The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-17 00:00:00

Spirit of the Public Journals.

( Prom the Times of this day. )
It seems that we are never to be indulged with a spell of
tranquillity within and withoat. Scarcely had we done
with the foreign foe than a set of internal enemies started
up within the heart of the capital, and we are once more
delivered over to anxiety and alarm. If we have no longer
to fear for the lives of our friends in the Crimea, the ap-
prehension must now be for ourselves and for our property.
Stones in place of shells, and bludgeons in place of sabres,
will, according to all appearance, play their part ; and to-
morrow, "unless the people be better advised, we have to
apprehend a repetition of the dismal follies of last year.
We have received a number of placards of an inflammatory
character, in which it is recommended that the people
should assemble as usual in the Parks. Nothing more is
said, although everything is implied. " Little birds" in
mo/ocliois whisper have informed the authors of these pro-
clamations that " the people will be the stronger," &o.
Now, it is needless to say what the end of this will be.
There will be a great assemblage in the Parks, especially is
Hyde-park. The thieves and vag;abonds of London will
introduce themselves among the limiest and respectable
portion of the population. A disturbance will follow.
There will be rows, and conflicts with the police, until at
length even the persons aho wish best to the cause for
which the people aro contending will be compelled to ad-
mit that it is better the Sabbatarians should enjoy their
unlucky triumph over common sense than that the town
should be given over to riot and disorder. One would have
thought that the experience of last year would have satis-
fied even the more advanced of ails party that the attempt
to impose the Edinburgh Sabbath upon London was not
likely to be crowned with very remarkable success, but the
feeling of disgust at the bigotry of the men who would in-
terfere with the reasonable liberty and enjoyments of their
fellow-subjects will be increased a hundredfold by the con-
sequences of any riot, be they what they may.
Havinr, said thus much, we will venture to offer a few
words of most serious and earnest advice to our fellow-
subjects and fellow-townsmen. There must not be any
riot or disturbance in the parks or elsewhere to-morrow.
Every respectable person who may find himself at any of
tmese places must reckon himself as a special constable
there present to maintain, not to violate, order. There is
nothing the fanatical party so eagerly and intensely desire
as a violation of the peace, and in this hope they must not
be gratified. It will be highly to the honour of the Lon-
doners if any thief or vagabond who endeavours to cause
confusion in the parks to-morrow be instantly collared by
the bystanders and handed over to the custody of the po-
lice. Above all, there must be no attack upon the consta-
bles, who are there for the maintenance of orders, and
who must do their duty, at all events. We say again,
most emphatically, we trust the Londoners will not give
to the bigots that triumph which they seek. Tho cause of
Exeter-hall must not for a moment be identified with the
cause of law and order. It is not with stones or bludgeons
that this battle must be fought, but quite in another way,
The reason why the Exeter-ball Fakirs have triumphed is
that they have had organisation, where the people have
bad none. This has been the triumph of a theological
phalanx over a mob of laymen. As to the parks, the
Exeter-hall people signed, but didn't go ; the park people
went, but didn t sign. Which is the greatest proof of
conviction? The Exeter-hall people have a perfect orga-
nisation, always ready for any emergency. They have in
their own sense carried out Sir Robert Peel's direction—

" Register, register, register !" What wonder that at any
given moment they clear the Parliamentary field before
them, and astonish their fellow-subjects with the spectacle
and results of their union and intolerance?

This contest must be decided in a peaceful way, or it
will be decided to the dis.s.dynntage of the people. There
is an additional reason why we earnestly deprecate riot or
confusion to-morrow. Next week Parliament will bo sit-

ting, and there will be an opportunity of putting ques-
tions to the Minister, which may, as we trust, lead to a
peaceful solution of the difficulty. This week, unfortu-
nately, there has been no possibility of dealing with the
question in this manner. Now, we would have our fellow-
townsmen consider how entirely they will strengthen the
Lands of their enemiesfif they put it in their power to say
—" The public peace has been violated. Order must be
maintained. The populace out of doors must not be suf-
fered to trample upon law and authority, or where is the
end to be ?" At the same time we will add, that it will
be the fault of the people if they do not carry thei point.
They must unite and petition, as their opponents have
united and petitioned, and then, no doubt, the authority
of the majority will prevail. We think we can promise,
the aid of well nigh every Tospect.thle journal in the king-
dom. if order be preserved—not otherwise. Let the people
do their part ao we will do ours, and we have little tear of
the result