Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial evidence book. People's Exhibit 79.
Arbeiter-Zeitung (Newspaper) article, untitled, 1885 Nov. 27
2 p.
Introduced into evidence during testimony of Eugene Seeger (Vol. K p. 701-720), 1886 July 31.
Transcript of translation of article.
Peoples' Exhibit, 79.
November 27th,1885. Fourth page.
Report of the meeting which was held on the Market Square on thanksgiving, at three o'clock. Speakers: Parsons, who presided, Holmes and Spies.
He says the President of the United States has asked this people to be thankful. This joke is so good that Hendricks couldn't stand it. He died on account of it. To whom should the people be thankful? To the Almighty, of whom nobody knows anything, or could know anything, whose existence, according to common sense, was an impossibility. And for what are they to be thankful? For the fact that last winter in Hocking Valley, not all coal diggers have died with hunger? That not more working men have been murdered through the neglect of avaricious manufacturers and mine owners? The the three hundred new policemen have not killed all citizens of Chicago.
The speaker then showed how machinery deprives more and more working men of their employment, and he thought if one of the aristocratic working men should anywhere find employment as a common machine hand, then he ought to be thankful to "God" indeed. Everything points to the coming revolution. The rich, the capitalist, sees that well, and prepares
for it. On the Lake Shore some hours ago we have seen the militia drill, drill for the purpose of cutting down the rebellous people. Working men must also prepare themselves, they must arm themselves with all means of warfare, with muskets, swords, revolvers and dynamite. For them it means "to be or not to be".
With cheers for the Red Flag and the Social Revolution, the meeting adjourned.