The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-04 00:00:00

.MPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

1 G"-- .
1,41101783 OR tORDS.—TRUBSDAT, Mar 3.
I jut!, Cffairotturn teolr his seat upon the wools
lIIIVATE RUSINREOII.
igic,Chairl Railway Bill wee reed a second time, and the
l Borough linproydesent Bill a third time.
1 MailtLING AND akincENG GOODS ON SUNDAY
DILL.
;CHELMSFORD,=thaotndlihlSundry
e ihatommovii!! thridtigd
reeding tthtn%hioenl,:useit should
committee had
bees understood, at the suggestion of the Duke of New-
:rat the full discussion of the whole subject
be taken on this day. He was not dia.
bewared, . though to a certain extant discouraged, by
Slum former failures ; but feeling most deeply the
sorority of the merlins, and disregarding his own
ethe and comfort, be engaged in this undertaking in the
saner hope that he might ultimately proves ucetesfuL In
this enterpnas he found himself assalled by totally different
dereiptiona of adversaries. In the first pace a number of
pines and excellent persons objected to any bill introducing
• relaxation of Sunday trading as • legislative concurrence
ta the desecration of the Sabbath. He would ask them
wise they satisfied with the existing law! If not, this
bill would indirectly accomplish what they had at heart, by
lishrsag tens of thousands of persons from labour on Sunday.
Why should they not give it their anent? The relaxation
was forced upon him by circumstances. A practice unfor-
tunate prevailed of paying labourers late on Saturday
nit, lyght, which made it impossible that they could make their
E ttle purchase" on Saturday. Consequently they were
thrown upon Sunday, and it would not militate against the
object of the bill if a limited portion of that day were given
them for the purpose of Be looked forward,
lhowever, to a- better day. From the efforts of the Suet.?
Best and the Early Closing Areorgationa, there see ,red to
be • general disposition to imitate the practice 'ol. govern-
ment department and many other large ertalAishments of
gying wages on Friday or
.at an early path of Saturday.
ad not despair of seeing before long that excellent
eastein generally adopted, and when that time arrived they
might remove from the bill the clause objected to and make
the prohibition of Sunday trading general. The other class
of objectors opposed any attempt to regulate Sunday trading
as an invasion of their liberties ; but his answer to them
was may and obvious. The present law prevented their
daps that which the bill prohibited, only it imposed so
=lcant • penalty that they despised it and carried on
ade with impunity. He was now going to give
' ..d vigour to the law.
e and
GERMANS mid he had paid much attention
to the subble ject, and while doing full justice to the motives'
of the no and learned lord, and admitting that Sunday
landing* various parts of the metropolis was a grievance,
be isonid not support any bill for enforcing the due observ-
es), of that day if he was satisfied that it would pro-
d** pa ha sells era these it proposed to remedy.
' ghee mere eseenil siensta in the bat; If it towed, it
MOM ameba peep* to Mat
_within 15 miles of London
Freda mold not be done in Binsbreer and Liverpool. He
Oda 604 think this a satithietory state of thing,
Miry of those who most siredd that Sunday trading should
num disapproved of the bill, and bed actually petitioned
rtit. The incumbent of St. Andrews, lentheth, the
r. Tugwell, had written to him stating that if Lord
=lrwould boldly abut the shops and put down the
lei street trate and cries he would do a wonderful
me** of good, whereas if he took the other course, of
Sunday trading in the morning, things would be
far were than they were at present, and he was certain that
this bill in the present form would greatly increase the
evils it sought to remove. The noble lord referred also
to the evidence given by the Reverend Canon
Cluunpneys before the select committee in 1850. That
rev. gentleman was of opinion that if they legalised the
omming of the shops at all on Sundays they would find it
.-'..ea...1t to close them. The same desire on the part of the
poor to make the beet bargain by putting off their purchases
until the last moment on Saturday nights would induce
them to put them off until the last moment on Sunday morn-
ap, and it would be impossible for shops to close at 9 o'clock
is face of 30 or 40 customers readmit outside. He had
consulted Sir Richard Mayne on the subject, and be found
that in his opinion the provisions of the bill could not be
enforced. (Hear, beer.) It had been said that many of
the rooms occupied by the working men in the metropolis
were so crowded and impure that it was almost
impossible for them to keep perishable articles
fresh there. They were, therefore, necessarily obliged
to purchase what articles they might require for food
at the last moment. He found that the noble lord by his
bill allowed itinerant vender' to sell fruit, terry, and any
beverage ordinarily sold without a licence, before 10 o'clock
In the morning and after one in the afternoon, but without
public cries. He should like to know what constituted the
difference between a public ay sod • private cry. (Laughter.)
He felt sure this would give rhe to *numerable disputes
before the magistrates. Take the Mae of an old women
with • barrow of trait, found at the corner of the street at
half poet 10 o'clock. The polio) would tell her she was
pithy of • breach of the law, and would proceed to seise
berapples and oranges. She might say she bad not bean
selling anything since 10 o'clock, but she lived so far
of she could not go home. She was onliiriot::
them until one o'clock, when she would 'n to
sell again. Satisfied with this explanation the po
might walk on and the old woman would immediately begin
to sell to anyone who would buy. But suppose the p.olicie.
men returned, and detected her, she might then say, ' you
may may the fruit off if you think fit, but you cannot
sorry off my basket : there is nothing about that in the
net (Laughter). The policeman would be obliged to stuff
his rackets with the apples and oranges, and with his arms
full go off to the ration, while the people round, taking
part with the old woman, would mob him, and a much
=disturbance would result than could be occasioned
mere selling • few apples and oranges between 10 and
1 o'clock. (Hear, hear.) But that was not all. The hat
act of the drama would be the appearance of the
old woman at the police court next day, and when
the magistrate inflicted the lowest penalty, she would
make such a bitter complaint about all her fruit
not being returned, that, touched by her tale, he might
bably
.v;herilve shillingsd
lordout of. thilith pimbox.
ter)he noble
to remove obstructions in the way of those who
' to keep the Sabbath properly, sad tbat it was not to
be considered penal. The penalties were certainly not very
ware, but still it must be looked upon in the light of a
penal enactment. (Hear, hear.) The noble and learned
lord had also referred to the cased the rich. He (Earl St
Germans) was quite aware that in his younger day. the
Sabbath was observed by the rich in • vay different manner
from what it was at the present time. Urge dinners and
parties were frequently given on that day, but such was not
the case now. People, however, might be seen riding
in the parks and going to Richniond and Gras-
wich, and it would be difficult to persuade the
poor that any difference existed, and therefore they would
view with jealousy any attempt to abridge what they con-
ddered their innocent enjoyment. Sir R. Mayne had told
him that from the reports he had received from his in-
in all puts of the metropolis, he was satisfied that
Cdms
dayaadm, if it had not decreased, had certainly not
Increased. When they considered the immense increase of
ion within the lut ten years, the non-increase must
peps ion
as tantamount to • positive decrease. (Hear,
bear.) The noble and learned lord had spoken of the sue-
ass of the Sunday Rest Society 7, and of the partial success
of the clergy who in its behalf. If that
were so, and he had no reason to doubt it, he thought
they might trust to the growing influence of public opinion,
the growth of moral and religious feeling among the people,
and the quiet persuasion of which the Rev. Canon Ciamp-
i's:Ts spoke, for the gradual cessation of these practices
rather than attempt to suppress them at once by an enact-
ment. (Hear, hear.) On the grounds ho had stated be
had come to the conclusion that it would not be expedient
to pass the present bill, and therefore he now moved that
it be committed that day six months. In expressing his
views upon this subject he had spoken only for himself and
not for the government with which he was connected.
(Hear, hear.) He trusted no noble lord would consider this
• party question, since he had not sought to influence the
opinion of anyone. (Hear, hear.)
Lord TEYN H AM also opposed the bill
Lord DUNGANNON supported the bill, which he saki
was earnestly desired by large numbers of respectable
tradesmen. His lordship was proiseeding tore ad • letter
from • tradesman, who subscribed hi lfmse a butcher and
the father of nine children, when it was intimated to him
amid much laughter, that copies of the same letter had
been sent to several' peers on both sides of the house.
Under these circumstances he withdrew the document, but
persevered in supporting the bill.
The LORD CHANCELLOR raid he had also received •
copy of this letter—(laughter)—and meet confess that its
arguments had made • deep impression on his mind. Unless
they
_should he disproved, they should at least induce their
lordebia to permit the bill to p into committee.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH did not think that any
objections of sufficient force bad been urged wind the bill
to prevent their lordships sending it to the committee.
Lad CRANWOBTH was willing to go into committee
on the understanding that very great modification' should
be made in the bill. He supported it solely because the
law was at present in an unsatisfactory state, and was cal-
culated to sweep all claims of buyers and sellers into the
mole net. To one clause, the ith, which made it the duty
of the police to interfere, he must give his decided opposi-
tion. He was willing that the police might lodge an in-
formation on the following morning, but to permit of bodily
interference by them would inevitably lead to riot and
tumult., and should have his decided opposition.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH was of opinion that no
alteration that could be made in committee would make the
bill a workable measure. He believed that it would lead
to riot and disturbance • and, using the words of • late
noble friend of his, always of high authority in that house,
he would say that, whilst always ready to put down a
riot, he would never provoke one. (Hear.)
The Bishop of LONDON earnestly entreated their lord-
ship. to send the bill to committee. There were large num-
bers oktrailesmen who felt the servitude of Sunday trading
most bitterly, end who saw no way out of their difficulty
mapt hy I
,egislative interference. He felt as much as any
man tbe &Meaty of forcing upon men the performance of
religious dutfels but he thought that the number of peti-
tiers on the able clearly showed thst some action of their
lordships was imperatively called for.
, , Berl GRANVILLE feared that the bill would inevitably
lead to collisions between the people and the ',lice. He