The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-18 00:00:00

SUNDAY A MUS SHE NTS.

A delegate meeting from the several trade so-
cieties of the metropobs we. held last eveniog, at the
Whittington Club, to agitate for opening on Sunday after-
armee the national museums, picture galleries, and other
similar establishments paid for out of the public taxes.
There were about 60 delegates present, and a considerable
attendance of the members of the various trades. Sir John
Shelley, M.P., Sir Joshua Wahnaley, Mr. J. Heywood (for-
merly M.P. for Lancashire), Mr. H. J. Slack, and Mr.
Loder were ansoept the audience. Letters sympathising
with the objects of the muting were read from Mr. W. A.
Wilkinacia. Mr. J. S. Mill, and Professor Beesly.
Mr. WRIGHT (minter) was voted to the chair, and in
opening the spoke of the unanimity ancoopt the
working classes, as repeemsted by the trade societies,
in favour of opening the national exhibitions on
Sundays, observing that in reterieme to his circular calling
the meeting he bad received responses from 42 societies,
represented on that occasion by 66 delegates, and that
although he had not sent the circular to any society farther
east than London-bridge. He pointed out bow few were
the opportunities which the working chases had of visiting
sad benefittiog by the national collections of art, science,
and natural history—the Sunday Deice their only leisure
day. and on that day all those collections were closed. TM
Smith Kensington Museum was opm ors work-day evenings,
after ordinary working hours, but that was too far removed
for those who worked hard all day to go to after their
work was over. The South Kensington Museum, it was
mid, was intended for the recreation and instruction
of the working dames, but in the position in which it
stood, !sr away at the extreme went or fashionable end of
the town, it was for that purpose useless. He suggested
that Smithfield would be a more convenient site. The en-
perionty of kook" workmen in designing and taste
generally over English workmen was meacly owing to
the ready 11•008•11 they had to works of art in their pliable
sad museums. The consequence was that foreign homes
were patronised in preference to British houses for &eon.
Sous of most descriptiora, and he instanced the case of the
Prince Consort's tomb, the browse for which
had been ordered from Berbedienue's, a Parisi firm.
It was not the object of the trades to do anything
against religion or morality, or to offend popular preje-
dices. He contended that the opening of the institutions in
question would promote morality, and in no way interfere
with the due obserrasce of the Sabbath.
Resolutions declaring the strong desire of the trades for
the opening of the public museums as Sunday afternooas,
m a measure of right and justice and of social and art
culture for the peooo, repudiating the idea that the men•
sure was sought for in a itof antagonism to religion sr
the established forms of religion, urging that the opening of
the National Gallery of Ire .d warranted the bops that •
Inner concession would be made to the people of London,
and appointing • deputation to Lord I almerston ors the
subject (it being explained that his lordship bad connoted
to receive it), were moved, and spokes to by Mr. Midland
(painter), Mr. Belden (farrier), Mr. Jones (basket maker),
Mr. Newman (cabinet maker). Mr. Harry (carpenter), Mr.
Edgar (boot maker). and other delegates, and carried
ananinionaly.

Tar. P131c0•86 07 ASTON-PARK, BIRMINGHAM.
At a meeting of the Tows Councikof Birmingham on Tuesday
the Mayor reed the following correspondence, which had
CVbetween himself and Colonel the Hon. Sir C. B.
/. rehitive to the purchase of Aston-perk. The fol-
lowing letter team dated November3o, 1883 : • Sir,
We day received for the first time from Mr. &urge (my
prod's:ewer) your letter addreaaed to him, and dated the
4t instant, and finding that its receipt has not been ac-
knowledged I DOW beg to MUM you that the subject to
which it relates shall have my immediate attention, and I
hope that 1 may be able at DO distant day to report to
you that the object in which her Majesty takes so kind
an intend has been aecomplished.-1 have the homier
to be, •c., WILLIAM ROLLIDAT, Mayor of Birmingham."
The next letter was also written by the Mayor, was
dated Yebruary 10, 1864, sad an as follows :—" flk—
Referriog to my letter to you of the 3rd of November
last, I bare DOW the pleasure of informing you that
the council of this borough has voted a aura of mosey
for the purchase of Aston hall and park as • plies
of healthy exercise and rational recreation ; end I beg
respectfully that you will be enough to convey thus
reformation to her Majesty the gueen.—l have the honour
to be, .c., WILLIAM HOLLIDAY, Mayor of Birmitam."
To this letter the Mayor said he had received the wiag
reply :—•• Osborne, February 12, 1884.-Bir,—l have had
the boson: to lay before her Majesty the Queen your letter
of the tins Mat, in which you inform me that the aranoil
lathe borough of Birmingham have voted a sum of money
bar the pastime of Aston-ball sod park as • place of
healthful exereas and rational increation. I am coca-
seacided to mean yen of the satisfaction with which her
Majesty has beard that by the liberality of the council this
been Ms been smeared to the people of Birmingham.—l
\seethe honour to be, sir, your most obedient bumble ear -
%kat, C. B. PIUTPIL —TM Mayor of Birmiaghima."—The
hinters were received sad ordered to be entered on the
minutes.

1-A—tivertifieDigasti—HOLLOWAT'll OINTNINT AND
Pais —Rheumatism Oont.—Thee puttying and eisothing
.aismedies demand lb. earnest attention of all persons liable to
rbettnimisin, gout. sciatica, or otter palatal affections of the
fancies, Demos, or }dote. The ointment should be applied after
the affected pate have been patiently fomented with warn
water. when the nutmeat should be diligently rubbed upon the
t skin, unless the friction should Candle pain. Holloway.=add be eimulteneotialy taken. to reduce inflammation
and to portly the blood. This treatment abates the violence.
and lessens the frequency, of gout, tnetnelad.liell, end all spas
magic, diseases, which spring from hereditary predispoeitlon, or
teen any accidental weakness of constitution. The etotaast
sheeke the local malady, the pats neon the vital proven.