New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-25

cogromer. The Hue Lsvs Of the State OF New-York
! hold that every free man and woman in the State
has indefeasible right 70 make their contracts
and consummste the same to the amount and extent
Of rnsnual service rendered price &C. per agree
ment | submit myself to that right maintaining the
existence of this right just right natural and in
herent night Of nan. | suppose this same riga, is
guaranteed ard viii remain inviolate 1t would be
gratifying to learn when the legiti nate demand
fer such law was made by People, and also what
sons there are for It's passage. But have spontane
Gus combustion band Of lawmakers at Albany pc
cusr compound all striving 20 get far in advance of the
the people and accomplish something smart and patr-
without sn hiking from any ansfical Editors pen Sir
We admire your genious, # rightly applied but such
sentiments, never. Yours, A FARMEa.
| Remarks.
A Farmer is entirely mistaken in supposing
that We approve of the penalties demanded in
Mr.. Taylor's bill. We deem them ill.iudged
and excessive. We dc not wish men sent to
jail, or even heavily fined, for requiring others
to work more than ten hours per day but we
do believe, that there should be legal defni-
ton and limit to a days work-that preyis-
ion should be made by Law, for causing that
limit to be respected-and tina, those engaged
in Agriculture and Household service, should
have the benefit of it as well as others Why
should they not And why should it not be
against law, as it is adverse to Humanity and
sound Policy, to exact excessive labor from
those who are too dependent on their employ
ers to enjoy real freedom in the matter of
long or short hours.
Probably il would be better, in Agricultural
aud other employments dependent on the sea-
sons TO make the legal day s work elerea hours
in May and the four summer months, nine in
November and the winter months, and ten in
the residue; but this would not contrayene the
fundamental principle. So provision might be
made for extra work in case of danger of dam
age from the elements, with a stipulation for
extra pay for all such work at double the price
of ordinary labor. But Jet US have some sort
ofprOvisOn whereby apprentices and other mi
nOrs may be placed under the protection of
law, and not compelled to labor excessively at
the arbitrary demand of master or employer.
Let Law be felt and loved by youth as their
and uphold it in turn.
-" But grown men don't need any law to
protect them from exactOns and expressions
on the part of their employers" says one
Yes, Sir begging your pardon) they very
often do. They are very often compelled to
work excessively because they dare not dis
please an employer who can deprive them of
bread Their subsistence is in his hands, and
they must obey him in all things or march
And No one who knows how hard and long la
bOrers for Railroad Contractors are generally
worked how scantily they are paid, and how
often they are swindled out of their earnings,
can conscientiOusly say that some legislation
for their protection is not absolutely required
We know men were kept at hard labor (for
contradictory from twelve to fourteen hours q
day, on the line of the Erie Railroad last sea-
son, ard that the sympathies of disinterested
observers were strongly excited by the impo-
sitOns to which they were subjected. And
the following letter, recently placed in our
hands indicates that such abuses are not con-
fined TO one locality.
scHAGHTrcoEE NY, Wednesday March 9, 1853
To-: McGRArH Esq, Secretary II "he CoareatioH Of
Irish Scciefies"
DEAR Sy,-Itis now almost two years since had oc.
casion TO address letter to the distinguished Society Of
which you Secretary ON the subject of grievances
public works Indeed, it needless that should
intIude your notice by my correspondence seeing
that so few cases Of glazing wrong the part of
poyers, and not single instance OF faction party
lighting among the men occurred during all that time
fbq oil road Ia M hava haan II
operation.
These happy results-that IL to say the suppression
altogether faction fight and the consequent cerainty
OF the enjoyment Of his wages which the laborer re-
posed In, attribute under God and Religion to the
sound public opinion created in the minds OF all classes
regarding this suhject by the widelydiused influence
OF your Society The men made ashamed of their
senstloss factions, and the Contractors who retained
stll the propensity and desire TO cheat were discour
aged from attempting their accustomed stratagems on
account Of the good will, s0briey and information dit
fused among the men by the influence Of Religion aided
by Jour efforts.
This pleasant state Of things was too good 10 lat and
heIce aIn again obliged, though with reluctance pub
hey 10 aequsnt you and give notice all concerned of
the danger there Is OF haviEg revival in our peace.
tu neighborhood Of those dsgraceful contentious SO
Illuminating 10 all lrishmen and of such frequent oc.
cuITence On public works, il the wreckess men who are
Tie promoters OF these factions be checked in their
mao career and brOughtto better sense
We hGyetwO railroad lines running through here-
the " Troy and Boston which was finished last year
ana TIE Albany and Vermont" proceeded with
Before come 10 the facts OF the present threatening
aspect Of Affairs may be allowed &c premise that have
always maintained, | have not proved in my forrner
communications TO you that in ninety nine cases out OF
a hundred the iaction-hghr, drunkenness, and even
"sirikes railroads. had for their authors the Con
tractors themselves To Illustrate still further the no.
sinon which have ever maintained will mention one
lset here which think Of Importance II l. this
that no after how dior5ery violent and actous men
may have been on the works WHILE IN THE HANDS or /
CONTRACTORS as soon ever the same works pass
again TO the hands Of the COMPANIES % work them
holn can exceed the order, regularity and sO6rea OF
these very same men, who were tactUis drunken snd
Vreckless while under the sway OF Contractors The
men /" no, for instance, the Troy Road were seen
marching with loaded guns and with knives under the se
cret eommtnGs OF Contractors leagued TO rob them no
sooner went 10 work for the Company under the aus
ces OF The excellent CEei Engineer and Superintendent
u that Road than they became sober quiet saving and
. Fhsfr ElaaI