The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-09 00:00:00

GENE R

FFICE

WESTMINSTER AND MARYLEBONE„

Dr. WEBB—Certainly not.
The CHAIRMAN--Then you can't be beard.
Dr. WEBB —Then I protest agJinst this being consi-
dered a meeting of the inhabitants of Westminster and
Marylebone. The amendment ho intended to have pro-
posed was as follows:—" Resolved, that it is the opinion
of this meeting that the opposition to the passing of
letters through the Post-office on Sundays made by some
interested London bankers and merchants wishing to
keep their present monopoly of earlier information than
their 'brethren in the country, and of some religionists
who wish tyrannically and unjustly to compel all men to
do as they do, is contrary to all s,:und principles of free
trait., political economy, and true religion, which im-

peratively require that every man, equally the employer
and the etnpiuyPd, should bo left free to act as he

pleases, provided he does not coerce or injure another;
and that the que,tions between town and country
shoulLt be left t i the discrea zi and knowledge of the
Postrnlster-General, subject to the control of Parlia-
ment."

Usher resolutions having been put and carried unani-
mously, thanks Qere voted to the Nuble Ch,,irman, and

the meeting, which was most numerously attended,
broke up.

ST. JAMES, WESTAHNSTER.
Yesterday a numerously attended meeting of the
parishioners of St. James, Westminster, was held in
Willis's Rooms, King-street, St. Jamei')i, tor the pur-
pose of memorializtrg her .11,,jesty's Ministers against
allowing any alteration in the system of Post-office
management whereby Sunday labour wou'd be in-
creased.
The Lord Bishop of LONDON, having taken the
said he was highly gratifidd to see the strong
feeling which the present attempt on the part of the
Post-office authorities to increase the Sunday labour
in that establishment had elicited. Strongly as he
objf cted to the regulation proposed to be enforced,
avid great as was the danger to be apprehended from
Cne enforcement, still he felt great consolation that the
proposal had called forth so general—so unanimous,
he had almost said so enthusiastic, an expression of
feeling, in opposition to it. He c-msidered such an
expression of feeling as a sure token for good ; for
when he saw men of all sects of religions, and all
shades of political opinions, Efluential merchants,
bankers, and all grades of society, coming forward in
opposition to a proposed infringement on their day of
rest, he could not hut consider it as a good augury. At
the same time, he could not help feeling discouraged
at seeing such 4 meure brought forward by the Go-
vernment of the country, as keeping altogether out of
view the residts which would inevitably spring from.
at, he held its Introduction to be the violation of a
great principle. No doubt it was said the change was
but on P. small scale, but it was nevertheless the vio-
lation of a great principle, and small as the change
apper.,red, it was the introduction of a system that
wor,ld lead to the total disregard of the Sabbath in
Lrindon. He did not believe that Government had
way such deliberate intention as that in the introduc-
tion of it, but no one could doubt that if they were
not prevented by the expression of dissent which was
emanating from the people, from taking such a step,
the Stlnday would in this country soon be no better
observed than it was on the continent, and a London
Sunday would become similar to that of Paris. He
h. P.fi been waited upon by a deputation of clerks in the
inland department of the Post-office, who complained
of any such system being adopted, and who had told
him that they would not so far go against their con-
scientious convictions as to act under it. Now,
should it he adopted, and those men decline acting,
they would be placed in no very enviable position.
lle trusted, however, the remonstrances of such meet-
ings as the present would have the effect of causing it
to he abandoned.

The Rev. Mr. JACKSON, rector of the parish, then
prfposed the following resolution : " That this
meeting has observed with deep regret that it is the
intention of the Post-office authorities to make such
alterations in their present arrangements for the
receipt and dispatch of letters as will involve the
attendance of a considerable number of clerks and
messengers on Sundays. It is unable to perceive that
the relief proposed to he given to the country post-
masters is in any way necessarily connected with the
alterations which the Government has sanctioned in
London."
Mr. TA-lcmks al3cc2ttrr seconded the resolution ;
And after a few
observations from Mr. JAMES
GARRETT, a churchwarden of St Jamee's, detailing
the particulars of an iinrt.ervitie)wwia;vbodiclhche had had
that morning with i‘
an
cyinion of that gentleman, that he did
not thinkthe it
deserved the condemnation it had met with, it was
agreed to.
Sir WALTER Faactuttaa then moved, " That this
meeting is convinced that such a measure, in fruition
to an increased desecration of the Sabbath, will ulti-
mately lead to a general delivery of letters on that
day," which was also agreed to, and the meeting
separated.

F 1 E AT THE CHARTERED GAS WORKS, ST.
la7lt'6's.—Last ni4ht, shortly after eight o'clock, the
Inb abitants of Brick-lane, Old-itreet, St. Luke's, were
r.eatly alarmed, owing to the sudden outbreak of a fire
'upon the above extensive premis9s. The flames origi
nated from an e•eape of gas in what is termed' the
purifying house, a building not more dun twenty seven
ards square. It was happily confined to that portion
of the works where it began.
ROBBERY OF TILE COMMUNION SERVICE OF ALL
SAINTS, PADDINGTON. -- On Sunday evening some
thieves got possession of the communion ter vice belong-
ing to the church of All Saints, Paddington, and at
present no clue has bees obtained by the police of the
valuable property.

A public meeting of tha inhabit ants of Westminster
and Marylebone was held ye•terdsy, at the Free-
mason's Tavern, for the purp, se of memorializing the
Lords of the Treasury against the intended commence-
ment of Sunday labour in the General Post-office. Lord
Ashley, M.P, occupied the chair, supported by the
Bishop of Loudon, Dr. Cruly, Sir John Putt!, Bart., and
others.

The Bishop of London opened the meeting with
prayer.
The CHAIRMAN said the public press and the pith-
lished reports of the authorities must have informed the
meeting that it was inteeded to increase Sunday labour
at the Post-office. There could be no doubt of that, and
it was for the meeting to express their opinion, whether
the change ought to be made or not. The question
could be viewed in a religious or a labour point of view.
Now, leaving the religious part of the question out
of considerarion, was it advisable to increase
the labour of the overworked Post-office clerk
at a time When the public was doing all it could to re-
duce the hours of factory labour, to secure the early
closing; of shop, and promote the healthy recreation of
the Working classes? It struck him, however, as it had
atrv.ek others, that the real object of this proposed change
tyres to produce a saving in the public expenditure, but
t'ae saving was to be effected at the expense
of public decency. What right had the Peet-office
authorities to attempt to get seven days'
labour out of some of these clerks for six days' pay? It
was said, however, in answer to those who argued
against the change on religious grounds, that it would
only require the services of twenty-five clerks in London
on a Sunday, while it would greatly relieve the labours
of provincial offices on the same day ; but he objected
to any relief being afforded to provincial offices,
at the expense of even 25 clerks in London. These 25
clerks had as much right to the enjoyment of the Sab-
bath as 13 Cabinet Ministers, or the Postmaster and
secretaries of the Post-office; and on that ground alone
this proposed change ought to be resisted. It
was ridiculous to tell him that the proposed change
wotol rest with the forwarding of letters to the pro-
♦in:ces, inasmuch as it was absurd, nay, unjust to sup-
pose that I he London merchant would rest satisfied with
a system that gave his brother merchant in Liverpool a
great advantage over himself in obtaining early in-
telligence; and the meeting might depend upon it
that the result of this change, if not now strenuously re-
sisted, would be to render the British metropolis similar
to the other capitals of Europe, to do away with all dis-
tinction of days, and to make religious duties and obser-
vances subjected to Government regulations.
He therefore called upon the meeting to
oppose the proposed change to the utmost of their
power, and concluded by declaring it as his opinion that
this country owed much of its greatness to the due ob-
servance of the Sabbath.—(Cheers.)
The Bishop of LONDON moved the first resolution, to
the elf et—" That this meeting has heard with equal
surprize and regret, of the intention of the authorities ut
the General Post-office to commence the receipt and
transmission of mails from and to all parts of England
on Sundays as on the other days of the week; and it
desires to express ite unfeigned sorrow that the first
public act of the Government immediately following the
recent heavy visitation should involve an open vio-
lation of one of the plainest commands of Him
in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways."
In considering this resolution, it was hardly right to go
into the details of the.proposed change. It ought to be
surracient for them to ask theneselvee, was it right or
Wrong? and if it was wrong, then to oppose it in the
'strongest possible manner. It was gratifying to him to
know that the proposed change met with the most de-
cided oppasition of the Christian public, and he hoped it
would have the eff-ct of inducing Government to abandon
their new postal regulations.—(El ear, hear.)
Sir JOHN MAXWELL second- d the resolution, and in-
sisted that instead of relieving the provincial offices on
Sundays their proposed change would greatly increase
their labours: The prop used change was neither an act
of necessity nor charity, but an act of cruelty to a de-
serving burly of public servants, and he therefore called
upon all good men to resist it to the utmost of their
power.—(lhe rs.)

- Dr. VEBB s,iti he wished to move an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN —" Order, order."
Dr. WEBB—I wish to move an amendment, my Lord.
The CHAIRMAN—WeII, sir, you ought to know that
you cannot be in order until the resolution has been put.
This having been done,
The CHAIRMAN continued—Now, sir, before you are
beard, allow me to aik who you are?
Dr. WEBB—I am a resident and elector of Maryle.
bone. There is my card.
The CHAIRMAN —Do you intend to speak in support
of the object of this meeting, namely, to memorialise the
Lords of the Treasury against the proposed change at
the Post-otlice.