The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-03-21 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

We wish it to be distinctly undr rot ood that by inserting
lettcrn in thin colanin,lre do not th,reby identify ourneleen
with the opinions of our Currespotokuts.

PETITIONS TO KEEP POELIC-lIOUSES OPEN ON

SUNDAY.

n the Editor of the " Obsereer."

SlR—Allow me a few observations in reply to your
coerespondent "N," who appears to have rushed into a
fit of intolerant vituperation at the very idea of the pub-
lic having the audacity to sign petitions to trevent the
curtailment of their liberty, at the same time that " N "
and his clique get their petitions signed by Sunday
School children, who are not ohl enough to know what
they are doing. Teetotallers have a perfect right to du
as they like themselves, but they have no right to inter-
fere with the liberty of those who differ train them as
regards what they shall eat, or what they shall drink, or
when they shall eat or drink. If • set of fanatical en-
thusiasts were to petition Parliament to stop up all canals
because some people drown themselves, to prohibit all
arms and powder because some shoot others and them- !
selves, or to close all the chemists' shops because others
poison themselves, they would be deemed lanatics by all
sensible people. And yet, because some poor creatures
have not got self-possession enough to resist the tempts.
I Lion of getting too much to drink, or weakness enough
to forswear the use of it altogether, then, forsooth,
must all of Ili have , ur lime, storp sl by tel of P.ill'a.
moot, just as if elnr,ing publie holli. on Sundays wool I
keep sober those who have a design to get drunk. The
moat likely result would be to entourage the "wobble
shops "to a greater extent than ever. But it is not only
1 the working class that supply the victims of drunken-
ness, but the middle and higher classes supply a great
pere.,lituge of them, and these are the clesses that will
nut be interfered wills by the Sunday Closing Bill. The

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very men who are eared noon to stnp the working elasses
from getting a glans of ale oe a Snnthiy—if they showld
an so. which I very mock detibt—will not feel it them-
%elves for they will have their own supply at hnov, and
their servants' ton; lint the poor man most do witlinat
his. The rich nine can either lime lime or go ta
his eluh end have it. roil a come of lititiarda or bagatelle
into the bargain. This is one law foe the poor, and none
for the rich. Shnnitl this obnoxinns bill become law,
the poor man must stay at home on Senday. for if he
sheetl take a walk not into the country. be it ever sa
hot nel dusty, he must not think of getting anything to
neeneh his thirst ; nor in the bitter cold winter eon he
get shelter from the storm, or the cold, frost ant snow,
should he and his poor family be out for a walk or Ti to.
A. good deal ban been said lately about the superior ode.
cation of the people in Pressia and Belgium ; may God
send Sint the people of this country may soon become
an well educated as they are ther•• Then we shall be
able lotto without a " Sunday Closing Bill" at all. an
they do there, for in those countries there is no Act of
Birliament to regulate the dinner and supper hottrs of
the working classes on Sundays. And I think if the
efforts of those who would be our regulators, but estfeint
regulate themeelven, was directed (under proper supetei,
sion) to the inaprevement of the morals of themselvea,
they would he much better employed, and the publid
would not be so shocked as it hex been of late by the
politic rehearsal of such scenes ef immorality lify teeto-
tallers.
And allow me. Mr. Editor. in conclusion, to express
my opinion that if the Commona should do us such an
injustice as to pace the Sunday Clo,ine Bill, it will cause
such au agitation in the country that will speedily cause
them to resist in the same hasty' manner as they did
some few years ago, when they passed a law to close the
publis.houses at ton o'clock no Sunday night.
Yours truly,
'"