The record-union., 1897-09-01

Mr. Sovereign. Let us stand up and
assert ourselves. Behind these injunc-
tions stand gatling guns and Winchest-
ers but we fear them not. Let us hold
up the flag and tear down the courts.
We stand on our dignity, and will have
our liberty from this time on" shouted
Mr.. Sovereign.
The convention broke into wild cheer
ing, which developed into sponta-
neous call for Mr.. Debs. He rose from
his seat and came slowly to the plat
form. When the cheering ceased, Mr..
Debs began a speech, which was in
terrupted at the end of nearly every
sentence by cheering and handle clap
ping He said:
'I believe the gravity of the indus
trial situation in this country is well
understood. 1t is quite evident the
delegates to this convention recognize
the fact that civil liberty is dead in
America. I have said, and say again
for the last time, I have appealed to
the courts for justice and shall appeal
to them no more. The A. r. u. ex-
pended $4,000 to have the question of
civil rights tested in the Supreme Court
of the United States, only to be told
| that we have no rights that capital
was bound to respect. Shall we ap-
peal TO the Supreme Court again? No.
We appeal to this convention and the
country for an uprising of all the COM
mon people in every walk Of life to beat
back the courts and re-enthrone the
rights of the American people.
| Labor Day is near. What shall we
do? 1 predict, my friends, that we
will see the extraordinary spectacle of
enslaved labor rafting it's chains and
| dancing to the music. Labor is the
cheapest commodity on Gods earth,
and yet there are those who would have
it at lower price The United voice of
! labor has been raised against the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Powderly to a Fed
eraI position, and I notice that he was
promptly put into the place. (Mingled
cheers and hisses.) From Justice of
the Peace to Justice of the Supreme
Court of the United States, all the
judicial powers of the United States
are directed against the laborer All
the organized sources of society are
against the laborer, and if labor eX-
poets emancipation itself, labor itself
must do it.
THE time has not quite come to in
cite the population" said Mr.. Debs,
shaking his fist vehemently. II serve
notice on the plutocratic element of this
country that we are on the eve of an
other meeting in Chicago, which will be
attended by all branches of labor. That
convention will take up these same
questions, and will institute agitation
and keep it going until the public con-
science and the public Eeart is aroused.
Then will come such an uprising as the
world has never seen.
Il do not come to this convention to
exploit social democracy, or any other
movement. There is something great
er in this movement than any one ele-
ment can manage-the emancipation Of
labor There is no division here. Each
man is entitled to his own opinion and
his right to express it. each man to
speak as becomes that man. / am
side by side with you. l am a trades
unionist and a social unionist CTre-
mendous applause.) Whenever the
trades unions desire to do battle with
their common enemy, they can count
upon US to come to the front and take
our places side by side with Them,
and fight with them.
Never in my life have / been more
hopeful than now. I am not gifted
with great visionary power, but 1 can
see the beginning Of the end. (Cheers.)
This meeting is an inspiration 1t will
lead to great results. This movement
has attained tremendous impetus, and