To Maj. Dennis Stebins
SIR,
A MEETING was held in November last, at the house of the late Col. Eliel Gilbert by individuals from different towns in the county of Franklin, to consult upon the expediency of forming an association on the principles of the Workingmen in other parts of the state. After the appointment of a Chairman and Clerk, some discussion took place, when a central committee of correspondence was chosen, who were authorized to call a future meeting, and also to appoint sub-committees in the different town in the county. It is believed by many, that there are evils existing, which may be remedied, evils particularly pressing upon the laboring and productive classes of society, which deserve their attention, and that something may be done to ameliorate their condition. Among these, are,

1. Imprisonment for Debt.
2. The Militia System.
3. Extravagant salaries of many public officers.
4. State of Expenditures, Taxes, and the fee Bill.
5. Inequality in the Fees of Jurors, Witnesses, &c. compared with those of all others attending Court.
6. Evils of litigation in the Courts.
7. The neglect of Education and the right of suffrage.

We are aware that much has been said about the Workingmen. and much misrepresentation of their views and
principles is industriously circulated. So far as your views thall accord with ours, and your judgment thall ap-
prove our object, we ask your co-operation. The subjects proposed are interesting to every man in community,
and we see no good reason why any are opposed, excepting those who profit by existing abuses.

The object of this circular is to ascertain whether you and others in your vicinity are of opinion that the sub-
jects abovementioned are worthy of consideration, and of sufficient importance to call up the energies of the peo-
ple in relation thereto.

We invite you, Sir, to correspond with the central committee on the subject. They have, in obedience to
their instructions, named the following gentlemen to compose a convention of consultation, representing the
several towns in our county, to be convened at the late residence of Col. Eliel Gilbert, on Tuesday, the 15th of
March next, at 10 o'clock, A. M. If this short expose shall meet your views, your attendance is respectfully requested.

I. NEWTON, 2d.}
A. CLARK, } Central
W. WILSON,} Committee.
D. W1LLARD,}

Newsalem. Wm. Whitaker, J. W. Humphreys, Nahum Bryant, Lyman Sawyer, John Putnam, Horace Hunt, Samuel Giles, James Brown
Gill. Alvah Ballard, John McHard, Ozias Roberts, Roswell Purple, Joel Lyons.
Shutesbury? John Powers, Josiah Beaman, Jr., Wm. Reed, Joel Codding, Joseph Smalledge.
Leverett. Alpheus Field. E. S. Darling, Isaac Woodbury.
Hawley. Edmund Longley, Jr. John Tobey, Noah Joy, Wm. Sanford.
Montague. Benj. S. Wells, Salmon Root, Thomas Durkee, Arza Bardwell, Moses Bardwell, Jr.
Whately. Col. R B. Harwood, Luke White, Dr. Bardwell, Elijah Allis, Thomas Crafts, David Stockbridge jr.
Conway. Chester Bartlett, John Arms, Austin Rice, Phineas Bartlett, Asa Howland.
Deerfield. Rufus Saxton, David Wright, Dennis Stebbins, Charles Williams, Samuel Childs, John Wilson, Stephen Whitney, Ralph Williams, Amos Russell, Baxter Stebbins, Luke Wright, Thomas Gilbert, Elijah Williams, Aaron Fuller, Elisha Wells, Jr. Horace Williams.
Bernardston. Hatsel Purple, Henry W. Cushman, Ora Sheldon, E. W. Carpenter, Jonathan Alien, Isaac Burroughs, Rufus Chase, John Brooks.
Leyden. George Mowry, Hezekiah Newcomb, Jr. Elisha Chapin, Jr. Briggs Potter, Salmon Sheldon, Jonathan Budington, Ezra Foster, Taber Babcock.
Sunderland. Horace W. Taft, Clark Rowe, Luther Root, Jesse Whitmore
Rowe. Noah Wells, William Taylor, Samuel H. Reed, Ebenezer Merrill.
Heath.. Luther Gale, Ephraim Hastings, Ebenezer Tucker, David Snow.
Colerain. John Drury, Charles Thompson, Daniel Willis, David Dennison, I. B. Barber, Joseph Smith, Samuel Pierce, Samuel Wilson, George Eels, David Fox, John Wilson.
Shelburne. David Wells, Ira Arms, James Anderson, Joseph Merrill, Apollos Barnard, Joel Bardwell,
J. P. Kellogg.
Charlemont. George Winslow, Tertius Taylor, Isaac Brown, Obadiah Dickinson, Elias Taylor, Joel Hall.
Orange. Parley Barton, Zina Goodell, Matthew Cheney.
Warwick. A. Goodale, Lemuel Wheelock, Joseph Stevens, Jonathan Blake, jr. Ashbel Ward, Apollos Root, W. E. Russell.
Northfeld. Richard Colton, II. Stratton, Elilu Phelps, Job M. Dickinson, Samuel C. Allen, James Reed, Timothy Dutton..
Wendell. Martin Grout, James Ballard, Gardner Leach, Col. Brewer.
Ashfield. Seth Church, Thomas White, Jr. Levi Cook, Jr. Major Dana, Roswell Ranney, Ezra Williams.
Buckland. Capt. Maynard, Henry Taylor, Alva Lazell, Joseph Griswold, Samuel Perkins.
Greenfield. Isaac Abercrombie. Jr. Thaddeus Coleman, Thomas Nims, Aaron Spaulding, David S. Jones, A. P. Megrath, P. T. Sprague, Asaph Smead, Eber Nash, Hart Larabee, Isaac Barton, Jr. George Adams, David Allen. Julia Smead, Samuel Picket, Russell Hastings, John J. Pierce, Joseph Tyler. Luther Wells.
Munro. Hosea F. Ballou,, Maturin Ballon.

Greenfield, February 24, 1831.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: The Workingmen's Party was first formed in Philadelphia in 1828 and was the first political party in the United States that was pro labor. The 1820s were a time of transition from a predominantly agrarian society to an industrial one. With this came a growing gap between employers and employees, and the rich and the poor. The working class felt that laws such as imprisonment for debt [even minor debt], and compulsory service in the militia, as well as lack of free public education and universal male suffrage, affected them disproportionately. The Workingman's Party was an attempt to address these issues by political action. During the winter of 1830-1831, most of the counties of Massachusetts formed Workingmen's Associations of their own. Men from the towns in Franklin County, Massachusetts, met in November, 1830, to form their association. The party wanted the abolition of imprisonment of debtors, free public education, and restraints on public spending.

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