Year: 1869

A word now rs 10 the prospect ~ i0',, - "" ~


revenue tariff Free trade preVaiieu' "hHG was


vour condition large portion OF you were without


r,n,,,r,opt The price of goods was low, hut you
ri 40 ,,ork bv which you could earn money to buy
tbep, cbeap as they were. Banks and savlngs-banks
Jailed. the constable and sheriff were busy lnml-
grafton was arrested, and large numbers OF lmmi-
Grants discouraged by the hopeless prospect returned
10 their native countries convinced that the Amer-
ran RepuLlic was not happy home for the working


man Free trade is the subOrdinaton OF the lln-


ense productive interests of country to the de-
mands of the few who engaged IN foreign coli-


merce. aud such were its natural results. Neho"
have a protectiye tariff and the circumstances are
widely different We are mining more coal, maAliR
more iron planting more grain and building more
locomotives houses, factories and WOlkshopS 'n"n
ever before. Labor is in demand, ana Immigration
increasing maryelousy. The prospect OF steady


work and American wages is bringing to our shores
workmen skilled in every craft and the assurance OF
A home market for their crops Is bringing farmers
from all the countries Of Europe TO settle among u.s.
Prom the number that have already arrived, the
Commissioner of Emigration predicts that will
receive this year 100000 European immigrants an
increase of a. 600 over any previous year. ] submit
10 you the question whether this is not a most sig
nihcant proof of the happy effect OF the protective
tariff which the exigcnces of the war compelled us
10 adopt. Under its influence. labor is in demand
and the labOTcT is steadily becoming more indepen-
dent; and. if We perfect and maintain a system OF
thorough Projections yon will be able to establish
aud maintain the eght-hOu system Tins VIII com
pei other nations TO follow our benehcent example
OF behold their best workmen and most enterprslng
farmers leave their shores and come to swell the
power of the great Republic.


To ascertain how the existing tariff may De I'M


proved is the duty with which the Committee OF
WAYS and Means is charged. an 20 which my col
leagues and expect to devOta the entire vacation


The results Of our labor must promote your objects


II is already apparent to the Committee that the ad-
ministration of the law can be much improved, and
that many articles especially of tropical growth,
which we do not produce, but which enter as raw
material into many of manufactures, and upon
which duties are now collected, should be admitted
free.


Four millions of laborng people, who from the
foundation of our Government, have been useu 10
autagonze your interests now free to cooperate
with Won. They were slaves, and their emancipation |
has not only enabled them to assert their night 10
inst wages for their labor but opened as a new field |
to free labor that portion of our country which is |
richest in both agricultural and mineral resources,
bnt from which trade societies and free schools for
the children of working people have always been !
excluded. The results of this great change must !
soon be widely felt Slaves could not, without dan
ger to Slavery be trained to skilled labor There
fore the South produced only raw materials, ana
her statesmen desiring the markets OF the world IN
which to sell their cotton and tobacco, and to buy
their supply of manufactured goods. always sup
ported free trade the cost of the commercial inde
pendcnce Of the country and the interests of the
working people of the North. The war against |
Slavery was waged not more for the negro than for
the rights Of free labor.
To the second question, I reply that, inasmuch |
rs | believe that public officers bound to |
obey the law am compelled to sustain the order of
the Secretary of the Navy. The law of 1862 provides


that the hours OF labor and the rate of wages Of tho
EMPLOYEES in the Navy-Yards shall conform nearly
as is consistent with the public interests to those
of private establishments in the immediate vicinity
of the respective yards" This act is sti in force,
and the Solicitor of the Navy and Attorney General
to whom the question has been referred have ad-
yised the Secretary and President Grant that under
its provisions they cannot legally pay for eight hours
work the same wages that paid for ten hours by
private establishments in the immediate vicinity of
the yards respectively. II, therefore, men who work
In Navy-Yards to receive p per cent more than
they would get for the same work in private estab-
lshments, the act of 1862 must be repealed That !
can only be done by Congress. Neither the Seere-
tary of the Navy the President has the power to
repeal a law, OF tho right to disregard one.


Though none of you have put the question TO me |
directly some of you Will now ask, Win you vote for
the repeal of this acti regret that do not feel |
able to answer this question definitely Asat present
advised my Judgment is againstits repeal; but on |
either of two conditions viii vote for 1t.
The frst of these conditions is, that it shall be |
made apparen6 to me that the taxpayers Of my dis
trict including the women and children, who labor
in factories ten hours or to the day, believe
that the men who work in NayyYards are entitled |
to 25 per cent more wages for the same work than
the same class of wOrkmen receive in private /
establishments in Philadelphia.
The other condition is that / shall be convinced |
that the repeal of the act in question will promote
the acceptance Of the eght-hour system in private
shops or yards Private establishments compete |
with each other and with those Of other countries,
in the sale Of their productions But the Govern
ment does not manufacture for a market and there
fore could not be cited as an example Of the sue
cessful working of the system.


If the Government adopts this rule In advance Of |
Individual employers, syou will find that all work
that can be done in private shops will be sent there
and the number of hands employed in navy-yards !
will be very limited Congress, while struggling to
reduce our colossal debt will not require much work
20 be done at League Island any other station, If
q per cent above the average market rate is to be
paid for every days work.


But neither time nor printers space will permit me
TO present all the considerations touching this ques
ton with which my mind is labOring To such as
have set forth invite your candid consideration
The destines Of the working people Of our country
aTe in their own keeping have not sought to Hat
ter OF propitiate you. While remain your repre-
sentative you are entitled TO know my views on
questions which many Of you regard Of vital i'm
portance and have written frankly, Withholding