International Working Men’s Association
P. 1 of the minutes is in Cremer’s hand. Pp. 1-3 of the Minute Book are in an unknown hand.
The first meeting of the Committee,[1] elected by the public meeting held at St. Martin’s Hall on the 28th of September 1864, was held at 18, Greek St., Soho, on October 5th, 1864, and on the motion of Mr. Weston, seconded by Mr. Whitlock, Mr. G. Odger was voted to the chair.
The Chairman said the first business was the appointment of a secretary to the Committee when Dr. Marx proposed and Mr. Whitlock seconded that Mr. Cremer be appointed.
Mr. Cremer would prefer the appointment of M. Le Lubez who was he believed in every way qualified to fill the office.
M. Le Lubez having for various reasons declined the office, Mr. Cremer was unanimously elected.
The next question discussed was the meeting nights of the Committee when several resolutions and amendments[2] were proposed, but ultimately on the motion of Mr. Longmaid, seconded by Mr. Dell, it was carried with one dissentient:
That until the Association is in working order the Committee meet at 18, Greek St., every Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock.
A question being asked as to the expenses of meeting in the room, it was agreed to adjourn the consideration of that matter till the Council of the Universal League had decided on what terms they could allow us the use of the room.[3]
The question of the rate of contributions was then discussed when Mr. Noble proposed and Mr. Whitlock seconded:
That for the present the rate of contributions for the Committee be Is. per quarter, but that further voluntary contributions be accepted from any member or friend.
As an amendment Mr. Worley proposed and Mr. Longmaid seconded:
That the preliminary expenses of the Committee be defrayed by voluntary contributions from members of the Committee and other friends.
For amendment — 6, for resolution — 14. Carried.
A subscription of 3 guineas was then made by the members present, and on the motion of Mr. Dell, seconded by Mr. Blackmore, Mr. G. Wheeler was unanimously elected treasurer to the Committee.
M. Le Lubez then proposed, Mr. Whitlock seconded, and it was unanimously agreed to that the following be added to the Committee:
Vasbenter, Morrissot, Jourdain, Leroux, Bordage, Aldovrandi.
On the motion of Major Wolff, seconded by Mr. Holtorp, M. Setacci, Mr. Carter and Professor Beesly were added to the General Committee.
The question of appointing secretaries to the different nationalities represented on the Committee was then discussed, and on the motion of Mr. Whitlock, seconded by Major Wolff, M. Le Lubez was unanimously elected corresponding secretary for France. On the motion of Mr. Whitlock, seconded by Dr. Marx, Mr. Holtorp was elected corresponding secretary for Poland.
Dr. Marx stated that the German Working Men’s Association[4] would elect a corresponding secretary for Germany.
Major Wolff made a similar statement with regard to the Italian Working Men’s Association.[5]
A long discussion then took place with regard to the election of a general honorary secretary and the position he should occupy in relation to the secretaries of the various nationalities, and on the motion of Mr. Wheeler, seconded my Major Wolff, Mr. Cremer was unanimously elected honorary general secretary.
Mr. Cremer stated he would have preferred the election of M. Le Lubez who was in every way qualified to occupy so important a post but as M. Le Lubez positively declined he, Mr. Cremer, would accept it until the Association had adopted a platform of principles, framed their laws, and fairly started. He should then resign the office.
A very long and animated discussion then took place with regard to the principles on which the Association should be based, and ultimately on the motion of Mr. Dell, seconded by Mr. Trimlett, a sub-committee of 9 were appointed to draw up a platform of principles, such principles to be discussed at the next meeting of the General Committee.
The following were then elected as the Sub-Committee: Messrs. Whitlock, Weston, Dr. Marx, M. Le Lubez, Major Wolff, Mr. Holtorp, and Mr. Pidgeon, the Chairman and Secretary to be members by virtue of their offices.6
The meeting then adjourned to Tuesday, October 11th, 1864.
President G. Odger
W. R. Cremer, Honorary General Secretary
The minutes are in an unknown hand on pp. 3-4 of the Minute Book.
Present: Major Wolff, M. Le Lubez, Messrs. Odger, Cremer, and Weston.[7]
Mr. Odger in the chair.
Mr. Weston brought forward and read a paper which he had drawn up as a declaration of principles.[8]
A very long discussion took place regarding the principles set forth in the paper, and it was ultimately decided on the motion of M. Le Lubez, seconded by Major Wolff: That Mr. Weston be requested to abridge and alter his paper and that it be then recommended by the Sub-Committee to the General Committee as the programme of the Association.
Major Wolff then proposed and Mr. Cremer seconded the following resolution:
That this Committee suggests as the basis of its operations the promotion of the moral, intellectual, and economical progress of the working classes of Europe by coming to an understanding with the various working men’s associations all over Europe in order to obtain unity of purpose and unity of action, the two great means of arriving at the above-named results. Carried unanimously.
Major Wolff then read the Rules of the Italian Working Men’s Association who have for some time been endeavouring throughout Italy to unite into one fraternal bond the various working men’s associations.[9]
The Rules were highly approved by the Committee, and on the motion of Mr. Cremer, seconded by M. Le Lubez, it was decided to recommend them to the General Committee for their adoption.
M. Le Lubez then proposed and Cremer seconded:
That we recommend to the General Committee to fix the rate of contribution at a shilling a year for individuals and that for such sum each member be presented with a card and that the rate of contribution from organised bodies be as low as it can possibly be made. Resolution carried unanimously.
Adjourned.
G. Odger, President
W. R. Cremer, Honorary General Secretary
The minutes are in an unknown hand on pp. 5-6 of the Minute Book, and the meeting took place on Tuesday, October 11, not the 12th, 1864.
The minutes of the former meeting having been read, on the motion of Mr. Dell, seconded by M. Le Lubez, they were passed as correct.
The Secretary [Cremer] then read the minutes of the SubCommittee held on the 8th, which minutes were generally approved, and Mr. Weston read the paper he had at the recommendation of the Sub-Committee abridged, and which he believed would serve the Association as a platform of principles.
A very long discussion took place on the contents of the paper, and Major Wolff having at the request of the Committee brought forward and read the Rules of the Italian Working Men’s Association, it was ultimately decided on the motion of Mr. Carter, seconded by Mr. Wheeler:
That the paper read by Mr. Weston and the Rules as read by Major Wolff be referred back to the Sub-Committee for revision.
Mr. Dell then proposed and Mr. Hartwell seconded:
That the best thanks of the Committee be given to Major Wolff and Mr. Weston for the abilities they have displayed, Mr. Weston in drawing up the paper and Major Wolff in translating into English the Rules of the Italian Working Men’s Association. Carried unanimously.[10]
Mr. Cremer then proposed and Mr. Whitlock seconded:
That persons becoming members of this Association shall pay not less than Is. per annum and that the rate of contribution for organised bodies be hereafter determined. Carried unanimously.
It was then discussed as to what should be the name of the Association, and Mr. Wheeler proposed and Mr. Leno seconded: That the Sub-Committee be deputed to enquire into and report to this Committee as to the advisability of merging this Association into the Universal League.
Mr. Leno said, as the objects sought by both associations were almost synonymous it would be far better to unite them and thereby unite their efforts.[11]
As an amendment Mr. Whitlock proposed and Mr. Eccarius seconded: That the name of the Association be the International Working Men’s Association.
For the amendment — 16, for resolution — 4. The Association is therefore entitled the International Working Men’s Association.
It having been stated that Major Wolff was about to visit Naples and would attend the working men’s congress about being held in that city,[12] Mr. Cremer proposed and M. Le Lubez seconded:
That Major Wolff be deputed to enquire of the Italian working men through their deputies in congress assembled if they are willing to enter into a fraternal bond with the working men of the other countries of the world and, if they are, on what basis such bond should be established. Carried unanimously.
The Secretary was instructed to forward to Major Wolff credentials for this Committee.
The following were then added to the General Committee:
Mr. Rybczinski proposed by Mr. Holtorp, seconded by Mr. Fox;
M. Talandier proposed by Major Wolff, seconded by Mr. Fox;
M. G. Nusperli proposed by M. Le Lubez, seconded by M. Bordage.
Mr. G. P. Fontana proposed by Major Wolff, seconded by Mr. Lama;
Mr. J. R. Taylor proposed by Wheeler, seconded by Whitlock, and on the motion of Major Wolff, seconded by M. Le Lubez, Mr. M. G. Nusperli was elected corresponding secretary for Switzerland.
The meeting then adjourned to October 19, 1864.
J. G. Eccarius, Vice-President
W. R. Cremer, Honorary General Secretary
The minutes are in Cremer’s hand on pp. 7-8 of the Minute Book. The meeting took place on Tuesday, October 18, not 19, 1864
The President [Odger] being absent on important business, on the motion of Mr. Weston, seconded by Mr. Fox, Mr. Eccarius was elected to take the chair, and the minutes of the former meeting having been read, were confirmed on the motion of Mr. Fox, seconded by Holtorp.
Mr. Wolff of Luxemburg was then elected a member of the Council on the proposition of Lubez, seconded by Bordage.
Mr. Taylor then referred to his position in connection with the Universal League and this Council, but having been called to order by the Chairman, Mr. Taylor stated his intention to (for the present) withdraw from the Council.
M. Le Lubez then read the programme and rules which the Sub-Committee had agreed to submit to the General Council.[13]
After the reading of the above a long discussion took place, Mr. Worley objecting to the statement that the capitalist was opposed to the labourer. He also ridiculed the idea of the French supplanting English workmen or vice versa.
Mr. Carter in some pertinent remarks replied to Mr. Worley as did M. Le Lubez, Dr. Marx and others, after which Mr. Cremer proposed, Marx seconded, that the programme as read by Le Lubez be adopted.
As an amendment Mr. Worley proposed and Weston seconded to strike out the words: “capital and land in the hands of the few.”
For the amendment — 2, for the resolution — 12.
Mr. Fontana then proposed, Lama seconded, that the substance of the programme be accepted. Carried unanimously.
Mr. Fox on the motion of Mr. Fontana, seconded by Wheeler, was added to the Sub-Committee who were instructed to put into a definite form the preamble and rules and submit the same to the next meeting of the Central Council.
A letter was read from Mr. Facey announcing his resignation as a member of the Central Council.
A letter was also read from Major Wolff explaining a misunderstanding which has arisen from his having opposed the election of M. Sassinari; the explanation was considered satisfactory.
Mr. Morgan on the proposition of Mr. Carter, seconded by Wheeler, was elected on the Central Council.
The meeting then adjourned to November 1st.
J. G. Eccarius, Vice-President
W. R. Cremer, Honorary General Secretary