A meeting of the mechanics of Marietta and Harmar was held at the Court House on Saturday evening last, one object of which we understand was to secure the general adoption of what is generally called the "ten hour system."
We had not supposed that there was any necessity for this movement, for our impression was that not more than ten hours per day, taking the year together, had been required or expected of any class of mechanics in this place. We conclude that our impression was wrong. If so we hope that a change in practice may soon be effected. No men ought to be expected to work constantly from sun to sun. Ten hours is enough, and if men will really work so many, we believe that but few employers will be so unreasonable as to ask more.
We are pleased in reading, recently, the reasons given by the mechanics of Nashville, Tennessee, for adopting this system. After stating that they have families and household affairs which claim a portion of their attention, and that for the future they will work ten hours a day on an average the year round - that is, from 7 to 12 o'clock in the forenoon, and in the afternoon from 1 to 6, they say:
"We are flesh and blood; we need hours of recreation It is estimated by political economists that five hours' labor per day by each individual would be sufficient for the support of the human race. Surely then we do our share when we labor then. We have social feelings which must be gratified. We have minds, and they must be improved. We are lovers of our country and must have time and opportunity to study its interests. Shall we die knowing nothing but the rudiments of our trades? Is knowledge useless to us that we should be debarred of the means of obtaining it? Would we be less adept as workmen, would the trade of which we are members be less respectable or useful, or would the community of which we are members suffer loss, because we were enlightened?"
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