[LABOR HISTORY] [GENERAL TRADES' UNION] MOORE, Ely

Address Delivered Before the General Trades' Union of the City of New-York at the Chatham-street Chapel, Monday, December 2, 1833

New-York: Printed by Order of the Convention [by] James Ormond, [1833]. First Edition. Octavo (20.5cm.); disbound; 32pp. Textblock rather foxed and a bit dust-soiled, stitching somewhat loose but still holding, dampstaining along gutter, slightly later (1845) repeated ownership signature of a Robert Garlington of South Carolina College to title page with his notes on verso and p. [3]. Additional signature on p. [3] of E.A. Garlington (1853-1934), a United States General who served during the Indian Wars. Good or better.

Scarce address delivered shortly after the founding of the General Trades' Union, by Moore, in August of the same year. The GTU is considered to be the first large trade union, headed by the delegates of nine craft trades. Moore, elected its first president, would go on to be a U.S. Representative from New York, from 1835 to 1839 and later, in 1845, president of the National Trade Union. The present document is possibly the first publication issued by the Union, the opening statement explinaing that "We have assembled on the present occasion, for the purpose of publicly proclaiming the motives which induced us to organize a General Union of the various trades and arts in this city and its victinity" (p. [7]): "We, in order to guard against the encroachments of aristocracy, to preserve our natural and political rights, to elevate our moral and intellectual condition, to promote our pecuniary interests, to narrow the line of distinction between the journeyman and employer...have deemed it expedient to form ourselves into a 'General Trades' Union'" (p. 10).

Price: $1,500.00

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