The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-10-29 00:00:00

THE EARLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION,

Agreeably to public notice, a meeting of the friends and
supporters of this society was held in the Music-hall,
Bold-street, on Friday, for considering the best mode of
carrying into effect a certain resolution adopted at a meet-
ing of assistants held on the 4th instant. The attendance
was numerous and highly respectable. A number of
tradesmen occupied seats on the platform. Among those
present we noticed Thomas Thornely, Esq., M.P., Rev.
Dr. WisTeile, Rev. H. Hampton, Rev. H. S. Brown, Rev.
John Reid. Rev. F. Bishop, Rev. Mr. Graham, Rev. R.
Kirkus, Messrs. John Smith, Thomas Sands, J. A. Pic-
ton, Frisby, Dyke. Flower, J. Legg, Pugh, W. Gibson,
Heyworth, &c. Mr. Thornelv was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings. apologised
for the absence of his Worship the Mayor, who was to
have presided. He was at that time sharing, with the
other mayors of the kingdom, the hospitalities of the
L Ord Mayor of York, at which entertainment his Royal
Highness Prince Albert was a guest. Under these cir-
cumstances he came forward and offered them his ser-
vices, as they had already his cordial sympathy. In en-
forcing the duty and necessity of the public on this mat-
ter, he alluded to the short space of time which the Corn
Exchange was open on two days of the week, and yet no
evils resulted from the system, whilst on the other hand a
very large amount of business was transacted. Already
much had been done to shorten the hours of labour in the
retail houses of the town. Much remained to be done.
In conclusion, he urged upon all persons employing as-
sistants to pay the wages connected with their establish-
ments on Friday instead of Saturday. That was a system
which he had adopted when he was a merchant in that
town, and so greatly was that trifling boon regarded, that
the wives of his labourers considered the advantage equal
to a shilling per week.
The Secretary of the association here read letters of
apology from Rev. Fielding Ould, the Rev W. Pollock,
Rev. Dr. Fiume, Douglas Jerrold, Esq., &c., regretting
their inability to attend the meeting, but strongly appro-
ving of its objects.
The Rev. HENRY HAMPTON moved, and Mr. Roux
SMITH seconded the first resolution. ln the course of
their speeches both gentlemen referred to the baneful
effects arising from the present long hours of business
which now existed.

The Rev. Dr. I.I`NEnE proposed the second resolu
tion, which was as follows:

" That this meeting. reviewir

the favourable change t

ace in t

the Early-closing Association, pledges itself to use every legi-
timate means towards the support of a dose so beneficial to a

interests of employers and those employed

It was gratifying to learn that a favourable change had
taken place in the diminution of the hours of labour, and
it was encouraging with reference to the future. He
thought, with one slight exception, the hours proposed
might be universally adopted. There were three parties
to this discussion. The retail traders, the assistants, and
the public. Several of the shopkeepers were willing to
close, if their neighbours would do the same ; to those
gentlemen he wished to speak kindly, with a view to in-
duce them to alter their views, and set an example to the
other tradesmen of the town. There would be no loss from
this. The same quantity of food and raiment would be
consumed, and there would be no diminution. If the
public were aware of the hours they would not be incon-
venienced. The exception he had referred to was the la-
bouring poor, who could not choose their hour for shop-
ping, and he thought it would be worthy of consideration
whether they would not except one evening, say the Fri-
day evening, to meet the necessity of the poorer customer,
and whether they would not be likely to gain their point
for five evenings, if they conceded this. The reasons why
they wished to see shorter hours were, that shopmen were
not machines which should be worked, but they were
reasonable immortal beings, and they were to cultivate
their intellects ; they owed a duty to their souls, and em
plovers should recollect that they owed a duty to the souls
of their employees, as they owed a duty to their own. He
had been informed that on days when business was not
brisk, assistants were not allowed to read in the intervals
of leisure. If this were so. what n fallow ground would
be the mind of man ! How degrading to man, the image
of God, was it to be without the power of thought, put-
ting forth all his little energy with a yard in his band, or
an ounce, or a half-pound, or raising a scale all day long,
without the power of detaching himself so as to think
where he came from, or where he is going to ! Time for
thought should be given to every man ; help for thought
should be given to every man. They had, happily in that
country, books which were the means of thoughts, and
opportunities for all who had a little leisure. Associa-
tions were formed where young men might assemble in the
evening. They had a Young Man's Institution connected
with the Church of England. (Hear.) He wished to
persuade the public on this point, and he would ask the
trade, even if a loss were involved by the change sought,
would it not be a suitable sacrifice for Christian men to
make. (Hear, hear.) He would ask the public to give a
preference to those traders who had commenced to close
early. (Great applause.) Any young man abusing the
liberty which early closing gave him, going to public
houses or any other scene of dissipation, any such assist-
ant who did not make good use of his evenings, was a
traitor to the cause. (Applause.) He was doing more
to injure this cause than anything else could do; he was
supplying the strongest practical objections to their oppo-
nents. (Hear, hear.)

The Rev. HUGH STOWELL Bnowx seconded the reso-
lution.

The Rev. Fa.k NCIS BISHOP moved the third resolution,
and in a neat address alluded to the serious and injurious
effects of the present system. He detailed to the meeting
some of his own experience when a youth, and alluded to
the narrow shifts he had to take in order to feed his mind
with knowledge when he was being educated for the pro-
fession of a chemist. Mr. Bishop assured the meeting of
his ardent desire for the success of the principles advoca-
ted by the association.
Mr. J. A. PICTON seconded the resolution.
A vote o 1 thanks was then proposed and seconded, and
carried unanimously, as were all the resolutions.
Mr. THORNELY, in acknowledging the compliment,
presented the association with a handsome donation as a
practical proof of his hearty approval of the cause,