New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-08-11

American troops were not yet ready n march
Atany rate there is little doubt that we shall
have all uncertainty as 10 the subject removed be
fore night Any intelligence Of importance will be
promptly laid before the readers Of The Tribune
New-Hampshire Ten-Hour Law.
Having been far away ct the West when this
act was passed, and not having been able 70 lay
,aands on a-copy for day after our return we
n been constrained to listen 10 the discussion Of
it's merits without Being qualified 10 participate
therein. II we mistake not most Of those out OF
the State who have most volobiy debated this mes
sure have RETAINED from publishing it, leaving a.
least one Of their readers imperfectly enlightened
batheir dissertations Having 1T length, however,
Obtained copy Of The act itself we give place 10 it
AS follows
AN ACT yszulaD1 he Hours # LaJor IN Manpfadories
syc Ne II sna,sd bv fhs Senate and Hoi,s, Of R'pre
siares IN General Cour c0Hreaed Inst ia al contacts
Tor restos to labor zen hmm ~ actual labor shs be
taken 10 be- days work. unless otherwise sgreed ~
the parties aud sh, be required or holden
L, .. ror more hours labor Ia day. except
in pursuance Of sn express contract requiring gres'er
time.
SIC g. No msor under the age Of 10 shall be EN-
ploy-d 10 any manufacturing estsbi'hmeDt more than
10 hours the day 10 sny labor Without the written con
seot OF the psr.Dt guardian OF such minor hrs OBJ
tsoed II any manuisctur r. or any corporsuOn or the
assDt Of any manufacture or corporation shall employ
sDy such minor IN volstOn OF the provisions OF this
section he or they shall he punished by me not eS
eeedipg hutisr-d dollars.
Approved July g. lsi7.
This certainly seems TO US very poor affair
but not at all for the assigned by the mass
of its adyersaries Tiev Ddemn it for attempting
to limit the hours per day Of Hired Labor ne for
doing 90 little toward the accomplishment Of that
importaDt end. With regard to Minors, especially,
we did hope to find this act far better than the
mockery it is. The policy Of Legislative interit-
renee with the contracts Of Adults for their own
services Jay be questioned; but who can seriously
doubt that IL is the duty Of the Commonwealth to
see that the tender frames OF its youth are not
shattered by excessively prouscted Toll VIII
any one pretend that ten hours per day especially
at copfuing and mobotopous svocations, which tax
Mt once the brain and the sinews, are not quite
enough for any child to labor stately and steadily
Is it not a chief aud powerful argument for any
Legislation on the subject that the constitutions OF
the ture fathers aud mothers Of the Nation may
be and are undermine and broken down by per
s.tent labor through twelve % fourteen hours per
day il this be So land we have the most me
fraeabe testimony that it is why should 1.-THE
consent Of p ~ parent or guardian Of such minor
be allowed 10 override the demands Oi Justice,
Humanity and the Public Weal7 On what ground
/. this manifest recreancy 10 the vit,l principle OF
the act defended
so Of the provision under the age Of Is" Girls
Of Is to ls or 90 should be most carefully shielded
from the lifelong evils which result from excessive
" severe or proirscted toL not only for their own
sakes bat in view OF their duty aud destiny the
n, reason or legislative Interference in favor Of
Younger class which does rot equally plead for
them. And If ten hours per day be enough for any
one to labor steadily the spirit of this law clear
" imples-it should not be within the pow er OF a
father or mother who may be living in drunken
idleness the earnings of a Chds overtaxed
enereies) 10 make void the immunity Of the Law -
We spprehend. too. that. with regard 70 Farming
and other out doos labor, the act might well have
provided for an hour longer per day in Summer 70
be balanced by working an hour ess than ten IN
Wmter-which would very nearly conform to III,
general usage. Bot we shall hear farther on this
point
We apprehend this act will prove worthless as a
practical measure. and leave everything very
nearly as it was. We believe nothing less than a
peremyory prohibition of the employment Of Mi
nors for more than ten hours per day, without re
gard to the consent OF parents or guardians, wi,
effect much,Jf any thing. Still. we are willing Il
see trial made even OF this milk aud water enact
meni. Should it be found. to answer no purpose
but that of sppeasing popular demand. 1t will no
be likely to effect even that for any considerable
time.
AS to those consistent Free Traders like III
Journal of Comm.rc or Inconsistent Protectionist
like the Express. who talk Of the tollyo cgIslatin
in the pre- .nisss. and the wisdom OF letting sucl
matters regulate themselves. our response 70 then
il tho aame as u the same Kind of logic regarding
Tariffs. Excise sc 3entlemen, we do know tina
these things hare not regulated themselves IN p:
seordance with the demands OF Jastice and Benet
.cence in the absence % legislative interference
We will see'if Law which cannot well make thel
worse will not make them better. liyoe have
smuch faith in Moral Suasi0n and It's sdj unct
Inst try them on In some State where Legal inte
iereuce is condemned. ana lvt us see how GA sa
coed ltyour Plsn sbaD work better than ours !
Dc II; We are per~.ty willing that o0'n ss's
ee u'so s1o !" 9 most effective cohinen"e" ~
Tv Hon THOMAS NEwroS dled NJ MS 'es~e"