Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-12-24
Mr.. MOrrill's Speech.

Sen ator Morrill, of this State made
very able speech in the Senate last week
in favor of the repeal of the eight hour
law, justly regarding it as a wrong, that
few government employees, should by
special legislation, be granted favors
which do not come to the laboring mill
lions Of the country. This speech must
stand we think, as among the best and
ablest ever made by the Senator during
his service in Congress, and must be re-
ceived with favor by the masses of the
people. He argues that the law is of
fensive to men not in the employ of the
government and without profit to the
men employed. and will lead to the
abandonment of the Industrial establish
ments hitherto maintained at the public
cost. First,-the eight-hour law, applied
only to government employees, is anti
republican and offensive to all other la
boring men. Second, such a law, uni
versally applied, would be inconsistent
with the highest interests of American
workingmen. Third,-it will not afford
additional leisure to be available for
mental or moral improvement. Fourth.
that it is untrue that mankind will, or
can, perform as much labor and of equal
value in eight hours as in ten. Fifth
the measure, if adopted now, by our
whole country, would prove an immeas-
urable national calamity. Sixth,-that
there are other means, whereby labor has
been, and can be, much more efficiently
Encouraged and protected. "Let us
then" said he, "leave Americans to fol.
low whatever walk in life they choose,
imposing neither long hours, nor short,
and to follow it as long as they please
and upon such terms as they are willing
to accept. Thus only can we avoid un-
dermining our national industry and
preserve the habits of individual self.
reliance"
The Washington Chronicle, on the oc-
caslon of the above speech, pays the
following fine compliment to Senator
Morrill,, which we copy as follows:
vermont is habitually fortunate in
her selection of Senators. Within the
last decade she has been represented in
that chamber by five gentlemen, each of
whom, without aspiring to commanding
influence. has been above the general
average of usefulness, if not of TALENT
Four other natives of Vermont-Messrs.
Carpenter, Howard, Cragin and KELLOGG
now grace that chamber in representa-
ton of other States, and prove the truth
of Senator Douglas boast, "that ver-
mont is a good State to emigrate from. .
Hon. Justin S. Morrill,, who worthily
fills the seat left vacant by the death Of
Judge Collamer and the retirement Of
Judge Poland, is emphatically one of
the working men of the Upper House.
Long leader in the other House, where
he represented the most strongly Repub-
lican district in the United States. and
prominently identified with some of the
more important financial measures Of
the decade, he has brought to the Senate
an enviable reputation, which he has no,
belied during his two years service in
that body. Senator Morrill, is not an
orator 10 the largest sense of the word,
and makes no pretensions to such bu.
his opinions are sure to be carefully pre-.
pared, and always command the atten.
ton of the country. His long speech
yesterday in opposition to the eight-hour
Law was of this character, and, while
pronopncing no opinion upon the merits