The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-11
,cr,vrL LEGISLATION.

/ ,oaan fellows enTicn thehSe4'ce' INV '''"e A"s
orlv these. but tailors dancing masters and
.,ob triaine fellows arrive TO that riches and
lido as 10 ride in their coaches. keep their
simmer houses and to be served in plate &c.
an insoencc insupportable IN other we'll
governed nations"
Why Is 1t that legislators who represent ru-
raj constituencies have in all ages been ami
mated by sentiments near kin 10 those which
inspired old Chamberlayne in the foregoing
passage? When controlling legislatures their
enactments have always been in the direction
OF restraining enterprise and freedom IN indi-
vIdual action. The statute books OF ali ma
tons abound with evidences Of this. They
appear much earlier. but even in the reign OF
good Queen Bessn we find such acts of Par
lament of tue most atrocious character.
IN 1862 the Statute Of Laoorers the Fifth
Of Elizabeth was passed. 1t provided that
every person between the ages Of twelve and
sixty was bound to servo in husbandry at
wages fixed by the Justices of the peace crates
fixed by railroad commissioners Of tie
present day unless possessed Of property Of
specified amount. or employed IN certain
named callngs. or unless born gentleman,
or unless a member Of a university OF school"
No person retained in husbandry was 20 60
out Of the county or shire where he last
served without testimonial. and if be did
lie was 10 be imprisoned till DO
could procure testimonial, and unless he
did 80 within twenty-one days be was 10 be
whipped In the time Of haryos. justices o.
constables or other head officers might re-
Quire artifcers and persons meet for labor 10
serve By the day in moving. reaping shear
ING. getting or turning Of corn. grain OF hay
according to the skill or quality Of the per-
son, and upon refusal nigh; put him in the
stocks for two days and a night. Parliament
was then composed almost entirely Of lords
and country squires.
In the same year (Fifh Elizabeth. cap. A.
tho statute of apprentices was passed. From
beginning 10 end it aimed at industrial slavery.
The justices OF the peace were TO fix all rates
of wages our railroad commissioners again.
The general theory Of the act IS that every
servant OF artifcer shall be compelled to
work in the trade TO which he was brought up
at the rates fixed by the justices. Any
workman departing from his city, town OF
parish without a testimonial from his pre-
vious employer or some officer was to be
imprisoned until he procured a Testimonials
or if he could not do so within the SPACE Of
one and twenty days was 10 be whipped and
used as q vgabond. The hours OF labor were
prescribed From the middle Of March TO
the middle of September all aTtifcers hired
by time were to continue at their work from
5 in the morning until 1850 o'clock in
the evening. with two hours and a hall
for meals Apprentices were to remain in
service seven years. and could not end the
apprenticeship until they were twenty-four.
The Eighth Elizabeth. chap 2. related to the
Diapers cottoners and fiizzers Of Shrewsbury.
1t recited that time out of mind guild of
theseartiicer5 had existedat Shrewsbury. that
other persons not Of their company, nor
brought up in the use Of the said trade. have
Of late with great disorder, upon a mere
covetous desire and mind, intromitted
with and occupied the said trade
of buying Welsh cloth or lining
having no knowledge, experience or skill in
the same" The act then proceeds 10 pro-
hibit all persons from having any part OF tho
Shrewsbury cottoners' business. az Messrs
Wright and Saunders would prohibit all out
siders from going into business with our citi-
zens.
The most curious thing about this net is
that in less than six years we find it repealed
(Fourteenth Elizabeth. cap. ~. as the act re-
cites, at the humble suit of the inhabitants
of the said town, and also Of the said arti-
fcers, for whose benefit the SAID ac: was sup
posed to be provided. And the second sec
ton recites
Experience hath plainly taught in the said
town that the said act hath not Only not
brought the good effect that then was hoped
and surmised, but also hath been aud now is
likely to be the very greatest cause of the i'm
poverishing and undoing of the poor artifcers
and others. at whose suit the said act was
procured, for that there be now. sithence the
making OF the said statute, much fewer per-
sons TO set them awork than before
Cannot the Virginia Legislature learn some
thing touching railroad commissions and
snti-monopoly bills from these experiences of
the past
We had much more historical matter TO
produce relating to this subject. but this arti-
Gle is already too long We may take up the
subject again 10. morrow.