[
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more contracts.
The general opinion of the members of the committee was that nothing more could be or ought to be done.
One contractor who had been elected on our ticket in the first election resigned from the ticket.
Only one prominent man, and he was not engaged with the corporations, united with
Mr. Hildreth and myself in the opinion that something should be done.
I addressed the committee and said: “Very well, then; without instruction from you, I suppose, or without your interfering with what I do, I may do what I please in regard to this election as the leader of the ten-hour men.”
Most of them were very glad to be relieved from responsibility, and all said “Yes.”
I said : “Very well, then; I will have issued the following hand-bill:
To the working-men of
Lowell: The following notice has been put up on the gate of the
Hamilton corporation:
Notice.
Whoever, employed by this corporation, votes the
Ben Butler ten-hour ticket on Monday next, will be discharged.
The working-men of
Lowell will have a meeting [we had previously engaged the City Hall for a meeting on that evening] at the City Hall on Wednesday evening, at eight o'clock, to hear an address by
Col. B. F. Butler upon the subject of this notice, and advice upon the question of what shall be done by the working-men and friends of the ten-hour law in view of this notice, in the coming election.
per order.
”
No man could be found to sign this call.
I said: “Very well; leave it blank; the men will come.”
Accordingly everywhere in Lowell that handbill was circulated.
Many applied to me to know what I should advise to be done.
I said I should tell the meeting what I should do and what I thought should be done; I had not fully made up my mind, but hoped that the good God would deal with me as He promised to do with His apostles: “In that day and that hour it shall be given ye what ye shall speak.”
To say that the citizens were in a ferment, and especially the working-men, would be a very tame expression.
About half-past 7 in the evening I was called upon by the manager of one of the corporations, who desired to know what
