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THE NEW-YORK TRIBUNE. For The Tribune. SYSIPATHT’S MIGHT ....... T O --------------- . You can cheer—you can etrenjitheo my Steps on their \way Through thedarkress and uial now gathering around— You can scatter the f-nrs >*'at would make me their prey, 4.nd lift my.bowed soul f-om its sadness profound ; For Sympathy Bweettns iho bitterest sorrow— It loosens the bonds o f the c iotivo In thrall— While Hope bids us look for a hap-pier morrow, W e heed not how darkly n'ghi’s shadows may falL O, speak, then, in accents of kindness and hope, The Sympathy w a n .' that wou'd brighten my lot, A light like the. daw n on my itarkiiess shall ope, A faith nerve my soul v-» hich no tormre can blot. I will strive 'gainst my f-.es with a spirit op fire, With energy freshefied and strong for the fight; Then cheer me—still clmer my lorn soul to aspire— To feel I can conquer ft-.-u Symoathy’s Might. s on thair way. J. H. B ixby . REPORT OF THF. COMMITTEE OF TflS PRINTERS’ UNION STATE OF THE T.UADE. Tbs Committee lu.pidn ed by tlie “ Union’’ t o la eiulre irto gik ! F., y rt t ti 'ho S t ile of the Tra-bo irt this City, respert!''Ji_ f I’t uiit the follo./mg; That this Hei-ori i'- j T' j-nvcil in accordance with a vote of tl.Is, U;,i:n r o .firmiu\ a resolution to tiie following efft c t : , “ Resolved, That a Committee of Seven be appointed to take into consideration he state of the Trade, and have power to draft a Scale of Prices, and report as soon as pos- which was submitted by one.of the members and ttnanimously agreed to at. a regular meeting hold on Saturday, April 6, 1S50. The Committee would here observe, that if the object o f this Union was to represent the state o the Trade in its worst aspect it could hardly have selected a more unsuitable time, inasmuch as the Trade is at present in a state o f prosperity, rare , even at this time of the year, and unexampled at any other; y e t even now, when the prospects oftha journeymen are brighter than they usually are, and when all are willing to forget past trial and suffer ing in the present, and few care to look far into the future, your Committee have facts and figures to report, which fully justify this Union in instituting this inquiry', and demands some immediate meas ures at their hands to remedy tke evils which these facts and figures prove to exist. Your Committee have received returns from eighty-two priuting-oQices in this City; these re turns embrace all the daily papers, most of the weekly journals, &c. together with the prin cipal hcokwork ai.d jobbing cfBces, and some few of the smaller ones; but w e have reason to believe the total number of printing-offices in this city is not less than one hundred and fifty. The Committee believe that the worst features of the Trade are to be found in the smaller offices, holes and corners, where boys do the work which men ar.e wanting, and at half, or less than half, men’s wages. There are a considerable number of these places scattered about the City, and al though the amount of work done in each is small, the aggregate is considerable, and the effect is alike injurious to honorable employers, and to workmen. From this class of offices w e could g et no returns which w-ere reliable, and w e preferred to omit them altogether, rather than use such as might prove fallacious. Thus, then, w e think that w e have a right to say that this Report presents only the^es^ aspect of the Trade, aud that w e are warranted in saying that if such are the iiest features of the Printing business, i t i s quite tim e that all w h o fed an in terest in it should be up and doing, to remove the evils under which i t St present labors. In the 82 offices from which w e have received retuims, there ai'e employed about 850 journeymen and 300 hoys ; and the nearest estimate w e can form of the entire number of persons employed in the printing business in this City is over 2,000, who may'be classified thus: Foremen 150, Compositors 1,000, Pressmen 200, Boys at case 600, Boys at press 100, girls at press 100; total, say 2,150. this Report w e shall confine oilr observations t' -ourney i W e find that there is only one Office which pays thousand, and six which pay 30 cents;* 'ard to 17 1 st is not a common price, but w e mly doing an act of simple justice in e considerable Office which employs their n ecessi- them thereto,) and gives them the most solid matter, even at that. But although 17 cents is not a common price, 23 cents per thousand is, and w e would ask if that is a fair compensation for the toil, both mental and bodily, which a Piinter must undergo 1 Allowing j lost in waiting for :cting extra proofs, compositors do not bich will bring (not c when the price of food, the expense o f fuel, clothing and other necessaries, and the enormous rate of house rent is considered, who will say that even in this Report w e sh chiefly to the J ni Your Committee will some of the And first men and Bo ill now proi s which affe'ct •st, O f t h e R ate of P ay ; id that there is only one Offii ow p ro v ed to point out evils which affe the Trade. bjected that all are not paid so Imit k ; but I, etc. W eadr icta of this Union aright, Jtion in order earnings of our craft. * Our statistics tell us that in five of the \>QStpay- in e offices in the City, that is to say, in those offices where men are able to earn the most mon« the men but our 1 Daily P i work, they are obliged ’>est hands in lo tell us that those offices are sr offices, where, from the nature of the abliged to offer very best hands in the trai ! of 16 hours per day, and ti xtra pay t< to labor s one man every eighteen months or two years. But those whom w e are addressing must have had more or less expcriencc^in these matters, and they <. moment only say. more or less expeneneem these matters, and they wiU not for a moment dispute i t ; to those who have t for a moment dispute i t ; to those who hi not, w e will only say, w e sincerely ' never have such experieni ely hope they may radesman; and even when in work t to wait for iine weather, he has to v copy, for letter, for xn'oofs, for sorts, and for many other things, each of which, taken separately, is trifling, but the total of which makes itself seen and felt in the week’s earnings. l e t u’s now consider the condition cf the' third class—those whom circumstances compel to work in the meaner kind of book and job office?, and whose compensation varies from 17 to 25 cents. These men g et the lean, solid “ dig;” and truly it would be better for them to dig dirt!' In the fresh, pure air, with the sun shining brightly above, and the cheerful sounds and pleasant scenes o f nature all around them, they could not but be happier than they are, buried in “the oflice” from “ earliest dawn to dew y eve,” even if they did earn a little less, and had less to ’ 'n \ ‘. eve ,” even if they did earn a ess to spend i excitement But what do these men earn? Our statistics 7ce this Report was submitted to the “ Union’'the stors o f another Office (Daily) have voluntarily ad- i their prices to thirty-two cents per thousand. show that when in work their average earnings do not exceed !56 per week! which is literally Zess than laborers’ wages. It must also be remember ed that this class (which is by far the most aumer- cus,) are more frequently out of work than any oth er ; owing to circucGstances to which w e shall p re sently allude, they are to be had at any time, and in any quantity, thus great numbers of tkeim are only “ taken on for the job,’’ and when the job is completed they are discharged, to be out of work ■perhaps longer than they were in. It willl he at once perceived that this precarious description of employ reduces their earnings to a miserable pit tance indeed; it deprives them of all the comforts and many of the necessaries of life, and readers life itself‘a mere existence, hardly worth the strug gle necessary to maintain it. W e believe it was chiefly to raise this lowest class of our fellow-workmen, that this Union was formed; and it was to expose the evils nader which they la'bor, and by bringing the light o f pub lic opinion tobear upon them, to cause them to melt away before a more liberal p-dioy, that this Report was ordered and prepared; and w e have no hesi tation in saying, that if this i ' Printei'c w l l txert themselves inti they should do, great and p em a u ent inevitably ensue. Your Oomn- th-e w'ould here state, that from the best retums wbi di they have been able, tsi pro- \ 300 men out of work, lie y cr-iToun*’. An'rther t vil v.h’eh presses h ’avllv on the Wvrk- moi, i.s, Bod find iric^unar Bay. In this respect Nt wYovk is bt Iter than it has bo jii, but there is Gtillploiitj Gir<'Omlbrunprovomeii'.; f.ml we feel conviiicid thur. w'e have only to point out th>s evil hey will evtr get their pay, are hut fe w ; but those marked “ Irregu lar,” are quite too immerou.s. By “ Irregular” we distinguisu those offices which have the means of paying in full every week, but prefeiTing their own interests to those o f their employees, “ pay once a fortnight,” and tlie'u pay only in jiart, and always in Country Bills. A word or two on the “ GoodPay,” that is,i those offi -es which jftty in full, every Saturday, and in Gold, Silver and in good Bills which are taken in the v.-ay of trad Most of the Daily , lies, and some few CJ'ine under rli’s head, and they are now sufflei ly-numerous to rail ke the “ Irregular” paying offi ces appear tl;e more odious, and the men who work in them the more discontented thereat, king man generally knot in the wa y of trade, whether City Bill! lily Papers, many of the few of the Book and Job ity Bills or not. of the W eek- b Offices, lufflcient- sen It IS due, he mi sdit, and he also knoi on credit he either gets wori :hanh,if he go lo that when h e gets ti i-ticles, or he ore for then?, thrni'if he purchased thi cash. This makes him discontented, he considers himself wronged, and defrauded of his \‘hard earned penny fee;” and it is ten to one if hils ployer does not in the longong runn lose more 1 _ workman’s concealed dissatisfactiontisfactic than he* has ;d by the wrongful u se of his l ru J lissa Il em- by his gained by the wrongful u se of his money. There is another practice which prevails in offices, and to which, as it causes much dissatisfac tion, w e think w'e should not be doing our -duty if w e did not direct your attention; w e allude to the U n f a i r D ist r ib u t io n of C o p y . . This Committee does not allege this as a general thing; quite the reverse, but w e have returns be fore us which show that the practice is carried in some offices to an extent to which w e can only ap ply the word Disgraceful. 'Without going very far, w e could point out an office, in which all the Poetry', and work of a like character, is given to the two tbirders, the leaded matter to the hands on time, while the solid invariably falls to thei piece hands. In otlier cases it assumes the shape of Favorit ism, and certain men who are noted for their amen ity of manners, and plasticity of sentiments, to the Foreman, always get the fat, while others, men who think civility is preferable to servility, have to take the refuse. These and a variety of minor grievances, react on the employers in a way, which as they do not always feel the eff'ects immediately, they are too apt to overlook; although they are sure to fiad it out (to their cost) in the long run. W e allude to the fact, that every r.ow and then one of their best and steadiest workmen, worn out and disgusted by continual toil, and the scanty remuneration he re ceives, makes a great effort, and getting tegether a few materials, he goes to work for himself. Here, then, is another rival, another competitor for “public patronage,” and it is a long odds but he repays the wrongs which he had received from his former employer, by getting away' some of his custom, by underbidding him. off thesehese smalli em] Many o t s ind ev'eiy means to ke< injuring the trade as much as they are able), go down; and either return to the ranks, or leave the city to try elsewhere; but there are more who keep .rs bang about the skirts of jobs here and there, ley can get, and occa- ing into competition with the larger imetimes succeed in reducing his prices, without in any way benefiting themselves. All these evils might have been avoided l>y the employers pursuing a more liberal policy towards their employees. There are few working men who would risk the toil and cares of “ an employ er,” and the probable failure, and the loss which that failure necessarily involves, i f they were sa tisfied with their present situation. If employers would look this matter fairly in the face, and en deavor tomeke those men who suit them satisfied with their present situations, there would be less Printing Offices, hut more paying ones. Having thus pointed out some o f the most pro minent evils which afflict our trade, it may not be- deemed inexpedient to point out some of the chief causes of them, so that knowing the causes, w e may he the better able to apply an efficient re- the price c puled; and that this axiom applies to labor, much as to any thing or marketable commodil few will he disposed to deny'. Thus, then, there can he no dispute, that the present low rate of wages is the natural consequence of the supera bundance of labor in the market, and your Com mittee are of opinion that this superabundance of labor is chiefly caused by the present wholesale system of putting boys to the business, for w e can not call it apprenticing them, an indentured ap prentice being almost (if not quite) unknown in New-York City. L et us briefly state how boys are usually brought into the business, and how the thing w o r k s: An employer has ts prevent soime to make it float, (an 3 able), 8 lo oni I—some o f the boys about the place w they would like to work at case, and have all they danearn ?” California on a small scale rises on their enraptured vision, and another hour sees them mounted on a type box, with “ stick” in hand, busily engaged in putting a case in pi.— The first s ix hours it is fine fun for them—the next six days it is a perfect nuisance to them, and they are a perfect nuisance to all around them—within the first six months they become remarkably cle ver, and after that it is doubtful whether the em ployer would profit or lose by their running away. The novelty o f the thing is now over; it is all labor, and they soon g et discontented with the pit tance they receive, and hearing that others get more than they do, they run away, there being prevent them, and great facilities for ley soon get work at one-half or two- leir earnings, (this sort of lads are sure from those soliish employers who lat means they use to accomplish their € alter working a few years for a fraction earnings, they are thrown out of employ to make room lor fresh victims of the cupidity o f the»em- ploi er. This system is continually going o n ; boyis going from one office and from one x>art o f the country to another, are objects of no solicitude to anyone. The employer says, “ I f they stay with me, good—I shall get so much out of them ; if they go away, I must get SO many more in place of them.” The wlirkmau’s only interest is against them; iit is not^ likely that he will take any pains to make them' pood workmen, lest they should cut his own throat hereafter; so the literally unfortunate boy learns little or nothing during the time he is (supposed to tS of I Is o f thei manent injury on the iry, he bids fair to b e turned into the trade a bad workmgn, and thus, in another mode, in- and more pcrmam ---------- - \ : shall see here No practical Printer will there are a great number of young men “ just out of their time,” who know nothing beyond llict a 1 trade, as and more pe a w e shall see hereafter. ictlcal Printer wi dispute the fact that composition, and have, ip fact, to learn their trade when they are journeymen. Your Committee have information df boys bavins: been put to a work when they first went to the business, and never worked on any other till they were out; they never made up a page, or imposed a form—hardly c ir- sted their own' matter. \ \ s, at any other till they were o u t; thi L page, or imposed a form—ha recteo tlieir own matte W h en t’lese young men became (by the lapse of time) journeymen, what were they fit for ? Just what they are! the means of cutting dowm the wages of better work men than themselves, by giving mean employers the excuie, “ O h ! w e can’t afford to give more to such inferior workmen,” and “ O h ! w e can’t give more to one tljan to another, it would cause such constant grumbling and dissatisfaction in the office.” Beside these evils, which may be considered as indirect, the great number of boys taken into the trade acts dtrccUy in keeping men out, and in bringing far more men into the business than is necessary for the work there is to do. L et us give an illustration of each of these modes of direct injury. One illustration shall serve for There is a large Office in this City which been established many years, and has turned out an im lantity of cln’i ity of chs’ap and some very good imployers have made large fortunes by the cssistance of the industry and intellect of woiicing meu.^ They are religious men; they are lied honi rable men, and the friends ol the lense quani rorks. The e xunled iiom raWe men, and Uie mends ol ii'kiiig classes; and we smcerelj' believe the; 0 , where ikeir mtcrests and the intc not dash. the principal' :; an to do more for them than tb \the ranks, we are willing t the state of this office 1 O lug daisses cevely believe tliat i :i.t are niorc the fi Nay more, Is o f thi' ieve they are 'crests of the we .'lia- estab'isb- some of tiii-ir u to do mc'ie for tl admit. But what; is statistics show that there are £0 boys to 23 men emploj'ed in their com posing department. Now i f w e give 20 years as the average life of a Printer after the expiration of his appren ticeship, and five years as the average term which these hoys serve, we shall find that by the time the 23 men are removed frdm “ the struggle of life,” there are 80 to replace them, and although the printing business has increased greatly of late years, y e t w e have no right to expect that it will ever increase in that ratio. If w e reckon that three o f these lads do about two men’s work, then w e must also remember that these 20 hoys keep 14 men out of work all the time, and thus do a double injury to the journeyman; first, by keeping him out of work at present, and second, by lessening his chance of work for the fu- Your Committee cannot help thinking that if this matter were fairly' laid before thisis and otherther simimi- lar establishn and o si istablishments, the employers might be induced to make a considerable change in this matter, itfore especially’ if w e could show (as w e propose pres ently to do) that hoys are not so profitable to their ipJoyers as many of them imagin Nfor need employers fear that irictions if causing a scarcity of hands, or a :ulty in procuring a sufficiency of men to do the i inn anyny emergency which might arise work i a are alwaysays enoiough „ country offices, and en boys brought into the trade by / offices, and the holes and corners to which w e before alluded, to amifiy supply the cities, and a trifle over. Before quitting this most subject, w e would say t derived from boys’ labo lost important part o f our few words as to the profit Your Committee do .Sin- ing good their deficiencies; the injury to, and frequently wanton waste of materials room they occupy, and the very inconsiderable amount of work done by them, when on time—they would not irflict such a positive and serious injury on their workmen for such a very trifling benefit to themselves. There is another point of view in which the boy system appears a positive loss to the large employ ers. It is this : By their taking such a n u i n b e r of boys, they sanction and uphold a system which in jures them (in proportion) as much as it does the jour neymen; for let them take as many boys as they wilI) the sm all employers will take more, (proportion ately,) and let them pay as little as they may, the small employers will pay less. Our statistics show us that one of th e s e sm all em p loyers (small in ev ery respect) pays his boys one dollar per week, while another rewards their overwork (hours stolen from the season of their natural rest) with the mu nificent sum of 6^ cents per thousand! Such offices as those w e previously alluded to can never compete with such holes and corners as these latter. They would be ashamed to offer such prices, and ashamed to employ those who would take them. Then why not unite with us to put down this in- \'“I alike injurio lifbrm price for the sapo wouldd hee onn an equal footing it tid their respective £ uuirorm pi li h o £ get work ; and would depend ness capabiliti« screwing dowi and fillinsr their oflices with hoys. second, B y R educing t h e N um b e r of A p pr e n t ic e s . This should h e done by the mutual agreement of the employers and the men. The employers might get rid of iheir worst hoys, and employ good and efficient men (who would earn their money) instead. Those boys who were kept, should be mmencemi icedced workr perien work in the proficiei lid then lid be pii eir time, under somt man, who should have some inti incy of the Apprentii hisis bestest to makiake lent of their ti: ii do h b to m Tiim orkman, fit to go into e som e: and wl lod and capable workman, fit to go into any ol Your Committee believe that such nieiit as the above w'ould be ndvancageous—To the employei-, by giving him a few gojd steady Ap prentices, on whom he could depend while in his office, and of whom he w'ould not be ashamed when they went out of it. To the men, by reducing the number of boys, and making those vi-ho are to hi. their fellow workmen more fit to be so. And to the Apprentices themselves it w'ould be of in- calcuif.ble bei'efit; for instead of having to w'ander iiom effit-e To office, picking up, hc-re a little s there a litlio, of that knowledge and infori v.hu-h is now always gi'ven giudgiugly, thoughTgh itt woreore a directirect robberybbery off the! men, id^as i w a d ro o tl ild thoTi be reguiarlj' bound to som employer, who would be bound to teach cause them to be taught) their trade. They would be placed under the care and instruction of soi m t some respect I them be placed under the care and instruction of some experienced workman, w'ho would feel an interest and take a pride in their welfare and proficiency. 11 who knew them the business; and r term of apprentice- identure to serve as a right to work at the business rd. T he EsTABuffeHMENT of C hapels in THE O ffices . The “ Chapel” is the best and least objection able mode of regulating the internal afi’airs of the Office, and settling disagreements between em ployers and men which can possibly be devised. The “ Chapel” is a meeting of all the i in the last yei lir number as s over their meetings, and (except i laiy occasions), acts as their spokes meet at certain fixed time ay arise which concerns the men generally. Employers who might object to the general body of Printers legislating for ‘'their offices,” cannot reasonably object to their own workmen, (who are immediately concerned,) meeting together, and having a voice in matters m which they have so great an interest. reeled and satisfactorily adjusted, whenit is known to be the wish of all, which would be utterly neg lected if mentioned by one or two. As an illustra tion o f this, your Committee are of opinion that “ Irregular Pay ” might very soon become “ Good Pay,” in most Offices, if the men would unitedly lay the matter before the employer. Unfair D is tribution o f Copy and Favoritism, might also be adjusted in the same w a y ; and a number o f other grievances, which prevail in certain Offices, might thus be con-ected by the meff working in those Offices, without going out o f them. The Chapel should also frame a s e t of rules for the government of the men in the Office, for the prevention of unfair conduct toward each other; and ordain a Schedule of Fines, to be levied for the infraction of the rules. Such fines to be appropri ated as the C h a p e l nSiglit d irect. Such laws being made and enforced by the men ttiemsefYes, and being for their ow n benefit and comfort, w o u ld be lore Strictly observed than any could be which by the Emj ’ in mark; means lysteni ther the capital ^ , bestowed ? It is to the interest of every printei keep his profession a little above starvation i and this can only be done by using every i within his power to put down the present s; of reckless and desperate competition. Anolher cause of the present low rate of pay is the great number of bad and floating workmen i which our city abounds. W e have already tedted outut howow someome off thesehese arere broughtrought intof > trr.d( poin o h s o t a b in the trr.de, and how they operate to reduce prices this evil to answer foi . and floating wdrkmen le Unior but New-York has not al imbermber off badad ■ices; i great nu o b and floating wdrkmeii come to this city from all parts of the Union, and the W o r ld; and these latter form the very worst kind of workmen, for as they generally come nearly destitute of resources, and quite des^titute of friends, and as unfortunately they must eat and sleep somewhere, they fall ^asy victims to tho?e who are always on the look out for such, and take anything that is offered them. These extreme lo w prices then become “ the established scale of prices” in that oflice, and if any good and respecta ble workman be forced, by adverse circumstances, to work therein, he must also succurpb, or be out of work when he can least afford it. But perhaps the chief cause of the present low rate of remuneration, and all the other evils which ; our trade, is the unacpountable apathy and irkmen themselves. To de- !d be a work o f supereroga- aware of it—most must feel it in them selves; and w e might pass it altogether if it were not for the hope that some mi jht be aroused sufficiently to awake to the n ecessity of f speakir or forever after holding their peace. were made by the Employer. “ The Chapel” is a very old institution, dating its existence from the first Printing Office estab lished in England, which was in a Chapel (from which it derives its name) attached to W estminster Abbey. It is in universal use iff all large towns and cities in Great Britain, where it is of the greatest service in settling the internal affairs of the Office, and its authority is seldom questioned or defied. Chapels were in general n se in New-Orleans a few years since, where they also exercised a most beneficial influence on the trade, but owing to £Ci variety of causes, they have dwindled away con siderably of late, and prices have dwindled with them. Fourth: T h e E ffo r t s of t h is U nion w i t h THE E m p l oyers . Your Com unite I many of the griev labors under resirectful ai ployers, mai Your Committee found a disposition lated to benefit the the Employers as amoi ■ ’ ' sed I adopt any measi trade, quite as general among the men. Several have tigatt . _ :e to the Em- isores calcu- leral very few a: I who will : this Union, there are vi honorable Employers erned by it. F if th : T he E fforts of the M en . This, which should be the firsit, r Scale of ivided its ion that if adopted by ong the fair and le to be gov- 31S, w h ich shot lapt, for the simple reason that w e est difficulty To your Cor nple rea£ 1 knowin I w e have placed m that w e feel the great- whatto say on this subject. fectly 71 y observing the shoi rally take unt for the ime mi; awake to the n ecessity o speaking out not \ o. . . ................ In ■ but eai If the stateint true ? SecoJ sirable, or ass itt shouldhould be?e? Third,hird, Iff hee expectsxpi that it will get better of itself) or that employers will make it better for our especial benefit?— lanprij ---- , * einents in this Report are not sti-ictly 'ond. If the present state of things is de- a i s b T I h e will make it better for our especial benefit?— Fourth, If he has any right to expect that his fellow do all Ike' workmen a the benefit to do all the work, that he may reap ithout even putting forth his hand to ih, Or rather, if he is not dete help or assist? Fifth, Or rather, if he is not deter mined that from this moment h e will devote all his best energies to the regeneration o f his once hon ored, and always honi decree useful) o than h e If. the ing the short- iew which working men generally take of their own interests that w e can fact that men will go eai'ly^and stoj will toil and work themselves to det interests ; and yet will not bestow once a fortnight for their o w n ; they will be nally grumbling at what they term wrongs, and y e t will never make a single effort to remOve them. If yonr Committee thought it necessary, or that it would h e conducive to the intereijts of the Trade, they would here introduce a whole string of clap trap and stereotyedmaxims, with which “ leaders ” :op late; that they I death for others’ jstow an bour or two Y w ill be contin- stereotyei re’ wont to amuse the peo would be free, themselves mi “ Union is strength,” lopie, such as, “ W ho It Btrike^the blow.” do “ Union is strength,” etc. etc. etc., but they i not; and they wifi simply observe to their fellow- workmen, that if they want a thing done, they ‘east ast help of the nut len, that if they want a thing done, must at l help to do it. If they want thi sent, they f the r it is in at pres ;rs to the wheel; foi ■who either are, o Such are the i those who help themselves erve to be helped, s which ’’’ommittee we are quite t ating workmt , The apathy and indifference of the ■workmen. And they recommend as Present Remedies: A unifonn Scale of Prices. The reduction of the number of Boys. The establishment of Chapels. The efforts of The Union with the Employers. The efforts of the men. For an Uttiniate R em edy: The Establishment of Joint-Stock Printing Offi ces by the Workingmen. And now regretting that this have been rendered mori and more worthy of your accept! tures, it is respectfully submitted to you. . C R A T E . H . A . G U IL D , -------------- JW. L. STU B B S , ______ RW, RICHARD CROOKEfl, WM. KILDARE. THE GALPmN CLAIM. Opinion o f the Attorney General. A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ’ s O f f i c e , F e b r u a r y 2, 1850. S i r : T h e question you have subm itted to m e upon the claim of the executor of G eorge Galphin, under the act of the 14th o f August, 1848, I Rave exam ined w ith all the care due to the circum stances attending it, its supposed intrinsic difficul ty, and the large amount which it involves. The opinion I have formed 1 am clear in; and aUht ugh my official engagements in the Supreme Court will not enable me to give my reasons at length, I do not feel at liberty to refui'e ’ of the claimant that ion itself. lal engage table me ' at liberty to refus the request I would state to you the opin- The question is, whether interest should he al lowed on the claim r- and if it should 1 i be, from what period ? First. Should it be allowed ? 1 think it should. The material facts are these : George Galphin, the testator of the claimant, ante cedent to 1773, was an authorized trader among the Cl eek and Cherokee Indians in the colony of Georgia. In that capacity, and as the’ assignee of the claims of other legal trader.?, he was a creditor of the Indians for a large amount. la 1773, under instructions from the Mother Country, the Governor of the colony, Sir James Wright, negotiated a treaty with the Indians, by which they ceded a large extent of territoty, now constutiting, it is be lieved, two entire counties of the State of Georgia (Wilks and Lincoln), and part of two others (Ogle thorpe and Green), and, by an express stipulation, the debts due by the Indians to' the traders were secured to be paid by the proceeds of the lands. , The treaty was ratified by Englan'i in 1775, and a Commissioner duly constituted to liquidate the payment of these debts out of the fund so by the treaty provided for that end. Under this authority Galphin’s claim, and others of like character, were ascertauied, and the- amount due to him found to be L9,791 15s,. 5d. ster ling ; and for this sum he obtained a proper cer tificate. The Revolutionary war occurring soon aiter- ■ward, and ending in the independence of the Colo nies, the Territory ceded became the property of Georgia. All the debts due the ti’aders, provided for by the treaty, except Galphin’s, were afeer- ,waid paid, principal and interest, by the British Government, and liis excepted only because of his patriotic adherence to this country during the war. The others, who were loyal to England, were fully' itdemriified by that Government, under a just and high sense of the obligation imposed upon her by ■’ ' ■ ’ as to her, the consideration fact failed by the ;lie fault lerritory ceded. But as tl was hers, and the traders were innocent as to that result, and did all they could as loyal subjects to avert it, she stood between them and harm, and fully paid their claims. That Galphin’s would also have been paid, had he, following the fortunes of England, been regardless of the duty which pat riotism, in such an emergency, demanded, it is im possible to doubt. The loss o f his claim is, therefore, to he referred exclu s ively to a c a u se which should commend it to the favor of the American Government, and induce rale o f responsibility, in its effects placing its justice upon a level far be low that which, by the law , as b e t w e e n m an and man, is daily declared to be the proper and only lev e l of J u s tice. lands ■vs ice, or given by I lers, to guard her on her frontier from Indian } claim was (thoughthough itsts meritserits wereere neviei outrages. From time to time the claim w as demanded of Georgia, and al i m w n nied, but on the contrary, in various ways ted, it was never paid. In 1802, a large trac the Slates of iract of c •bama and by Georgia to the United States; but until the law of August, 1848, no provision was made by the United States for the liquidation of the debt.— Since that act, it is now too late to dispute the jus tice of the demand. That question was settled by the law itself, looking only to its terms, the memo rial which prayed the relief, and the report of the committee who reported the bill, and, if not, is now put beyond aU doubt, if any ever existed, by the decision o f your predecessor, Mr. Walker, in .pay ing the pi’incipal of the debt. As I have already said, I am of opinion that in terest should he allowed, and from the date of the certificate in 1775. My reasons are briefly th e s e : 1, The effect of the treaty of 1773 vraa to charge the lands theniBelves with the payment of the debt, principal incumbrance o 2. This charge in equity remained an ii land, in whoBcsoever hands they might come, except BE, by a right c f war, the claims were confiscated. 3. X b against Galphin, that right never existed. He Btrnsgled in common with the patriots o f the day, in wrest ing liie territory from British rale, and in subjecting it to the sovereignty o f Georgia. 4. That upon the cession by Georgia to the United States, in 1802, the tatter became liable for the stipulations of tho treaty of 1773, and bound in law and honor to execute them. 5. That the minimum o f their responsibility being the value of the lands, and this being far beyond the amount of the claim, with interest, their liability for the entire amount is manifest. 6. That if the British Government was liable for the debt, (as it clearly, under her law, was not, as between her and Galphin, because of Galphin’s disloyalty,) it-Jiras the duty of the United States to have prosecuted it upon that Go- your C re- ” \ofoc in h e f o u n d i t ? _ ,, lieve to be, t h e e s t a b l is h m e n t o f J o in t .S togk Journeymen Printers will do this generally, himself, and quite irrespective of lur work will Remembei each one for himself, and quite irrespectivi “ W h a t are the others going to do?” our work be easy, and that the assist ■epiete with benefits diredly to your interest t( mend no Strike ; o violent measures. Suasion, and combinei th \ so small on your part, to yourselves that it is iderit. W e recom- :e ; on the contrtiry, w e deprecate 3B. Our weapons m u st be Moi Suasion, and c om bined and elves and for ourselves. Our weapons must 1 led and vigorous A ction, by our- 1^ they wish good to with us and help nr. ' more pro they conceive tc now endei I, and what le the chief causes of them, will indicate such remedies as appear ;st calculated to eradicate them. W e will first speak of the immediale or present remedies, and afterward of what w e believe to be the only ultimate and real remedy, for tho evils which must always exist, to a greater or lesser e x tent, in the relations o f employer and employe. F irst: A U n ifo r m S c a l e o f P r ic e s . The advantages of the general adoption o f such a Pcale would b e : To the Journeyman it would secure a uniformity of payments, which would r» der his earnings a TOati doubt. Under such a Sc depend on his own exertions instead of the oili which h e might happen to work, and it would pre vent that heart-hurning and discontent which he cannot help but feel when compelled to labor for less than he has been accustomed to recei vo. To the honorable Employer such a Scale would he of still more value, as its tendency would be to destroy the present system of competition, which not only cuts down Journeymens’ wages, but also Employers' profits. If all were competed to pay h e v e to be, th P rinting O ffices ; O f , or ; Offices owned and worked -Offices in which • is h m e n t o f J o in t -S toc k in other words, Printing by practical working- them shal est; Offici that he is ihaR have an immediate , in short, whi by practical working- all the men who work in and pecuniary iuter- i shall feel nother. iconsiderablenumberffiinstahces, and the wor men of Germany, England and latterly o f Ameripa, have proved: and that they can be efficiently and profitably conducted, might be positively asserted, (even if w e had no experience to guide us,) from some simple and undeniable facts—lacts on which would rei for the proper that ncfU’ly all Is Its— lacts on which we lend all to ponder; namely, that aZZ iments have to trust to workingmen all the departments; iarge establishments were originally and, that the most successful and best p,ccs in this city, are conducted by osc who wei-e o riginally workingmen ! If these propostions can be denied, our whole falls to the ground, our whole labor is vain. ich allo'WBDces That tbw. act of 1848. gives the go-,ver to allow it cannot be, nor do I understand it to be, j It is by assuming that there is a settled and al- I most universal rule adverse to such allowances, that the claim is thought to be invalid. For want of time I am unable now to go into.an examination of the cases in which interest has been paid where there was no express provision for it in the law embracing tbe claims. A s I have already said, I think the Virginia commuti claims are ‘an answer to the objection ; bu1 claim in question stands upon grounds higher and stronger than these. Here, beside tbe obligation resulting from assum ing, as was done by the act of 1848, this debt of Georgia, because o f the appropriation by her of the ' charged with the debt to the common cause, as ail that existed in the Virginii id, that ’ selves to extinguish all ovlstanding titles to the lands w ithin the lim its of Georgia, and therefore large i fo r thi that nei email ( conductc those I f thi ■design lands c which w as ail that exii there exists this additic the cession from extim ground, th a t by ta houndound 1 ' A wc b our- titles to thi and workinj slaves of caj 1 must be contended 1 sts forever ; hut i f it he true tli! ucoessfally conduct busine ;hat they can conducl 1 profitablj fS ! additional ground, Georgia, in 1803, ish cdl ouistandii _ .rids w ith in tlie lim its of Georgia, and therefore impelled in good faith to pay this debt, which, by solemn treaty stipulation, was then, and must re- il paid a lien on such lands. t.loo\-’- ' 1841 id m no doubt i t w a s and sbos of Congress to pay the i the principal of the claim. This, ras due to the services and sacri- istorof the claimant; to the mere legal and equitable responsibility of tbe United States, as trustee of the lands charged with the debt; to the obligation to Georgia to indemnify her 1 until paid a lien on such lands. And, in the last place, that,looking to the circum stances preceding tbe act of 1848, as stated in the have been the purpi teiest as well as thi in my opinion, ws fices of Hie ancei jal It is for lis now briefly to icoapn.iuu. 1.0 me luaiu nion CRUSe points of this Report, and close. Thus, then, your Committee Report that notwith- curing to standing the state of the Trade is much better now j instice dei usually intof— , , „ _ ___ ___ ' ^ (.rf am not able to nna a reason should be made to cease short . . . . . . It is for themselves to answei. disposed of, to the promotion of the com- T. . . r__recapitulate tbe mam J ^on caus of the Revolution; and, above all, to which Congress must have felt of se- own citizens that full measure of led by the treaty stipulation of 1773, land, under much less imperative cir- imstances, so promptly rendered to her subjects. A s I am not able to find a reason wby the inter- ’ ' pawing; complaint The 45xceedingly low rate of pay; Irregular and had p a y ; ’ of the act of 18.48,1 am, for the reasons already stated, of opinion that it ought to be allowed to that date. ’ That the amount.is a large one, although it calls for, as it has received at my hands, a most careful examination, is, of course, no reason against its al- . lowance. A Government never presents itself in-a more commanding and elevated condition than when it . answers fully to all just demands. W h ile guard ing, as it should, against unjust claims, and resort ing to ;all proper precautions to that end, it should,- v/ith the same care, and a v iew alike to its true in'erests and character, sedulously abstain from doing in each case any thing but full and ample justice. It is under a. conviction that this will not be done in the present instance entire payment; victim that the conviction that this will not be done i by any thing short of the [ of tbe demand, and from a full con its payment, that I 3 stated. law of 1848 authorizes and calls for have come to the conclusion here stated. \ I have the honorft(^l^,_ witl^hif obedient .servant, H o n . W m . M . M e i The opinion I p n-.ade it, had I tal in part ^ were of 11 an tii i'jpe veitl high regard, your Y E R D Y JO H N S O N . lEEBiTK, Secretary of the Treasury. fc as full as I should have ire time in its preparation, if tbe committee desire it, I will supply this en more supply t in part by putting them in possesion o f som e tbe authorities upon w h ich it w a s formed. The; ^ Fccowi?— Congress has itself, in terms, given in- Tkira —-in v.,u.uu' Korli *enns, and-uude\ .eic- gna.ae not rsore comprehensive than that o f the Galphin act, tbe acet unting officers have allowed interest with the sanc tion of the head of the proper department. Fourth —In which, under the opinions o f my predeces sors. interest has been allowed. Fifth—\a which the Courts of the United States have adjudged It against the United States. Sixthr-1n -which, by the laws of nations and the deci sions of prize Courts, it has been allowed. Seventh—In which words similar to those in the treaty o f 1773 have been held a charge on land granted or devised; and in which, also, words similar to those in the fourth article of the cession of Georgia to the United States, o f the 24th of April, 18('2, have been held to embrace such a- tide or Interest as the Indians and Galphin had in the lands- ceded by the treaty o f 1773. Eightn—Which show that Georgia held the lands so charged with the claim as a trustee, boutrd to the same ex tent that England would have been bound, but for the Rev- • olntion, to have paid the claim, principal and interest; and that tbe United States, by virtue of the cession o f 1802, was bound, in good faith to Georgia, to execute the trust, and designed to do eo, by directisg the claim, the whole claim, to be examined, adjusted, and paid. I say the whole claim, for no distinction was made or intended'hr ----- ‘ ........ Appeal for the H u n g a rian E x iles. The following eloquent circular has been ad dressed to us and w e gladly favor the v iews of the writer by giving it publicity in The Tribune : Encouraf Revolution have embarked, to await unde protection of this great Nation, the turn of e in Europe. Allow me then, to direct your attention to the follow ing; 1, Those now approaching so confidently the AmericBn shores, are the victims of a taithiees, despotic Government, and almost the only remnant of that free nation, which had assigned lo it by Frovidence the honorable post of being ftom time immemorial, the bulwark o f Christendom, against barbarian invasion and thus the protector of civilization, industry and commerce. 2. That these men who just escaped from captivity which violated all national laws, find themselves In a situatloa of the utmost difficulty and uistress, because S. By totally annulling the Hungarian currency and by confiecatmg their real estate, the Austrian Government has rtduced them to poverty induce me, as the oldest in rank among the Offi cers o f the Emigration, to address to y o u the urgent prayer, to use yourutmost influence in Congress, to p r o c u r e fo r m y u n h a p p y , a n d q n i t e d e s t i t u t e c o u n trymen, on their arrival such assistance as is worthy o f this great nation. ■e no doub despotic Government. I cannot believe that your great nation will entirely desert men who have willingly sacrificed every thing for those same prin ciples, for which your own glorious ancestors more successfully contended. No, Sir, your nation cannot possibly do this! it would by so doing utterly destroy all hopes o f R e publicanism in Europe for many years to come. For could not the monarchical Governments,- and particularly those three I have named, point to this country and that justly, exclaiming: “ Look there, what you may hope from a Republican Govern ment ; it has done nothing for men who bad the sympathies of half the world, while w e have assisted our feUow-men, who had b een seduced from their allegiance or misled.” “VYe, who have been some time in this country, have indeed been received every where, in W ash ington even, with the greatest distinction; all ex pressed their sympathy and the inti for our lot; fine words and promises upon u s ; hut of what use is ti condition this sympathy, if Of what avail that pity v of what value are all tho; ises that leave no trace behind. W e were, to be sure, fortunate enough to re ceive some assistance from a. few noble-hearted Americans who could fathom the depth o f our mis- imises were li us in our helple^* irried into practice. fortunes, b u t from C o n g ress, cen tered , w e haver< ; of land on a credit, depth o f c w h e r e all our hopes iived n o thing; w h e n a 1 the smallest na nce, that should our dear country b e. estored, it shall be our most sacred care i asylum for every American, who,. pe, may be overtaken b y misfort ' obedie ' us the as happily rest to render it while in Europe, I remain your very obedient servant, JOHN PRAGAY. Col. and Adj’nt General in the Hun^rian Army imder Kossuth. The Hnngarlaxis in Io w a . The Burlington (Iowa) State Gazette speaks pU the arrival of Governor Ujhazy, the former Com mander of the Fortress of Comom, in Hungary, with Ms family and friends, eW e n in all, at that place, and speaks as follows-of their intentions The object of Governor U, and his friends in. coming to Iowa is to make a selection o f land upon, which to locate. As ail their property was confis cated by tbe adverse termination of the war, thOT landed on our shores without the means necessa^ lace on Mon- tbe view ©f looking at the country, and acquiring information as to the best location. It is notnecessary, -wefeel assured, to bespeak for him, at tbe hands of the people of our W estern Counties, a kind reception, and all the aid that can b e afforded him.. The struggles and sufferings of the nungarianis. are too fresh in Ihe memGry\bf our people to make any request o f this kind necessary. The other members of t t e paity remain in this city. The settlement now about being made, -we are informed, is intended a» the nucleus for others who are preparing to come. Gov. U. even expressed to ua tbe hope and belief ifoat ere the lap.se of another year, Kossuth—the great and'good Louis Kossuth,' who is the idolized of bis countrymen—will ba a citizen of Iowa. God grent him a speedy delivery from the hands of hi» Moslemlem keepers. al’ieri coh, about 2 o’clock, th e tid e running ri tie quarter crolcb, around -which tbe rope was wound, gave w a y , carrying with it the rail and the davit, tbe latter striking the Captain, Isaiah Cor win, of Jamesport, L. I. and fracturing his skull bo badly that h e is not expected to live. The sloop af er breaking away her quarter crotch, &c. run iuto the steamboat Canonicut, and carried away the C.’s bulwaiks and one or two stanchions, but did no material damage to her. Captain Corwin was taken to the Bailor’s Home, on South-Water- B ti where every attention will b e paid him. j f rovidence Jounwil,
