South Boston, October 21st, 1852.
My Dear Mann:
— I am too impetuous a person ever to give a politic answer to political
questions; but were such a question put to me as is put to you I should say, I
would not favour the enactment of a law prohibiting corporations from
employing persons more than ten hours per day; and this for various reasons.
The Legislature by taking the people under this sort
of guardianship and protection does them no good, but harm. It emasculates
people to be protected in this way. Let them be used to protecting themselves.
It is bad policy to enact any but absolutely necessary laws. Commerce and trade
should be free — entirely free.
Besides — such a law would seem to favour the notion that
labourers ought to work ten hours daily — whereas in reality they ought
not, in a good state of society, to work more than six to eight. The man who
has worked hard bodily ten hours is incapacitated for working mentally with
full appetency and vigour. Operatives ought not to be obliged to work more than
six to eight hours; but in the present state of society legislation to that
effect would be folly and madness; you cannot legislate rightly about it —
therefore I would not at all.
Ever yours,
S. G. Howe.
SOURCE: Laura E. Richards, Editor, Letters and
Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe, Volume 2, p. 385
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