Workmen's advocate., 1888-11-17
John Waldron Badger presided and opened the meeting with the following address:

w @ are not assembled as anarchists, socialists, communists or trade-uniOnists, though all these shades of opinions are represented. We are not here to pre- sent positions to our philosophies or doc trines. We are here as American Citi- zens to denounce a national crime, to protest against an infringement on our liberties in the persons of the noble men who were murdered; to warn that this thing cannot be repeated without trouble to the authors, and to affirm our belief in the innocence, the purity Of the lives, the loftiness of aim, the high moral pur- pose of these martyred patriots who were the victims of cold -blooded capitalistic conspiracy to defeat the eight-hour movement and that their slaughter was determined upon long before the Hay market meeting. The utterances of their papers, the events and circumstances surrounding their arrest and the record of the trial overwhelmingly prove this beyond doubt. Such conspiracy may be repeated and if so, it will be on a larger scale. It is your work and mine to see that any such attempt be frustrat ed, for it may not only save our own | lives but others.
 Mir. Badger then rapidly reviewed | the events connected with the trial, the sentence and execution, and con- cluded as follows
 "One great picture stands out in con- nection with this trial-the private and public character of these men. Kind fathers, faithful husbands loving sons and good citizens. They toiled for years with but one object in their minds-the emancipation of Labor from the despotic tyranny of Capital. To them the fac tories the mines, the vast railroads, the close workshops and the marts of dis | trihutiOn and exchange were so many hells where blood and bone and sinew were wrought into gold that the huge dependency of Capital might live in luxury and idleness. They sacrificed all the pleasures of life to bring freedom and comfort to the toilers who had made and built up nation. Domestic comfort; the joys of home; the sweet commingling and interchange of every day friendship were all lost in the great work. Night after night, day after day, in the assemblies, in the meet ings of the trades-unlons and wherever the workers came together for mutual help and counsel they were there with practical advice and suggestion Agita- tion, organization was the order of life. New methods, new plans to take the place of old ones were being continually evolved. The law of progress was ever suggesting more efficient ways and means of advancement The ideal of the better state was the fire that fed their enthusiasm and energy Before them was ever rising the sun of a new day and onward, ever onward, they pushed through the clouds of retrogression to the land of promise. They fell by the way and with their latest breath bid their followers be of good cheer and con tinue the fight and the journey.
 Rest came to them when they died and they met the grim destroyer with the same heroism that characterized their lives. We are glad they lived for us and had the courage to die for us.
 One thing is clear to the philosopher Truth never finds easy acceptance. All the great rcformers of the ages, from the days of Jesus Christ to Albert Par sons, have met with disappointment and bitterness and death, The standard bearer of Truth and Justice bathes his banner in his own blood before it falls from his stricken hand, and Injustice with naked sword ever seeks new vic tins. Must we despair because False hood so often triumphs and Truth is driven to the VI .ll It seems long way from Calvary to Rome, yet in the flight of time it was but a step from the Gross to the throne of the CaSars. The bones of the HuguenOts were not yet mixed with mother earth ere the foundations of a Protestant empire-an empire greater than the world has yet produced were laid for humaniy's progress They snatched the emblem from the hand of John Brown and put him in the felon's place, but the deatb-song of the martyr had but just reached the fringes of the universe ere the tramp of the lib- erating host proclaimed that the resist less feet of Revolution were once more grinding Injustice to powder. Hail ma jestic figure. thou art coming with Peace and Plenty in thy bosom :!
 The veteran abolitionist, Rev. J. M. Babcock, was then intIo- duced.
 Mir. Babcock began his address by contrasting the Boston massacre and the Chicago riot. He said it is worth something to be citizen of Boston, when we think of the justice which a people wrought up at the slaughter of their brethren perform ed and contrast it with the conduct of the grain, gambling, terrified citi- zens of Chicago in putting five inno- cent men to death. The vital point was the attack upon free speech.