of the Republic, we demandonly fair
play, and remove our grievances and
give us a law on this question that
will suit the wants of all-the rich
and the poor alikc-that will ensure
the rights of all-the employer an
honest days worK-and the employ.
ed his honest days recompense- and
that only in United States currency