"Platform of the Social Democratic Workingmen’s Party of North America." [1876] Platform of one of the earliest international socialist organizations in the United States, the Social Democratic Workingmen's Party of North America (established in 1874) -- later one of the constituents of the Workingmen's Party of the United States, which became the Socialist Labor Party. The organization declares the primacy of politics over trade unionism, stating the need of "obtaining possession of political power as the prerequisite for the solution of the labor question." A united organization of all workingmen is sought and "strict subordination of the individual under the laws framed for the general benefit." A 13 point minimum program is included, featuring demands for the franchise for those 20 or older, establishment of a unicameral legislature, ratification of all legislation by the people, and the abolition of monopolies and indirect taxation, among other things.
APRIL 1876
"Constitution for the Social Labor Party: Adopted at Pittsburgh, April 1876." In April 1876 the Social Democratic Workingmen's Party of North America changed its name to the Social Labor Party. Three months later, it would join at a "Union Congress" as one of the constituent organizations back of the new Workingmen's Party of the United States -- which would in turn change its name to the Socialistic Labor Party at the end of 1877. This is the constitution of that constituent pre-SLP organization. The primary party unit of the Social Labor Party was the "Branch" of 10 or more party members in one place, governed by a "National Executive Committee" of 7 members residing in a single headquarters city, whose actions were in turn checked by a "Board of Supervision" of 9. Annual National Conventions were to the supreme authority of the organization. All of these organizational forms are traceable into the Socialist Labor Party and from there to the Socialist Party of America.
JULY 1876
"Constitution of the Workingmen’s Party of the United States: Adopted by its Union Congress, Philadelphia, July 19-22, 1876." The first constitution of the Socialist Labor Party of America, albeit under its first organizational name. The familiar three institutional model later emulated by the Socialist Party of America was put into place here, with supreme authority vested in a bi-annual "Congress," decision-making authority between Congresses granted to a 7-member "Executive Committee," the actions of which were subject to the control of a 5-member "Board of Supervision." The primary party unit was called a "Section." The Congress was to specify the locales of the Executive Committee and the Board of Supervision and the Sections of those cities were to themselves elect the executive officers of the organization. Both official party and non-party papers were permitted under the constitution, with editors of the official press selected by the Executive Committee. Sections were to consist of at least 10 individuals "speaking the same language and being wages-laborers." Monthly dues were set at a minimum of 10 cents per member per month, 5 cents of which was to be sent to the Executive Committee to cover the operational costs of the organization. The only paid functionary specified in the constitution was the "Chief Editor" of the official organ, who was to receive a salary of between $15 and $20 per week.
"The Ballot Box: Resolution of the Workingmen’s Party of the United States Adopted at its Union Congress, July 19-22, 1876." This resolution was passed by the Philadelphia "Union Congress" that established the Workingmen's Party of the United States -- an organization better known as the Socialist Labor Party of America. The organization clearly starts from the perspective of Marxism rather than Lassalleanism when it declares that "only in the economical arena the combatants for the Workingmen’s Party can be trained and disciplined" and asserts that in America "the ballot box has long ago ceased to record the popular will, but only serves to falsify the same in the hands of professional politicians." Therefore supporters of the new organization are invited "to abstain from all political movements for the present and to turn their back on the ballot box."
AUGUST 1876
"Report of Proceedings of the Executive Committee of the Workingmen’s Party of the US," by Philip Van Patten [August 6, 8, 11, 18, 1876] Minutes of the governing Executive Committee of the newly-organized Workingmen's Party of the United States, forerunner of the Socialist Labor Party. The group determined to keep its minutes in parallel in English and German. The proportion of these language groups in the fledgling organization is indicated by the decision to print up 10,000 constitutions and membership cards -- 70% of which in German, 30% of which in English. First pamphlets of the group were printed in a ratio of 2/3 German to 1/3 English.
"Workingmen’s Party of the United States: Address of the Executive," by Philip Van Patten & Conrad Pfeiffer." [Aug. 25, 1876] One of the most enigmatic figures in the history of American radicalism was Philip Van Patten, first Executive Secretary of the Socialist Labor Party of America -- a man who "suddenly disappeared" from his post in April 1883 (in the words of historian Ira Kipnis) to take a position in the federal government bureaucracy. This document emphasizes Van Patten's primacy from the time of foundation of the organization, being the first address of the 7 member Executive Committee to the membership of the organization. English-speaking "Corresponding Secretary" Van Patten and German-speaking "Recording Secretary" Conrad Pfeiffer collaborated on the preparation of this particular piece, which declares the party's mission to be convincing the "suffering millions" being crushed by the ongoing financial crisis that "their oppression is the result of unjust distribution instead of overproduction." The electorally-oriented Van Patten lends lip service to the party's abstention from use of the ballot, admitting its uses "as a means of redress for our wrongs is the result of bitter experiences in the political campaigns" against the corrupt forces of "United Capital." Nevertheless, the pair opine that "our policy should be to work faithfully and earnestly in the cause until we can march up to the polls in united bodies in a manner calculated to inspire respect, and by means of proper guards we may be certain that our votes will be received and counted." The pair wave the banner on behalf of the emancipation of women, declaring the necessity of "establishing the independence of the worker and equalizing women’s wages with those of men" for the achievement of that end.
SEPTEMBER 1876
"Workingmen’s Party of the United States: To the Workingmen of All Countries," by Philip Van Patten & Conrad Pfeiffer [Sept. 8, 1876] A second official pronouncement by the Socialist Labor Party of America under its first moniker, published over the signature of Corresponding Secretary Philip Van Patten, although perhaps written in conjunction with Recording Secretary Conrad Pfeiffer. Van Patten announces to the European socialist movement that a "complete and successful union" at a July convention had ended the "lamentable absence of harmony" among the American movement, marked as it had been by a number of small rival organizations. The goal of government, provision of "the greatest good to the greatest number," is proclaimed by Van Patten to be "most effectively and infamously prevented by the inhuman system of competition." Van Patten proclaims: "We will struggle not in a spirit of envy or misanthropy, not with feelings of revenge or desire for anarchy, but with the earnest determination to secure justice to all, to relieve men’s lives from the degrading and unnatural competition for bread, the chief cause of the evils of society, and to make true merit and worth the measure of greatness, instead of riches wrung from the necessities of others." Correspondence from European socialist parties is invited.
