Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-07

To the Editor of the Dispatoa'
The following extract from Judge
slosn's charge to the jury in the case Of
Robert schelliDg, recently tried 10 Nil.
waukee on the subject f'.boycotting,' y
will be read with interest by the people
Of this community. 1t ought to have
The effect Of stopping this offence In
virginia or of causing the criminal
courts to do what is necessary Tor the
protection of our citizens against the
continuance or repetition Of this outrage
and crime =,
"As | understand the law Of the
country It is this Every man has the
right TO work, and with this right is the
right not to work If for sny reason no
can afford TO be idle. He has the right
10 quit work. and the same right not to
quit work. He who exercises the right
to quit work is bound by every con-
sideration of right and of law to allow
those who desire to work without in
reference or hindrance. Advice or
persuasion may be rightfully used to
induce a man to quit work or to join a
labor organization but intimida-
ton, threats, violence, must not be
used. The use of such is un-
lust and wrong, both as to the
employer and the laboring-man-de-
structive of the interests Of the laborer,
injurious to the business Of the man
who desires to employ labor, an OPP
preston and tyranny forbidden by the
law, and punishable as a criminal
offence and so with the kindred mat
ter Of what is denominated nowadays
as the boycott. 1t has no place in our
business or social or industrial life. 1t
is an enormity not to be tolerated in a
civilized community. 1t will do to say
a man may patronize whom he pleases,
OF advise his friends whom to trade
with, or whom to refuse to trade with.
All this is well enough and is lawful,
but when it is proposed to manage the
business OF the country, and run
and control its manufactures and
industries by such means and
combinations as adopting rules
and penalties that manufacturer
may not discharge or employ whom he
pleases that no one but members Of
certain organization shall work in a
given shop or mandatory; that girls
shall not be employed to learn trades
or business for which they are fitted
that man and wife shall not be en-
ployed, or, where they are, the wife
shall be discharged; that labels pre-
scribed by a secret society only shall
be put upon goods made by the manu-
facturers, and these rules and penalties
are to be enforced by the influence and
machinery of an extensive and wide
spread organization, working by secret
and sometimes by unauthorized means
and sppliances-sometimes by threats,
intimidation, and violence, deranging
business and disturbing the peace of
society--the act is unlawful, and it is
time the man who believes in such
things should be taught by the courts
of the country that the law will put its
strong hand upon all that offend in that
respect.
"Tbe worst enemies Of the working
man are those who advise or incite him
to use the strike or boycott in the way
indicated. The events Of the last year
show this; the immense amount lost in
the way of wages to laboring-men, the
priyation, poverty, and suffering result
ing to them and to their families, the in
jury to all the commercial and industrial
pursuits Of our people, the fines and
imprisonments already inflicted by our
courts on SO many misguided men
these things show most clearly the
wrong and wickedness Of those who aid
in bringing about such deplorable rc-
suits. On the other hand, all organiza-
tons and efforts and improvement Of
laboring-men, for protection, for mutual
benefit, for everything for their good, are
lawful and commendable, and viii be
recognized by the law and protected by
the courts of the country"