The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THU-RSDAY-EVENING, FEBRUARY 21, 1856,

SABBA

'ANCE.

RULITATI.

rAastak
Company

(From the Times of this day.)

There are ponds which will bear drawing about
once in five years, and the process is very exciting.
That is about the interval at which the British
public will bear a good brisk agitation. The crop
is rather an exhausting one, but the soil is gener-
ous, and will bear it without utter desolation. Not
to commit ourselves to the opinion that the object
has always been in proportion to the zeal with
which it has been prosecuted, we must confess that
the old adage of " great cry and little wool" is ful-
filled in the present instance. Here is nearly the
whole population of this isle, the Church of Eng•
land, and all the sects,—for they are many,—
towns, parishes, chapelries, congregations, schools,
presbyteries, 'stewartries, associations, vicars,
churchwardens, office-bearers, teachers, a whole
column of them in our yesterday's paper alone,—
sending earnest petitions to Parliament not to al-
low the opening of the Crystal Palace, the National
Gallery, or the British Museum on the Lord's-day.
Sometimes, indeed, the prayer goes to silence the
band in Hyde Park, and stop everything in the
nature of amusement on the Sabbath. The resolu-
tions adopted and the speeches applauded at public
meetings go very much further. Strong men, able
to walk their five miles an hour, forbid invalid
ladies an hour's airing in a carriage ; and men with
home, wife, and children, and warm friends be-
sides, forbid the moping bachelor his newspaper
and his club. There is no end to the burdens and
prohibitions which a certain sort of zeal will lay
upon those who are or may be the least able to
bear them, and who aro the objects for grace
rather than law. No doubt it is very amusing
to hunt the poor creatures who try to find a
little amusement somewhere between the neces-
sity of labour and the obligation of " rest." No
doubt gentlemen who are prevented by the
decencies of their profession, or by a regard to
appearances, from hunting any other description
of vermin, find some equivalent in the chase of a
Sabbath-breaker through all his places of resort.
It is great and noble sport to scent him as ho is
listening to the band in Hyde Park, to head him on
his way to Pall-mall, and run him down as he is
entering the Waterloo-station. No doubt, too,
that preachers find the amusement very cheap.
Sunday is their working day, generally their only
one, and they can afford to rest salvation in doing
nothing else in it but what they are paid to do.
As, toe, they are preparing their sermons on Sa-
turday evening, they can throw it into the bargain,
and denounce Saturday evening parties without
losing much by it. Nevertheless, there are people,
not wholly destitue of religion, who are apt to sus-
spect a cheap and noisy goodness. It wants the
mark of sterling virtue, which, though bold and
strenuous, is usually quiet. The greatest of preach-
ers, in the presence of his largest congregation,
began a long discourse with warning his particular
friends to " beware of hypocrisy." So we cannot
be very far wrong when we warn people in general
to distrust a crusade of which they enjoy the ex-
citement, leaving the difficulty, the cost, and the
burdens to others.
As to the particular instances of Sabbath dese-
cration on which the run is now made, they seem
to us hardly to deserve so much "good indignation."
They seem amenable rather to a quiet discussion on
their respective merits. As to the Crystal Palace,
—why, may we not walk in a private garden ou
Sunday? If in a private garden, why not in a pub-
lic garden ? If in a garden out of doors, why not
in a garden under cover ?,If a vast conservatory is
not too like a Paradise, or another place, why may
it not comprise ornaments of an artistic, scientific,
and historical interest ? Why may not a man,
woman, or child Lava tea and toast, or cake and
wine, or bread and cheese and beer, in such a
place, if nature requires it? If you cannot have it
next door, why may you not go a " Sabbath-day's
journey" to it—that is, a mile on foot, or ten
miles by rail ? No doubt some sort of answer
may be made to these questions, but they ought to
be quiet, reasonable, special answers—not howled
or screamed, hut in a conversational tone and arti-
culate utterance. If the answer merely means
that his Lordship may go down to his seat on Sa-
turday, stroll about his grounds half Sunday, and
return to his house in town on Monday afternoon,
while the artisan, after leaving off work at 8 on
Saturday evening, is to confine himself, his wife,
and children, the whole of the Sunday to the
pavement between Stinkpool-court and Bethesda
Chapel, and return to his work at 7 on Monday
morning, then we beg to decline any further atten-
tion to the answer. We have not time or heart
for him who gives it. To us it seems a very open
question, resting rather on a comparison of con-
veniences and inconveniences than on any law from
the Mount of Fire. If the British public and if
Parliament come to any conclusion that the work-
ing classes may lawfully do what- all Parliament-
men do themselves, but that, on ;lie whole, the
Crystal Palace does not supply the best possible
opportunity, then this legion of petitioners would
do well to affix their cheap signatures to a chari-
table prayer that Parliament would give the com-
mon people public walks and gardens, adorned
with works of God, offering necessary refreshment,
and so near as not to require that even a horse or
a servant, much less a locomotive, should have to
break the fourth commandment. Certainly the
Crystal Palace is open to fair objections. For
example, its statuary has on the whole a sadly Pa-
gan character. But that might easily be mended.
As to the British Museum, we suspect that the great
hulk of the country petitioners have nottho slightest
notion what sort of a place it is. Certainly it is not a
place of " rest." Nothing takes the strength out
of a man so much as a walk through those long,
• close, crowded galleries. You return home with
weary limbs, a stiff neckandaching eyes, and nothing
left in your brain but a sort of dust-haze of stuffed
beasts, Egyptian idols, mummies, and fossil bones.
Few artisans, we should think, go there more than
once iu their lives, and we should advise them, for
their own sakes, to wait till they can go there on
Saturday, and then rest well on the Sunday, just
as they would after a strong dose of physic or a
walk to Barnet and back. The principle then, of
opening the British .Museum on Sunday we feel
feel we are hardly competent to canvass when we
confess we are the last to recommend the practice.
As for the National Gallery, seeing that we do not
admit pictures into our churches, it would be but
reasonable to let people see them somewhere else.
A speaker at Exeter-hall, indeed, asked, " if ever
a man was made virtuous by looking at pictures."
This is a hard test. Few men are made virtuous
by anything in particular, or even by all things
together. But, if we put pictures into our nur-
series and schools, and illustrate the Bible with
. pictures, why not let them he seen on Sunday ? It
is true, as this speaker said, they teach nothing to
the man whose mind has not been previously pre•
pared by education ; but this is a reason for pre-
paring men's minds by education, not for shutting
them out of picture-galleries. Nothing remains
but the band in Hyde-park. That, however, is in
the same boat with the hand on Windsor-terrace,
which we believe to be well able to defend itself.
What is most to be feared from this sort of move-

Business done
tkte day.

meat is the encouragement it gives to a dull, tyran-
nical, and prohibitory religion. It is the " touch
not, taste not, handle not," and we may also add,
the " see not, hear not, know not, move not, do
not," old superstition still among us. It reminds
one of the dull parent, or the heartless mercenary
schoolmaster, who can only just screech or thunder
out " Don't do this ?" and " Don't do that !" till
the mental condition of the child or the pupil is

that of a wild beast in a cage. Our fanatical gaolers
are setting up first one bar, then another ; closing
first this opening, then that ; riveting chain after
chain, and darkening light after light, till we,
whom Nature has made to walk at large, are com-
pelled to change the moral of the famous lines—

"Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage ;"

thing but darkness and bondage of body and soul.
No doubt all people could spend the Sunday muck
better than they do. In private society it is a
high and precious gift to be able and ready to guide
a Sunday evening's conversation to the holy pur-
poses of the day. But this is only to be done
by initiating, suggesting, and supplying the topics.
It is not to be done by throwing a wet blanket on
every spark of wit, or burst of feelicg, or natural
expression that may break through the tedium of
the day. So we think these good people who are
telling our legi:,lators bow to de4 with the Sabbath
had better direct their attention to some positive
and practical way of enjoying God's rest, instead of
merely banning us from this and from that. In
fact, the people will not be dealt with in this way.
They want instruction and elevation, and a great
deal more ; but it's of no use to lay down a number
of justice-laws, and send below every man who
does not observe them.

THE COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS POLICE

BILL.

MEETING AT HERBERT'S HOTEL:
Yesterday, at 12 o'clock, a large and influential meet-
ing of Mayors, and other civic and municipal authorities
of cities and boroughs throughout the kingdom, was
held at Herbert's-hotel, Palace-yard, Westminster, to
protest against the bill recently introduced into the
House of Commons by Sir George Grey, the Secretary
of State for the Home Department, for securing a more
efficient system of police for the counties and boroughs
in England and Wales. Upwards of 100 gentlemen
were present, including the Mayors of York, Birming-
ham, Leeds, Portsmouth, Leicester, Buckingham, Ban-
bury, Brighton, Bedford, Cambridge, Worcester, Bol-
ton, Southampton, Nettingham, Newark-upon-Trent.
Chichester, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Beverley, Droit:
witch, Doncaster, Wakefield, Halifax, and Winchester.
Representatives were also in attendance from the mu-
nicipalities of Liverpool, Bradford, Itorasey, Blackburn,
Walsall, Worcester, Sheffield, Stratford-upon-Avon,
and Scarborough; and a deputation, headed by the
Mayor, and appointed at a special meeting of the
town-council of Newcastle-upon. Tyne on Tuesday, is
now on its way to London, to join the movement.
Several members of Parliament were likewise present,
and, among others, Lord ii. Lennoi, Mr. Roebuck,
Colonel Smyth, Mr. Mackinnon, Mr. Barnes, Mr.
Crook, Mr. Pilkington, Mr. Milligan, Mr. Base, Mr.
Crossley, Sir J. B. Johnstone, Mr. Gardner, Sir Joshua
Walrnsley, Mr. C. Forster, Sir J. East, Mr. J. Abel
Smith, Mr. Ingham, Mr. Raikes Currie, Mr. Wickham,
Mr. Hadfield, Mr. Wells, Sir George Goodman, Mr.
Saedars, and Mr. J, B. Smith.
The Lord Mayor of York was celled to the chair,
and, in opening the proceedings, said they were
met together on that occasion not for the purpose of
considering the arguments for or against the Counties
and Boroughs Police Bill. The large municipal coun-
cils throughout the kingdom had spoken out with
a promptitude and unanimity highly creditable to
them when they considered the rapid and stealthy pro-
gripes the measure had made, its insinuating tone, and
the handsome deuceur which it offered. (4. laueb.)
They were met for devising and carrying out the best
means of opposing and putting an end to a bill which
they thought dangerous and unconstitutional. (Cheers.)
When he first glanced over the clauses of the bill he
thought, as an individual, that some of its provisions
were desirable, and that a contribution of one-fourth of
the cost of maintaining the police in boroughs from the
public purse, which the bill offered on ceitain conditions,
would operate as a healthy stimulus to good manage-
ment in that respect ; but he was convinced on reflec-
tion that the measure was deeply impregnated with the
old leaven of centralisation, and that it would serve as a
platform for meddling and interference on the part of
the Government, to a degree which would be highly ini-
mical to the existence of focal liberty and self-govern-
ment throughout the kingdom (Cheers.) On looking,
over tee 21 and 3d of Victoria, chap. 93, for the esta-
blishment of county and district constables by the au-
thority of justices' of the peace, and the 3-1 and 4th of
Victoria, chap. 83, which amended that act, be was sur- '
prised that they had not been opposed more strenuously
at the time by the county magistrates. It vas true an
option was given by those acts to county magistrates
to place themselves under their operation or not as they
might elect. But the present bill proposed to take away
that option, and to force these enactments on the aceep
tanee of the county magistrates. thus furnishing a fair
specimen of the aggressive and encroaching spirit which
animated its promotere. If the magistrates of this
country allowed such a bill as that to pees into an act
without opposition, or without some material altera-
tion, all ho could say was, that they were certainly
not " the fine old English gentlemen" for which he
took them. (Bear, hear.) By section 6 the Secretary
of State was from time to time to snake roles for the
go :eminent, the pay, the clothing, and accoutrement of
the police ; and by the 11th section, the bonus of one-
fourth of the cost of the police was not to b paid out of
the public Treasury unless a Government inspector
reported, among other matters, that they were up to
the Government standard. (Hear.) He telt convinced
that a police f ,ree so appointed and paid would almost
inevitably Inc ene the tool iif tl eGo o lament of Vie day.
He apprehended it was in reaiil the old battle which
the people in the provinces had now to fight over again.
The issue now wa-, whether the people of the cities and
boroughs throughout the kingdom were to have all power
and control within their several localities taken from
them and centralised in the Ministry of the day, or
wh-ther they were to retain their charecterhtic and
time-hallowed municipal government ? (Cheers ) Tne
Secretary of State was only asking for a handle to his
axe, and if they conceded this measure the downfall of
their local and municipal influence and independen e
would speedily follow. (Hear.) fie trusted they would
one and all unite in of-Teeing this obnoxious bid, and
that in eking so the counties would stnnt by the boroughs
and the boroughs by the counties. (Cheers.)
Mr. .Alderaian Liseeresr, of York, said be had hoped
the ventilation which the queation of centralization re-
ceived on a former occasion, when they met to oppose a
measure similar to this, had settled that question at
least for their titne—(l. leugh)—aud he regretted that
an occasion should have so speedily arisen for the muni-
cipalities throughout the country to meet together in
such great numbers fcr the purpose of discussing the bill
which had been introduced by the present Government.
He might remind them that in 1353 a conorittee of the
House of Commons was appointed to consider the then
state of the police of the country ; and he would repeat
now what he stated to Lord Palmerston in 1854, that
the attention of that committee was entirely confined to
' the state of the police as it existed in counties, and that
not 100th part of the boroughs in the kingdom were
even aware that such a committee was sitting. They
would remember that when the report of that commit
tee was published, such was the surprise with which it
fall on the municipalities of the country that they did not
i wait a moment for any
,legislation en the subject, but
immediately put themselves into communication with
Lord Palmerston, the then Secretary of State for the
Home Department, arid came to London and expressed
themselves in terms of the deepest indignation in refe-
rence to the arguments and representations contained in
that report. They called Lord Palmerston's attention to
the one-sided character of the evidence taken before the
committee, aud asked him, as a fair and candid mail,
whether he saw among the witnesses before the commit-
tee the representatives of shy of the large towns in the
kingdom. (Hear.) They also denied with indignation the
conclusions to which the committee came, and asked to
have an opportunity of being heard in their defence be-
fore a committee of the House of Commons previously to
any legislative step being taken on the part of the Go-
vernment. But no such opportunity was afforded them,
though they eventually euccowied in satisfying Lord
Palmerston that he ought to withdraw the bill, founded
on the report of that committee, and he did withdraw it.
He (Mr. Ald. Leeman) wished now to ask the meeting
I what bad transpired since 1854 to justify the introduc-
tion of the present measure, based as it was on the same
objectionable principle as the bill of that year ? (Hear.)
Had there been any popular outbreaks in any of our
large towns to induce the belief that the police in our
cities and boroughs were not adequate to the mainte-
nance of the peace and the protection of life and pro-
perty 1 If there had been any such outbreak it had hap-
pened in this metroeolie alone, and this bill did not pro-
pose to interfere with the metropolis. He undertook to
say that, however modified this bill might be as con-
trasted with that of 1354, the same objectionable prin-
ciple of centralisation lay at its root ; and he believed it
was only the thin edge of the wedge which, once intro-
duced, the Government would afterwards use in wresting
fresh concessions from the people in the provinces.
(Hear.) It was, in fact, a virtual repeal of the Muncipal
Corporation Act, under which, during the last 20 years
and upwards, the middle classes in our large cities and
towns had risen in influence and intelligence to a degree
never before known. (Hear.)
•
Mayorsaid ofth eßbmileli
two sections,
The
dlNivGiHdeAcim,
ot the bill iiinseplfroiptiotosing the first re-
solution,certain clanses of it, or the p
and it became a question whether they should oppose
alto-
gether.
.Speaking, as he did
tot state that they
Council of Birmingham, he had
uld not admit the prin-
,-inanlaciePneame of the Town
ob-
jected to the bill in Solo, and wo e
wh t
(H )
a ever. ease
ciple of centralisation in any shag
to the apparent ten-
dencynaaelgnislsyta
which
i on as
Oh subversivecongenial
ioal of
The
"That resolutionthis
n heeetiiintai:oltsfoiredilleostvoscevesrntenrtomwr
of legislation
that principle of local se -g
to the spirit of this free nation and which experience has
shown to have materially contributed to advance the pros-
perity and promote the liberties of the country." (Cheers.)
The resolution was seconded by the Mayor of SOUTH-
AMPTON, who stated that in that town, where the popu-
lation was 40,000, they bad at present 38 policemen—a
number amply sufficient ; but, if the present bill became
law, they would be saddled with the maintenance of 80
policenien.
Mr. C. FORSTER, M.P., reminded the meeting that he
bad given notice of his intention to move that the second
reading of the bill be postponed for six months. He
thought the meeting ought not to withdraw its opposi-
tion to the second reading except upon such terms on
which they might agree, perhaps, with the Home Secre-
tary. It was said by some that if the town councils get
Government money in support of the maintenance of a
police force, they ought to submit to Government super-
vision. But they had never asked for Government
money, and he greatly misunderstood them if they over
would ask for it. (Hear.) After all, the offer was a
mere delusion, because the money trust come from the
pockets of the people before it found its way into the
Consolidated Fund. (Hear.)
Mr. ROEBUCK, M.P., said, the hon. member for Wal-
sall (Mr. Forster) bad talked of speaking to the Home
Secretary and listening to what he might i have to sathe
y.
He (Mr. Roebuck), on the 'contrary, would go to
Home Secretary with the determination of listening to
that he might say. (C4t
nothing ers.) Ile was sure