was held in Exeter Hall, on Tuesday, January 23rd, 1844, and at which J. E. Tennent, Esq., the President of the Association, took the chair. This was a triumphant demonstration. An eloquent and powerful address was delivered by the Chairman,* and several eminent individuals connected with Literature and Science took part in the proceedings. Most important testimony, as to the good results of early-closing where it had been tried, was laid before the Meeting by Mr. Hitchcock, of St. Paul's Church-yard. A highly satisfactory letter to the same effect from Mr. Brewster, of Waterloo House, was also read, and several handsome donations were announced. Towards the close of the Meeting, the chair was taken (on the retiring of Mr. Tennent) by Charles Hindley, Esq., M. P., one of the earliest friends of the Association, and whose name deserves particular mention, as one of its most ardent supporters. Another large Public Meeting was also held in the month of April, in the Hanover Square Rooms, at which B. Bond Cabbell, Esq., presided.

During the four ensuing months little progress was made, from the excessively late hours, to which the daily occupations of almost every Member of the Committee were extended. The Weekly Meetings at the Crown and Anchor, were of necessity discontinued, and the proceedings of the Association were almost completely suspended. But Committee Meetings were held pro forma, at favourable opportunities, and some preparations were made for the measures to be adopted during the ensuing winter. Several eminent Noblemen and Gentlemen were addressed, requesting their countenance and influence. Not a few kindly and encouraging letters were received, and some important names were added to the already brilliant list of patrons and office-bearers.

No sooner had the summer-season terminated, than the meetings of the Central Committee were resumed at the Crown and Anchor, and operations were again commenced with renewed spirit and energy. An Address to the Assistants in the Drapery Trade was prepared, detailing the measures to be adopted, and calling for more general support to the Association. These were circulated in every establishment throughout the metropolis, and a considerable increase took place in the number of active members.

It was then decided that a Public Meeting should be held in Exeter Hall, early in October, at which the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Patron of the Association, should be requested to preside. To this he kindly acceeded, and the Meeting accordingly took place on Wednesday, the 9th October, but, owing to an unforseen engagement, his Lordship was prevented from attending. He, however, deputed the newly-elected Alderman and Sheriff, Thomas Sidney, Esq. to supply his place, which he did with great ability. Never within this immense Hall was there a greater concourse; and never was there a more enthusiastic yet orderly assemblage. It would be needless to enter into particulars, of that which must still be fresh in the memories of our readers.

* See verbatim Report, published by Nisbet, Berners Street.

The

eloquent and impressive speeches, delivered on that occasion, are not likely soon to be forgotten, and made a powerful impression, not only on the audience, but on the public. Lengthened reports were given in almost all the Newspapers, and a verbatim Report was soon after published by the Association, and widely circulated.

It has recently been decided that an Address to the Assistants in other branches of Retail Trade should be published, calling upon them to take some decisive steps in furtherance of a cause in which they are so deeply concerned. Thirty thousand copies have been printed, and will shortly be distributed through the metropolis.

The measures now in progress, or in contemplation, are as follows:— Returns are about to be called for from every Association in the Kingdom, not only for the purpose of obtaining information as to the progress of the cause, but with the especial view of establishing a grand and connected system of operations throughout the Empire. It is proposed to keep up a regular correspondence with one or more of the principal Associations in each county in England, and in all the most important towns in Scotland and Ireland. These, in their turn, will communicate with the Associations in the various minor towns by which they are surrounded, and encourage the formation of others where such are not already established. It is thus hoped to unite the whole into one powerful body, unanimous in its objects, and in the means by which it seeks to obtain them.

It is intended that public meetings shall be held more frequently in the various districts of the metropolis. With this view, applications have been made to several of the Literary and Scientific Institutions, the managers of which have liberally placed their theatres at the disposal of the Association.

It is also resolved, that no opportunity shall be lost of engaging the attention of the periodical press, and that the circulation of short but impressive Tracts among the public, shall be continued to the utmost extent the funds will allow.

We shall now proceed to give a slight sketch of the constitution of the Association, and of the system by which it is governed.

One of the first measures of the Committee appointed at the meeting, on the 18th October, 1842, was the division of the metropolis into districts. Meetings of the Assistants in each of these districts are held, at which local Committees are appointed, and from each of these a certain number of delegates are chosen to form the Central Committee of Management. Meetings of this body take place every Wednesday Evening during the autumn and winter months, from a quarter to nine until half-past ten o'clock, at the Crown and Anchor, Strand, when the general business of the Association is transacted. But it is evident that little progress could be made within a space of time so limited, were not all the proceedings, as much as possible, prepared and arranged beforehand. For this purpose, there are several standing Sub-Committees, which meet on different evenings during the rest of

the week, at the most convenient localities. The following are continually in active operation:

A STATISTICAL COMMITTEE,*

A TRACT COMMITTEE,†

A FINANCE COMMITTEE,

A PUBLISHING COMMITTEE, and

AN AUXILIARY COMMITTEE.

Besides those above-named, other Sub-Committees are continually appointed for temporary purposes, such as making the necessary arrangements for public meetings, drawing up reports, &c.

The affairs of each district are managed by their respective Committees, but no measure of any importance can be carried into effect without having first obtained the sanction of the Central Board. Printed sheets for the subscriptions of members, are issued every quarter, by the Secretary of the Association, to the several District Secretaries, who hand them over to the Members of Committee, each of whom has a certain portion of the district allotted to him, within which to collect the Shilling Quarterly Subscriptions. The sheets, when filled, are returned to the District Secretaries, who give a printed receipt for each subscriber. The accounts of each district are then made up to the end of the quarter; and, having been audited by the Committees, the balance is transferred to the Secretary, and by him to the Treasurer, of the Association. All the accounts are regularly audited on the 31st of December, and printed statements of the receipts and expenditure are forwarded to every member. We may add, that the books and accounts are at all times open to their inspection.

Such is a general outline of the constitution and measures of the Metropolitan Drapers' Association. In reviewing these proceedings we hope the unfavourable circumstances under which they have been carried on will never be lost sight of. It must be considered that this is not a society of wealthy and independent men, with abundance of time and money at their disposal; but it was formed, and is carried on exclusively by Assistant Drapers, all labouring at their prolonged daily avocations, and devoting to it only the portion of leisure time at present afforded them.§

And in reviewing the objects of this Association, we trust it will be

*This was appointed to collect and arrange all the necessary statistical informa tion, both metropolitan and provincial. It has recently defined the boundaries of each district with minuteness, so that no part of the metropolis may be neglected or unrepresented.

For preparing or editing the various publications of the Association. We may add, that the number of tracts, addresses, &c., already circulated, now exceeds a quarter of a million.

To encourage and aid in the formation of Associations among the Assistants in the various branches of trade in the metropolis, as well as in the different provincial towns, and to co-operate with those already established.

§ The business of the Association having greatly increased, it has recently been found necessary to engage the services of an Assistant Secretary.

We

sufficiently manifest that they are worthy of support from all men. think it must be evident that no attempt is made to interfere with the privileges or interests of any class in society.

The Association does not seek by coercive union to constrain employers to adopt that which is contrary to their inclinations or interests. It does not desire to abridge the amount o business, but simply the amount of time to be devoted to it. And this would clearly be to the advantage of all. It would surely be advantageous to the employer that his assistants should not be unhealthy or over-worked; it would be a positive profit if his business could be more efficiently transacted within a shorter space of time; and it would be a lasting benefit to himself, for it would add largely to his own comfort, health, and happiness. Nor is there in the cause before us any disputed question in political economy to be contended against. As Mr. Ambrose Moore most justly observed, "It should be remembered that those engaged in this trade, and here associated, are not the producers of goods, and therefore no effect can be produced upon the price of them by any labour that they can bestow; how, therefore, can the public be better supplied with these, by long hours, than by those which are reasonable ?"*

It will have been observed that no measures are in progress relative to that great and fundamental object of the Association, the proper application of the leisure time which is desired. It will be obvious that at present little can be done in that direction, while all its energies are necessarily employed to remove those barriers that obstruct all progress in knowledge and all attempts at usefulness.

We would here take occasion to remark that it is not, and never will be, the object of the present Association to foster the pursuits of literature or science among its members at the expense of their habits of industry. It is not the design of its formation to make them what is called "philosophers," or learned men, but its ultimate objects certainly are to direct them to the pleasures of mind, in preference to those of sense, and by leading the way to the acquisition of solid and useful information, to render them more valuable as men of business, and more useful as members of society.

It has been asserted by some, that the object of this Association is no higher than that of obtaining time for frivolous amusement, or for mere bodily enjoyment; and it has been imagined by others, that the result would only tend to the encouragement of idleness, and the increase of dissipation. The assertion and the hypothesis are alike unfounded in fact, and unsupported by evidence. It has been abundantly proved that the leisure time, where it has been accorded, has, in the majority of instances, neither been misspent, nor misapplied; and that it is the intention and earnest desire of this Association to improve not only the physical and intellectual, but the moral and spiritual interests of all connected with it, we do most unhesitatingly affirm; and trust, ere long, to be enabled to make good that assertion.

It has also been alleged that the Metropolitan Drapers' Association * See Report of the Meeting in Exeter Hall, 9th October, 1844. Nisbet, Berners Street.

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is exclusive and selfish in its aims, exalting its own grievances, and forgetting those of others. It is indeed true that its exertions have been chiefly directed to obtain the emancipation of those whom it more immediately represents; but it is most untrue that it has ever sought to confine the desired benefits solely and exclusively to that class. It is true that it has preferred to maintain that individuality under which it has prospered, and that it has refused to merge itself into a general and heterogeneous body, under which form it is believed (at least for the present) it would not prosper. And although its exertions have been necessarily somewhat limited, it has been from want of power, and not from want of will; from the lack of ability, but from no lack of sympathy. Wherever that power can be exerted it will assuredly be put forth, and that sympathy extends to all men, whether employers or employed, whatever be their trade or profession-to all who are made the slaves of their occupation by the dictates of necessity, or by the tyrannical usages of society.

This Association seeks for no empty sympathy or commiseration for the privations under which its members labour in common with many other portions of society. They appeal not to charity, but to reason and justice. They ask, as citizens, to be suffered to enjoy the commonest privilege of citizens-as men, to be treated as men,-as immortal and accountable beings, to be regarded as such,―they ask for themselves only what they would desire for all—"the inalienable rights of free-born men-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

We

We do not despair of the ultimate success of this movement. trust a new and better spirit is now moving over the face of society. It has already breathed upon the literature, the science, and even the politics of the present day. Men are beginning to feel that the welfare and happiness of their fellow-men are most closely entwined with their own. Each portion of society, from the highest to the humblest, is now discovering that it has its duties as well as its privileges, and that all have the power of imparting happiness to those around them. And, in proportion as these well-springs of human sympathy are opened up in proportion as truth and knowledge take the place of ignorance and error, so will it be discovered that there are other and worthier objects of existence than the mere accumulation of wealth- THAT BUSINESS, WHILE IT CLAIMS A DILIGENT FULFILMENT, IS NOT THE CHIEF

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LIFE, BUT THE MEANS OF LIVING -that wealth is not happiness, and that power is not contentment-that the intellect cannot be filled with gold, and the soul cannot be satiated with earthly possessions.

To add somewhat to this noble impetus, in our own humble sphere, will be the object of our earnest and unceasing efforts. We shall ever strive to direct the minds that may come under our influence, onwards and upwards to all that is good and true in knowledge-towards all that is beautiful in Nature and in Art-to all that is lovely in virtue-to every thing high and holy in our destiny-seeking after the welfare and happiness of all" peace on earth, and good will to men."