The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-06
Fom . lals Loaaen Papa

F.xty Closlso or SHoPs--A meeting was held 10
London October for the purpose OF desising means
10 induce the shopkeepefs 10 close ther shops al an
earlier hour than they now do. Exeter Hall "as
ro~ded by young men connected WIN ths retail
trad. of London. Among the audience were Up.
wards Of five hundred employers, and also grea,
number OF YOU Dg ladies who were evidently greatly
interested IN the proceedings OF the meeting The
object aimed stated 10 be Ito obtain an abudg
ment Of the hours of business In the drapery and
other trades OF the metropolis, with view 10 the
physical moral and intellectual Improvement Of the
assistants" The plan adopted TO accomplish this
object is not the first instance, TO appeal 10
blowers 10 close their establishments at any specific
hour but persuade The public 10 abstain from making
purchases IN The evening, aud So by removing all IN
ducements 10 make II unnecessary for shops To be-
kent omen beyond reasonable lime thus rendering
il rraciic able for all employers who are favorable "
The change TO clore their establishments without loss
and without fear from the competition OF Others
10 futtberance Of this pIao the Central Committee
have pub.ished prize essay the evils OF the sys-
tenn which has reached ito thirteenth thousand, and
upw ards of quarter Of million Of addresses, tracts,
&c have been gralUtously distributed. Six great
public meetings have been held in various paris Of
the metropolis. Sermons and lectures have also been
delivered at different periods on the same subject
The success attending the efforts of the Association
has exceeded expectation. Very many eminent men,
headed by the chief magistrate Of the greatest
mercial city in the world have given their Names
and promised their cordial support.
A vast majority of employers have signihed their
approval of It's principles, and many have Po"erluly
aided its progress by active exetions 10 public and
private and by large pecuniary contributions 10 It's
funds A large portion OF the press has ably and
ergetcally advocated the cause. Public opinion has
by these been enlisted. to considerable extent
public sympathy has been awakened and evening trad,
has been greatly diminished. During the last win.
ter many establishments were shut at seven o'clock
and disposition to adopt earlier hours was generally
observable The subject having been brought under
the notice of the last Wesleyan Conference, they
have inserted in their published minutes, All exhorta
ton to refrain from evening shopping, addressed to
their members and congregations. 1t is worthy Of
remark, that the members of other trades follow
ing the example Of this Association and CON,
menciDg similar movements, and from continuous
correspondence with the secretaries of provincial
associations It has been ascertaned that general
public feeling in favor of earlier hours has been
awakened.
One of the speakers (Mr Wise) said he was told
there were $4,000 young men and females in
nection with the shops and large establishment Of
the Metropolis, and that these persons were ay.
erage employed for Is hours daily. Now what was
the consequence of such system as this, Why that
there time for either instructing the mind Of
benefting the body, or Of improving the SOUL (hear
And yet 1t said that they lived in free country
and in a Christian country. If this was so, aud
he not disposed to dispute il, why were not OPP
portuntes afforded to all classes to be so relieved
from their to,ls, that they could appropriate
portion of their time to their mental and moral i'm
provement' (Cheers) If the present system does
not benefit the employer, does it serve the public -
Was it the modest and retiring portion of the We
men of this country that were proving about
shopping at night Would no, the ladies them
selves aud the cause Of humanity by making their
purchases in the day time instead of doing at night
Ought they not to recoect that the beings who
them entitled 10 recreation, both Of body and
mind, $ well as themselves There were many evils
which existed in this country merely because the
public did not think Let the public be but made
aware of the extent Of the evil whch existed in this
case, and they might depend upon ii it would soon
be remedied