community be equally corrupt. At any rate, it is sufficient to dispel all suspicions that they become contaminated by their exposure to factory influences here. A charge of this kind cannot be sustained, if it appear that they return in no worse condition than they came. The factory system has now been in operation long enough for the great public to judge of its effects upon the character of the operatives, and it declares with. great unanimity that it is not injurious. There seems to be no way to avoid that conclusion, when we see the great majority of girls who are compelled to labor for a livelihood, prefer to work in the mills rather than in private families-and when this choice has the approbation of their parents, and other friends, and is in accordance with public sentiment.

From actual inquiry, made of all the girls in one of our mills, 203 in number, in 1841, it was ascertained that the average age was 22.85 years; and the average time which they had been employed in manufacturing 4.29 years. It follows that the average age at which they entered was 18.56 years. The average time they remain in the mills is probably about 4 years. The population, in respect to age, presents the same general aspect that it did when I first became acquainted with it. The parts are constantly changing, but a stranger who only sees them occasionally cannot distinguish any difference.

HOUSE......No. 51.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and FortyFive.

AN ACT

Relating to the Powers of Selectmen and Fire Engi

neers.

BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1

The board of Engineers in every town or city 2 in which a fire department has been, or may be, 3 established, and the selectmen in all other towns 4 are hereby authorized to examine into all places in 5 their respective towns or cities, in which cotton waste,

6 woollen waste, or other articles liable to spontaneous 7 combustion may be collected, and to cause the same 8 to be removed or made secure by the tenants of such 9 places, or at their expense, whenever in the opinion 10 of such board or selectmen, such action may be ne11 cessary for security against the risk of fire.

PETITION.

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled:

The undersigned, selectmen of the town of Carver, duly authorized and appointed by the town for that purpose, respectfully represent:

That, in the year of 1833, in the month of January, James Shurtleff, an inhabitant of the said town of Carver, was, by, a law of this Commonwealth, committed to the Lunatic Hospital in Worcester; said Shurtleff, when he was committed to the institution, was about thirty-seven years of age; he has remained in the institution ever since, subject to the treatment and regulations of that institution :

That, for the term of ten years next succeeding the term of his commitment, as aforesaid, the said town of Carver has been required to pay to said institution, semi-annually, for the board and clothing of said Shurtleff, a sum which was a full equivalent for support thus furnished;-during the whole time while the said town was paying his support, the said Shurtleff was, as your petitioners verily believe, and think are able to show, by his labor, rendering services to said institution, which were an ample compensation for all the expense incurred by the institution, for his support: