LA Societe Minerve DES Ma...
The Times, 1824-03-25T00:00:00

A Society, under the above denomination, has been formed by the foremen of the principal tailors of the metropolis, in order to keep up the responsibility of, or rather to restore the former respect- ability to, the trade. It has it seems, been matter ef complaint for some time in the fashionable world, that certain innovations have been mnade upon the art of cutting by speculators, who suldenly have started into business as tailors, -'ithout having the slightest knowledge of the arcana,, or even of the elements of covering the body with any degree of elegance. Out of this complaint sprang the present society, which is likely to be extremely beneficial to the trade, as well as to those who think it matter of more ihportance to have the body well ornamented, than the head. A nieetingof the tnembers took place on Tuesday night. at the White Horse Tavern, Regent-street, tor the purpose of discussing the merits of the project. and presenting Alr. Baker, a master tailor of the first respectability who founded the society, with a splendid gold snuff.box, as a tribute if gratitude and acknowledgment of the most inlportart services. The discussion embraced many of the peculiarities of the trade: indeed, frequent allusion to the art was made by some of the most ingenious members, evidently for the pur- pose of interspersing amusement in the details; and perhaps there never was niore laughter than was indulged in by the meeting, at the repetitien of some ot those jokes which have been let off at the whole body ever since the thimble becamie the joint property and symbol of tailors and women. Mr. BAKER was called to the Chair. He stated that by theesta- blishment of the society a most desirable object would be gained. The country trade, whlich was extremelv awkward and defective, in consequence of the want of forenien of ability, would be supplied upon application to the society with persons in every respect quali- fied to do the business. Before individuals were admitted members, they were obliged to undergo a thorough examination, and admis- sion was impossible except upon the most undeniable proof of their tact, ability, and unexceptionable chatacter. Since the establishment of the institution, which had amongst its supporters the foremen of the first houses, there had been more applications from the countrv than could be arswered-a fact certainly to be accounted for by the well- known liberality of the London masters, who laid such value upon meritorious foremen as to give them, in some instances, front 3001. to 6001. a-year. It would be, in his opinion, of great advantage to the Society if some of the most respectahle masters would joiii. Many oftlhem had experienced the high advantage de-ived from the institution, in being provided with assistants on whose integrity and talent they could place the greatest reliance; and he had no doubt oftchair disposition to promote the interests of those who would be ready to make a suitable returm by any exertion in their power. One of the members considered there was no necessity for having the assistance of the master tailors. That class of persons was com- posed of men-no, lie could not call theni men (a laugh)-of in- dividuals, the most cruel and tyrannical that ever sat cross-legged. (A laugh.) He did not say that the position to which he called the attention of the meeting necessarily implied an education for charity; but certain it was, that the nioment the legs of the trade were applied to no other than the ordinary purpose for which legs were intended, that moment the tailor became a different being- began to domineer and oppress, and thus lost the character of a man. It was this desperate love atid exercise of power, on the part of the masters, that flung upon the whole trade the reproach of being but an insignificant portion of man. (Loud laughter.) Thete were 33 persons now p resent, with the dimensions, passions, appetites, and spiritof men (laughter); and was it not too hard to be told that very little more than three men and a half were to be found there ? (oritinned laughter.) This was intolerable (laughter)-and the masters had to answer for it. He would rather go back to the PLANKs thani be indebted to such men. They would never do any thing except fer their own advantage; and, as he could CUT afiguie insociety without their assistance, he felt disposed to CUT them off from any communication with the Society. The sense of the room wa, decidedly and almest unanimously in opposition to the sentiments of this speaker. Another niember rose, he said, to vindicate the character of the masters. It was matter of notoriety that many of them were men the most liberal, humane, and benevolent, in society. He woulht instance Mlr. Place, of Charing-cross, Mtr. WVeston, and several others, whose conduct reflected honour on the eminent rank in life in which they moved. Cheers.) He would ask, whether such men would not benefit, by their sanction, such a socety as this, and whetherthere was notevidence eiough toshow that tbeyveredisposed to make sacrifices for the general service of the trade? It hail been observed, that there was no disposition upon the part ot the mas- ters to do any thing for their foremen or journeymen, without an eye to their own iterest. There was proof to the c ntrary every day; but, taking it for granted that a master was unwilling to ne- glect his own interest, there was such a thing as a communitv of interests, in which both master and foreman nmight share, and wftichl the Societv would be an effectual means of establishing. (Ap- plause.) The trade had already suffered considerably from the con- stant innovations made upon it, and it had become necessary to institute some plan to prevent the art from faUiing into disrepute. Under such circumstances, it was necessary to have the assistance and co-operation of the great masters of the metropolis ; and then no doubt could exist as to the sAccess ot the project. A third member recominended unanimity. The support of the mas- ters would be of the utmost itnportance In fact, the masters were greatly pleased at the disposition of their foremen to join the society. The trade, he trusted, would return into its old channels by sucim means. It was then resolved that proper measures should be adopted to procure the co-operation of the principal master tailors of the tnetro. polis; and it was snontioned that several applications had been recent- ly made for admission, all of which it had not been thought expe- dient to admit. The gold stiuff-box was then presented to Mr. Baker, after vwhich the meetimg broke up. LA SOCIETE MINARVE DES MARCIIANVDS T.4IL- LEURS ('OUPBURS.