The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-13 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Your account of the " disgraceful conduct" of some
officers of the 37th Regiment, stationed at Gosport, should
not be silently passed over, as it apptars to me to merit the
severest censure. It would be very amusing, Sir, could you
favour your readers with some further particulars of the
trial, and more par;icularly the names of the Magistrates
who presided- I most heartily join with you in the wish
that it may be carried to the Horse Guards.—l am, Sir, your
obedient servant, A COUNTY MAGISTRATE.
Upper Brook-street, March 12, 1845.

ANNUAL MEETING of the METRO-
POLITAN DRAPERS' Al-...SOCIATION.
The third annual meeting of this Association took
place last evening, in Exeter Hall, Lord Juhn Russell in
the Chair.
The report being read,
The NOBLE LORD, who, on rising to address the
meeting, was received with great cheering, said he would
not occupy the attention of the meeting for any length
of time in his opening remarks, as there were other
gentlemen to follow, who would be better able than him-
self to explain the objects and benefits of the Metropolitan
Drapers' Association. One of the greatest evils that.
existed in the present system was, that it not only
injured the health and impaired the intellect, but took
away all that time and those opportunities which ought
to be devoted to spiritual worship. It was certainly a
great cause of complaint, and one which ought to be re-
moved, that those who were engaged in shops should be
compelled to begin work at seven o'clock in the morn-
ing, and not be allowed to close their labours till ten or
eleven o'clock at night. Such a practice left no time for
improvement, either for this world or the next. It was
easy to prove, that nut only did it debilitate the health,
take away all time for mental cultivation and improve•
inent. but to a great degree, if nut altogether, totally
deprived those employed of all chance of pre- ,
paration fur another and a future life.—(Cheers.)
If this was the nese, why was it that one generation after
another was permitted to pass away without some means
of improvement being devised ? He must say, if',
while they as a nation possessed all the advan-
tages of immense mechanical inventions and improve-
treats, and illimitable sources of wealth—yet, at the
same time, they neglected moral culture and men-
tal improvement, then had not their civilisation passed
beyond the limits of comparative barbarism ? Let
them endeavour to improve society. There were,
no doubt, many causes of evil beyond the reach of legis-
lation, yet, nevertheless, there was much in their power
to accomplish. If they could not bring about a great
amount of good in their own individual characters, there
was a pow, r in the country to which they could appeal,
that of public opinion, which when once enlightened and
directed to this question, would accomplish most
important results. Ought they not to look forward to
a time when the hours of the labouring classes devoted
to toil would be made of moderate length, and a suffi-
cient part of the twenty-four hours be set apart for
mental improvement, and for affording fuller opportu
Rides for making them better men and better Christians?
The Drapers' Association were labouring for such a re-
sult ; and if he thought that wealth was the only object
sought by his countrymen in the pursuit of business, he
for one should lose all respect for the character of Eng-
land. When their great poet described the building of
a pandemonium, Mammon, the least and meanest spirit
was represented as leading on the work. But should
they, who were seeking to erect a greater and a nobler
temple—a temple of civilization and of Christian
truth—not look for a purer and a holier
Spirit to lead them forward?—(Loud cheers.)
Most certainly they should. The subject of late hours
of employment branched into several departments, and
though the present meeting was but a small portion of
the public, yet would the question go forward and
gather strength until at last it became re-
sistless.—(Cheers.) Having made these general
remarks, he would not go further into the
question, but have it in the hands of the other gentle-
men who were to follow, and who could better explain
the objects of the meeting than himself. (The Noble
Lord then sat down amidst loud and general cheering.)
Various resolutions, having for the purpose the for-
warding of the objects of the Association, were then pro-
posed and agreed to. Among the gentlemen who ad-
dressed the meeting, was
Mr. C. BULLER, M.P., who announced himself as
favourable to the principle of compulsory legislation on
the subject, should such legislation become necessary.
The meeting, which was very fully attended, broke up
at eleven o'clock.