Year: 1877

otter employments Very few families OF working
men have means, when turned out OF work, to travel
hundreds OF miles in search OF other employers
Hence the majority Of the employed are chained TO
one place and 10 trade. Saying 10 such men,
"fou shall have voice In fixing your own wages
and you shall take what is offered to you or sarvc"
Is slavery. No American will submit 10 that No
American ought to submit to that,


II the day ever comes when, by any means, Amer-
cans are obliged 10 submit permanently to that, re-
pubic here Will be impossible. A class Of such work
men will do well the footstool OF despot they
never the sturdy bedpae Tor the heavy work.
Ing OF republican institutions The capitalists Of the
country do NOT class, contemplate or desire such
degradation or ensavement OF labor. supply and de-
mand is a true rule rightly interpreted and applied
This ignorant pratte about il and the equally idle
threat that labor take what is offered it sarve
is the mischievous talk Of men who have the OF
types words but brains. One of the gravest
msicrtuncs OF time IS that thousands can
talk and write. while only few think
OF course there are many plans suggested 10 help
out OF our present trouble Some propose that the
government assume all lands and property others
that the government all the workshops factories
and railways Some seek financial changes and others
Industrial ones Some Of these plans may be- III the
of time, adopted, rs discussion experiment
bids.





possible, labor and capital must make peace. This
quarrel mnst be settled and nothing Is in any true
sense settled until il is settled right The only just
safe and lasting basis peace that which calls labor
into conference and allows il full share settling
the rate Of wages.


abhor denounce all violence, every assault on
private right or property, on the liberty Of the indi
viduai workman and above all life. But these out
breaks transient and exceptional In spite OF them
every thoughtful man must rejoice that the sborng
men awake, intelligent and independent Lord
Chatham SAID he rejoced that America had resisted
British injustice. Submission 1t would have shown
the Americans to be slaves and ready 10 make other
men slaves l rejoice In the clear judgment which
enables the work gman discover the danger which
threatens him. and in the widespread and unconquer
able avert it, rejoice in his readiness
state OF affairs that degrades him, threatens
to undermine republican institutions and to condemn
his children to want, ignorance and dependence.
IL is OF the chief benefits Of education, cviliza-
ton progress that they make, and intended TO
make such violations o right such injustice and op-
preston dangerous and almost impossible. The In
eyitable dangers (aud there are inevitable dangers)
which attend such injustice are enough to rouse the
keenest xiety of capitalists That is spur enough to
quicken their consent TO do justice counsel work.
ngmen 10 frown resorts to violence. 1t can only
delay The remedy they GEEK Let them rely
on agitation, discussion and on associations for
mutual help and protection; but only such as
discountenance violence and abstain from all inerer
ence with rights and free action OF individual work.
men. Voters under q representative government let
them unite in political action and appeal to the moral
forces Of tho age. The necessities which undere Tree
institutions and the soundest maxims OF political econ
omy are their strong Allies and conscience OF
mankind Is their side. Yours,


SEPTEMBER IL, 1877. WENDELL PHILLIPS.