Consequently, it has prescribed the employment of it indiscriminately for all workmen, dispensing, in favor of those working for several masters, with formalities incompatible with their position. The law distinguishes, therefore, two classes of workmen subject to the use of the livret, but with different obligations: 1. Those attached to a single establishment and employed only by it, whether they work in this establishment itself or outside. 2. Those working habitually for several establishments and employable by more than one master at the same time. The first can only be admitted into a new establishment on proving their integrity by a dismissal or certificate of departure from their previous employer; the others are relieved of this formality, and obliged simply to have their livret viséd at the commencement by each employer who hires them for the first time. You will find these distinctions clearly defined in acts 7 and 9 of the decree of the 30th April. By the terms of the second paragraph of the first article of the same decree, the livret must state to which category the workman belongs. Again, article 9 obliges the chief of the establishment who receives a workman to mention, as well on his register as on the livret of the said workman, in what capacity he employs him. Thus the character or category of the workman is determined by the risa of entry which the employer of the two categories is obliged to enter on the livret at the time that he employs this workman; and since the obligations and rights of the workman and employer vary according to the category to which the former belongs, it is of the last importance to observe in the visas the fundamental distinction which has just been indicated. To render this distinction more apparent, I have ordered forms of visas which I invite you to have adopted by the chiefs of establisments. They are as follows: 1.-Visa of entry for the workman of the first category. "Admitted by me as workman attached to a single establishment. PARIS, the 18-." (Signature and residence of employer.) 2.-Visa of entry for the workman of the second category. "Employed by me as workman, working habitually for several establishments. PARIS, the 18-." (Signature and residence of employer.) 3.-For the dismissals or certificates of departure. "Discharged, free of obligations, the You have already understood, gentlemen, that that which I have now said of the indication in the visas of the category to which the workman belongs, applies to the certificate which you have to deliver for the procuring of a livret. Finally, it is evident that the workmen of one category can pass into the other with the same livret. This change is shown in full force by the visa of entry. But here there is a remark to make: if the workman pass from the first category into the second, he must in the first place prove the accomplishment of his engagements towards his last master, while he is held to no proof in order to pass from the second category to the first. 6.-REGISTER TO BE KEPT BY THE CHIEFS OF ESTABLISHMENTS. The law of the 22d of June contains still another innovation, of which you will easily understand the importance: it prescribes to the chiefs of establishments the keeping of a special register, in which he shall enter the name and position of each workman whom he employs. Conforma bly to article eight of the imperial decree, and of the delegation contained in article ten of my ordinance, this register will be numbered and countersigned by you; but you will address to me for each countersigned register a bulletin, bearing an abstract of your minutes; printed copies of these bulletins will also be supplied to you from my prefecture. You will open with each of your commissariates a register, in which you will enter the chiefs of establishments whose private registers you have countersigned. These latter registers are not subject to any periodical visa; still they will be communicated to you upon requisition, without being removed from the establishments themselves. It has appeared to the council of state that this provision will sufficiently facilitate the exercise of your supervision. 7.—PENAL SANCTION-EXECUTION OF THE LAW. Having fixed all the points of this important regulation, the legislature has wished to insure the execution of its work by attaching a penal sanction. The penalties which it has ordered are moderate, in view of the nature of the things, but sufficient in the hands of a vigilant administration. Henceforth, every infraction, either of the law itself or of the legal regulations on the matter, will constitute a punishable offence. Thus a deficiency is filled up which compromised seriously the preceding legislation. I have only, gentlemen, to appeal to your zeal and experience to insure the reorganization and regularity of a service which I consider among the most important. I have reason to believe that, by means of the influence which the confidence of your people gives you, you will succeed in general in the usual way in obviating offences and prosecutions. It is my desire; but when, thanks to your counsels and your benevolent directions, the law shall be known and understood, you will have to search attentively, and report to me the infractions which may be committed against these wise provisions. The multiplicity of our relations with the industrial population, the keeping of the register of the employers, the visa of the livrets, their usage as papers of surety, will be to you so many opportunities and means to exercise a control which ought not to permit any violation, if it is done with the perseverance which I expect from you. After having excited your zeal and your ordinary devotion, I conclude, gentlemen, by making an appeal to your prudence. You have to make the application of delicate measures; some of them excite susceptibilities, which it is necessary to allay or avoid; others are new, and will permit, especially at first, a wise reserve; all require tact and moderation. I hope that under these circumstances you will know as usual how to ally, in a just measure, prudence to firmness, and that you will contribute powerfully to assure the success of a regulation which ought to be a new title for the government of the Emperor to the recognition of the country. I beg you to acknowledge the receipt of this circular. By the Prefect: PIETRI, The Prefect of Police. A. DE LAULXURES, The Secretary General. APPENDIX H. EVIDENCE GIVEN BY ABRAM S. HEWITT BEFORE THE TRADES UNION COMMISSION IN LONDON, IN 1867. 1, PARK PROSPECT, WESTMINSTER, Tuesday, July 16, 1867. Present: The Right Hon. Sir William Erle, the Right Hon, the Earl of Lichfield, Lord Elcho, M. P., Sir Daniel Gooch, Bart., M. P., Herman Merivale, esq., C. B., James Booth, esq., C. B., Thomas Hughes, esq., M. P., Frederic Harrison, esq., William Mathews, esq. The Right Hon. Sir William Erle in the chair. Mr. ABRAM S. HEWITT further examined. By the CHAIRMAN: Q. I think you propose to say something on the general conclusion at which you have arrived with reference to the subjects on which you have been examined here?-A. Yes; I propose to add, as the answer to a question which Mr. Mathews put to me, the conclusion which I intended to utter at the time, but which probably passed from my mind in consequence of some interruption. Mr. Mathews said to me, "Is there any other information with which you could furnish us which you think would be of use to this commission?" And my reply then was to this effect: "I am going back to America, and will then be very happy to collect the information and send it to the commissioners ;" and I stated then "It is not a question of master or workman, but of the public welfare." Now to that question I desire to add this conclusion: "The general conclusion at which I have arrived is that the effort to produce commodities at the lowest possible cost, in Europe generally, has led to the employment of juvenile and female labor to an extent and in a manner not consistent with the laws of humanity and the best interests of society; that the employment of this kind of labor has had the effect to reduce the standard of wages generally, and, instead of adding to the resources of the family, has simply secured the labor of the entire family for the wages which would otherwise have been paid to the head of the family, if he alone had worked for wages. This system is a leading argument against free trade in countries where the men only work out of the household. and generally tends to reduce the condition of the laboring classes all over the world. The restraining acts now in force in England with regard to the employment of children is a step in the right direction, and if other countries, such as Belgium, France, and Germany, could be induced to co-operate, the condition of the laboring classes in Europe could be greatly improved, although the cost of particular commodities might be slightly increased. But the production of cheap goods may be secured at too great a sacrifice, if it be at the expense of the comfort and moral tone of the working classes; and this appears to be the point at which you have arrived in England, and against which there is an instinctive rebellion, both among the enlightened and the ignorant, manifesting itself among the latter in organizations at war with the fundamental principles of social order, such as trades union associations." By Mr. MATHEWS: Q. That is simply an extension of the answers, though embodying a little more matter, which you have given previously?-A. Yes, that is my idea. By the EARL OF LICHFIELD: Q. Are you aware whether trades unions have ever taken any steps to prevent the employment of children under a certain age?—A. I have no knowledge on that subject. By the CHAIRMAN: Q. I believe you have another matter which you desire to mention ?A. I desire to correct my testimony upon certain points. Itestified that the eight hours law had been passed by the legislature of the State of New York, but had been vetoed by the governor. I was so informed at the time that I gave the testimony, but within two days after the testimony had been given I received information from home that the governor had signed the bill; so that all that portion of my testimony which is in commendation of the governor for his firmness in resisting that law is out of place; he has actually signed the bill, and received the thanks of the working men for having done so. This is the form, therefore, in which my testimony ought to stand: "I am advised that the governor of the State of New York has signed the bill making eight hours a legal day's work in the State of New York, and that it is now a law.” By Mr. MERIVALE: Q. You have no objection to its standing as your deliberate opinion that trades unions in themselves, whether conducted moderately or immoderately, are absolutely "at war with the fundamental principles of social order?”—A. I speak of trades unions as I understand them. I can imagine that trades unions for another purpose would not beat war with the fundamental principles of social order. I refer to trades unions that undertake to lay down the conditions upon which labor shall be bought and sold in the market. By Mr. BOOTH: Q. Is it your opinion that the eight-hour law will be acted upon in the State of New York?-A. I am now prepared to give some testimony on that subject. The passage of the eight-hour law in Illinois was followed by a general strike of the workmen in Chicago for eight hours' labor with ten hours' pay. That failed, as a matter of course, and they |