National Republican., 1883-03-21
EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
Secretary Chambers Order to tho Command
ants Of Navy Yards.
President Grants Proelamations in Ref
erence to the Same Matter
The Various Acts, Orders, and Opinions Regulating
the Time
Fui Text Of Attorney General Brewster's
Opinion.

Inc elgDU nOuf question:, SO laI as b1e navy
yards are concerned, has been settled by the
following telegram, sent yesterday to the sew
oral cOmmandants:
Continue the present eight hours of labor until
otherwise ordered. WM. T.. CHANDLER,
Secretary OF the Navy
If it had not been for these instructions the
hours of labor in the navy yards would have
been to-day increased to ten under
CIRCULAR NO. s,
Of Secretary Thompson, which is as follows:
NAVY DEPARTMENT, WAsHISoToS, Mar. 81, 1873.
The following is hereby substituted, 10 take eff.
ieoi irop this date Tor the Circular Of Oct % 1877
navy yards and shore stations:
Tie working hours will be-.
From March n to Sept. u, from a, IN. TO p m );
From Sept % to March ~, from 1.iO a. m. to 4.3j
p. M, with the usual intermission OF one hour for
dinner.
The department will contract for the labor OF
mechanics foremen, lendingmen and laborers on
the basis Of eight hours II day. All woTkmen
occting to labor ten hours day will receive Il
The. commandants viii notify tho men em-
ployed, or TO be employed, of these conditions,
and they are liberty to continue or accept om.
Il. W. THOMPSON,
Secretary OF the Navy.
PRESIDENT GRANT
in 1860 and 1872 issued the following procla-
nations. They were read to the employees at
the navy yards, and generally received with
cheers:
BY the president Of the United States of America
a PROCLAMATION.
Whereas the act of Congress, approved June 25,
1868, constituted on and after that date eight
hours days work for all laborers, workmen, aud
mechanics employed by or on behalf of the gov
crnment OF the United States, and repealed all
acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith:
Now, therefore, ], Ulysses s. Grant President OF
the United States do hereby direct that, from and
after this date no reduction shall be made in the
wages paid by the government by the day TO such
laborers, worRmen and mechanics on account OF
such reduction OF the hours OF labor.
In testimony whereof, have hereto set my hand
and caused the seal Of the United States to be
Done at the city of Washington, this nineteen
day of May, in the year ol our Lord one thousand
cight hundred and sixty y-nine, and of the in
dependence Of the United States the ninety third.
LIS U. b. GRANT.
HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State
BY the President of the United States Of America
PROCLAMATION.
Whereas the act Of Congress approved June %,
1868, constituted, OH and after that date, eight
hoursl days work for all laborers, workmen, and
mechanics employed by and Oh behalf of the gov.
ernment OF the United States;
And whereas on the nineteenth day Of May, In
the year one thousand eight nundted aud sixty
nine, by executive proclamation, II was directed
that from aud after that date no reduction should
be made In tho wages paid by the government by
the day to such laborers, workmen, and mechan.
les on account of such reduction OF the hours Of
labor;
And whereas 1t is now represented to me that
the act of congress and the proclamation afore-
said have not been strictly observed by all officers
OF the government having charge OF such labor
ers, wUrKmen and mechanics:
Now, therefore, ], Ulysses s. Grant, president Of
the United States, do hereby again cali attention
To the net of congress Aforesaid and direct all OIL
GERS of the executive department OF the govern
mcnt having charge of the emp oyment and pay
ment OF laborers, workmen, or mechanics en-
N nr q a
United States, to make no reduction in the wages
paid by the government by the day TO such labor
ers workmen and mechanics on account Of the
reduction OI the hours of labor.
In testimony whereof have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal OF tho United States TO
Done at the city of Washington this seventh day
Of May in the year Of our Lord. one thousand
eight hundred and seventy two, and of the inde-
...- U. b. GRANT,
By the president:
HAMILTON FISH, Secretary Of State.
The following is n memorandum of
LAWS, GENERAL ORDERS, AND CIRCULARS
of the Navy department and opinions of attor-
Aeys general in relation to the eight hour law
Act approved Dec 81 1861, section s, Statutes at
Large, volume Il, page $50, Hours Of labor and
rate of wages to conform as near as may be to pr-
vate establishments, to be determined by the
commaudants Of navy yards
Act approved July 10, 1862, Statutes at Large,
volume 12, page 5S7, amending section above mel.
toned so us TO subject the decision OF command
ants of yards in this matter 10 the approval and
revision of the secretary OF the navy
Act approved June rs, 1868, Statutes at Large,
volume l5, page II (Reyised Statutes. sect ion
3ISsl Eight hours 10 constitute days work for
or TO be employed by or on behalf Of the govern
ment and repeating all acts or parts of acts in.
Opinion OF Atty. Gen. Evarts, Nov. 25, 1868,
II Opinion, page $50,
Opinion Of Atty. Gen, Hoar, Ap. 20, 1869, 10
Proclamation by the president, May 10, 1869
tetatutes AT Large, volume 10, page ll2), direct
ing that no reduction in wages be made on ac-
count Of reduction IN hours of labor.
Opinion OF Atty. Gen. Alderman, May 81, 1871,
IS Opinion, page l2i.
= Opinion q ATTY. Gen. Bristow, May ., 1872. IA
Proclamation by the president May H. 1872
(Statutes at Large, volume II, page 955). Pre-
pious proclamation not having been strictly OBJ
served all officers OF executive Departments again
directed TO make no reduction in wages of such
employees on account Of reduction in hours Of
labor.
Opinion of Atty Gen. Bristow Mayls, 1872, IA
Hot apPreyed May IS, 1872 STATUTES at Large.
volume IL, l8j). The second section of this act
provides for the payment of such sums as may be
due employees by reason Of reduction In wages be-
lamation, May 10, 1869 (section $685. Revised Stat
Opinion OF Atty Cen Hill (actiug), Oct "a, 1872,
General order ris 257, Navy department, June 80,
1877, publishes decision Of supreme court in case
OF United States VS.. Arthur Martin, aud directs
that Workmen electlng TO work only eight hours
per day will receive aproporIionate reduction OF
their wages,
Circular letter to commandants OF navy yards,
issued Oct. %, 1877, prescrbes the working hours
NO present reduction OF pay
Circular No. 8, Navy department. March 81, 1873
(substituted for the aboye) prescribes hours of la
bor and relates 70 conditions of contract for labor
and TO difference IN pay,
Opinion OF ATTY, Gen. Devens, July ., 1878, ls
Opinion, page bb,
Circular letter TO oommandants Of navy yards
aud telegram, issued Sept 81, 1873. The change
in hours prescribed by circular No. 3, to be OBJ.
served from Sept % to March 90, docs not involve
reduction OF pay; employees to be paid same as for
spring and summer.
Opinion Of Atty. Gen. Brewster, April %, 1882.
THE OPINION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL
BREWSTER
is as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WASHINGTON, ID. c.,
April 20, lSS2.-THE PREsIDENT-Sr, The accom-.
panying application Tor the enforcement of tho
eight hour law, addressed TO you by Jacob NJ,
Davis secretary of the executive committee of the
under date of March 49, 1882 and made in behalf
OF the workingmen employed by the government
IN the navy yards aud elsewhere, was subse-
quenty referred To me by your direction for ex-
animation aud report upon the merits thereof and
also Tor such recommendations as may be sug-
gesled by the conclusions arrived at, Having ex-
amined the application and considered the prO-
visions Of the law TO which 1t relates, now have
the honor TO submit the following report:
The application cites the act Of June %, 1863.
chap. ~, entitled, An act constituting eight
hours u days work for all lAborers wurkmen and
mechanics employed by or Oh behalf of the gov.
ernlnent of the United States Nhe provisions Of
which are embodied in section 1888 Revised stat.
utcs), ana refers To proclamation OF the pTes.
dent Issued May 49, 1860, calling attention 10 said
act ana directing that from aud amer that date no
reduction should be made in the wages paid by
hpu m 1nIl 1 IA n