Preamble and resolutions adopted at a public meeting of the working men of the city of Philadelphia, August 11, 1828.

Preamble. Public meetings of the citizens for the purpose of co-operation in the management of Elections have been sanctioned by long established custom; and are generally admitted to be perfectly consistent with the genius and character of popular governments: and in this country particularly it may be safely assumed that what is lawful in such cases for any portion of the community, cannot be less so for the Working Classes.

It has also been a practice with men of similar views and pursuits, to concentrate their strength and talents in order to secure to themselves the political guardianship of their peculiar interests. The advantages resulting from the exercise of this privilege have hitherto escaped the notice of the majority of the working men, who caught by the popular excitement of the day, follow in the wake of their wary leaders, and having mainly contributed to the elevation of their ambitious favourites are doomed to sink again into their former insignificance. With such odds against them their influence as a body has assuredly declined, and with it their rights and privileges. But instructed at length by the experience of past errors and misfortunes, and thoroughly convinced of their undoubted right so to do in such cases, the Mechanics and Working Men of the city and County of Philadelphia, are determined henceforth to take the management of their own interests, as a class, into their own immediate keeping, and with this view propose the following resolutions preparatory to arrangements for the ensuing General Election.

Resolved, that this meeting recommend to the Mechanics & Working Men of the City to support such men only for the City Councils and State Legislature, as shall pledge themselves in their official capacity to support the interests and claims of the Working Classes.

Resolved, that we pledge ourselves not to permit the measures growing out of this meeting to interfere with the arrangements of either of the contending parties in relation to the presidential question or congressional election.

Resolved, unanimously, that four district meetings of the City be held . . . for the purpose of choosing delegates to form a ticket for Assembly and City Councils to be supported by Mechanics and Working Men at the next General Election.

RESOLVED, that the delegates so appointed be instructed to make their selections without regard to party politics.

RESOLVED, that this meeting respectfully recommend to the several district meetings to confine themselves in their choice of Delegates entirely to Working Men.

Resolved, that a Committee be appointed to designate the place and advertise the same. . .

George W. Jones, Chairman--

John Napier, John McMahon, Sec'rys.
Philadelphia, Aug. 11th.

Mechanics' Free Press, Aug. 16, 1828 (J. R. Commons etal., A Documentary History of American Industrial Society, Vol. 5: The Labor Movement [1910]