New-York tribune., 1869-05-22
PRorECToY-THE HOURS OF LABOR
LETTER FROM JUDGE KELLEY.

LETTER FROM JUDGE KELLEY
To the Operatires in the Workshops and FACTORIES 1 ht
Fourth Congressional District Of PeilnSyirdf'd;
The duties with which Congress- by special resOlu-
ton. charged the Committee Of Ways and Means, Of
which l am o member will probably consume the
vacation and require me to be absent from my dis
trict and laboriousy engaged, while my colleagues
are enjoying the rest and recreation, Which, with my
impaired health, / so much need
cannot under these circumstances, give the time
TO conference and correspondence with my cOnstit-
uents to which their interest in public affairs en-
titles them and therefore address you thus publicly
on topics which many communications from you
show me you deem TO be of primary Importance AZ
this time viz, the practcablity of the EIghtliour
SYSTEM and the prOprey Of the order OF the secre-
tary of the Navy, which apportons the pay OF work.
men in Navy-Yards to the number OF hours service
performed Though your letters differ in form, the
substance is about the same aud by replying to two
questions think can answer most OF your COM
munications You really ask but two questions and
hope each of You who have written to me on this
subject will accept this as q reply Your questions
are: ,..
Serond: Do you sustain the order Of the Secretary
of the Navy prohibiting the payment OF the sans
wages for eight hours work in NayyYard that are
paid for ten hours work in private establishmentsf
am in favor of tho eight-hour SYSTEM 'and am nOts
recent convert to the doctrine 1t is more than 50
years since rs an apprentice in jewelry establish
ment / united with the journeymen Of that and
other trades in promoting the recognition OF the ten
hour system. There are of my cOlaborers who,
at this distant day. testify that in support Of the
reform we proposed then asserted that the aborers
day should be DIVIDED into three equal divisions.
nasmuch as he could by eight hours of honest labor
produce enough to entitle him to eight hours for
rest and eight for recreation or study. AT that tme
| mechanics days work at indoor employments,
from September TO April, ended at o'clock In the
evening; and never lighted my lamp for night
| work without feeling that human ~ was outraged
by the fact that the millions who's toll produced all
wealth were compelled, at the cost Of sight and
health, to labor thus. while thos who bought and
sold their productions free l.on such exactions
Those ealy convictions abide with me- and hSVs
! controlled my votes as your representative.
1t is true that have not proposed TO establish
| the eight-hour system b, act of Congress Ihat
! would have been to attemr' an mposSlbllIiy; but
that have sedulously anG ourageously labored 10
remove all hnderances, prepare the way Tor lts
| establishment, is also tIu,. Much has been done
| ard that the time is Nhen the working people
of the United States if thy will take a comprehen-
sive view of their position, and firmly MAINTAIN
their interests can establ IN the eght-hour SYSTEM
conscentiously believe. One of the principal OBJ
staces to this just reform has been to some eXtent
| removed and another, which seemed TO be beyond
human control has been wholly obliteratod during
the nine years through which have been your rep
resentatiye l. of course, allude to Free Trade ana
Slavery.
Our country is 80 extensive, its resources are 50
vast and diversified and tho sources Of profitable
Ia
may establish our own industrial system, and main
tain it against all opposition without abrdging the
quantity or quality of the food clothing, culture
Of any of our people.
We can live and prosper and expand, while MAIN
tanning system of absolute commercial indepen-
dence Then the eight-houT system Will be practea
Bile; but until this be effected, and while our markets
are freely opened TO the productions Of Belgium
France and England, our labor system must CONFORM
more or less closely to those Of these competing ma
tons They produce every result of mechanical skhi
and labor that we can but they do not pay the same
price for any kind Of labor Belgium and France
pay for a days work by skilled hand with francs
worth 20 cents gold; England with shings worm
. cents gold aud America with dollars worth aOOu'
20 cents gold at this time and the American receives
for almost every variety of work many dollars as
the Englishman does shillngs the Belgian francs
1t is therefore obvious that we cannot sell our pro-
ductions in those countries and that in the absences
of a tariff that will protect your wages
and which will equal the difference Dc
tween the wages which workmen in thoso
countries are compelled to accept and those whiSa
You receive for ten hours and hope to set for eSu'
hours labor, they can undersell us in our own mar
kets and deprive you of work and wages by cloSlnN
our workshops and factories Though politically 'n-
dependent we are commercially dependent. We
dured long war as the price of our poticai Suo
pendence but have hitherto consented to De ne'u :,
commercial dependence, and to allow bolPiu%'
France, and England to determine what wages 'Ho
American workman shall receive. and how n'n'
hours he must work each day TO support his fanny
10 promote our commercial Independence ana so'U'O
our labor market to our own people aud those Wa