The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-25 00:00:00

were not favourable to the matter. So far as we
can judge, the bill appears to be an oppressive one,
and one likely to press hardly on the poorer classes,
who are chiefly concerned if not entirely affected by
the restrictions here made. Mr. LOCKE said he
thought that the bill was much too sweeping in its
provisions, and that if it became law no one would
be able to sell a newspaper, prayer-book, or even
bible on Sundays. The House of Lords has already
rejected a proposal similar to this on two previous
occasions, and the hon. member for Southwark
spoke very sensibly when he said that this Parlia-
ment had better not deal wick these Sunday Trad-
ing 131114, but leave them fer the future considera-
tion of the householder and the lodger. The
New Cut seems to be the place particularly referred
to in this scheme, and it will cause great inconve-
nience, if not discontent, to interfere in too arbi-
trary a manner with its practices. Those who dwell
in these localities have not the same advantage
of time and money that richer inhabitants of
more favoured spots enjoy, and hence it is hardly
fair to apply the same argument to them. The law
as it stands at present is quite enough to provide
for the due observance of Sunday, and the constant
attempt to force new and imperative regulations
upon the poorer classes may be well meant,
but is certainly most ill-advised. Some years ago
a most angry feeling was produced by this endea-
vour, and the peace and order of the metropolis was
disturbed during several weeks by mobs marching
about on Sundays to the hindrance and molesta-
tion of respectable inhabitants.
Mr. Sergeant GASELEE excited considerable
amusement by his observations. He said that the
bill had been drawn up in such a manner that no
tradesman, even if he had had a University educa-
tion, could understand what he might do under it.
"The small tradespeople," he said, "looked at the
question on very narrow grounds, talked of their
little ones, and all that sort of rubbish." He ob-
jected to the bill also as being one of a persecuting
measure ; its penalties reminded him of the cumu-
lative vote ; and they increased to an extraordinary
extent. We quite agree with Sergeant GASELEE
that these harsh restrictions will create great dis-
gust, and that in most places Sunday is very well
observed. Mr. LOCKE also condemned the at-
tempt as ineffectual and undesirable ; it was,
he said, so difficult to settle exemptions that
this kind of legislation was absurd. Fixing nine as
the hour for shutting up shops on Sunday was, as he
showed, a great hardship, because working people
did not like to get up at an early hour on that day ;
an. 1, as he added, those among the working people
who did not like to buy after that hour could easily
abstain from ding so without asking Parliament
to prohibit them doing so ; he could not under-
stand who had asked the honourable member
for Lambeth for this bill. " They must be ex-
cessively fond of legislation, and think that
Parliament, even though it had Reform to
deal with, was in want of a job." At this stage
prayers were repeated, and thus very little was
practically done. We should hardly think that
the bill would be carried into effect, and it is
not at all desirable that it should be so, for it
holds oat the prospect of attaining no satisfactory
end, while it gives such indications of acting in an
oppressive manner, and producing discontent and
irritation among the lower class, which feeling it is
at all times desirable to allay, :Ind not to stimulate.

The news from New York brought by the Saxonia
on the 13th is full of interest. Congress has shown
no indication of adopting a less aggressive policy,
and the chi,f object of this July Session scams to
have been the subversion of alt those constitutional
principles so distinctly affirmed by the Attorney-
General. The supplementary Reconstruction Bills '
passed by both Houses are evidently designed to
destroy the last remaining remnants of Southern
civil liberties. The supremacy of the military
commanders is the one great end at which
they aim. The Senate appended to its supple-
mentary bill additional clauses, ratifying the
past ac:iun of the district military commanders,
empowering General GRANT to remove the Southern
officials, declaring no person entitled to registration
on account of the Presidential pardon, and also de-
claring all civil officials who participated in the
rebellion to be disfranchised. This, one would
think, was tolerably severe, especially considering
that no attempt has been made to renew the rebel-
lion or to resist the authority of the Union.
1 But it does not go far enough for the
I House of Representatives, who, while passing
1
t the bill, added an amendment of their own,
1
deposing all Southern civil officers, and authorising
the military commanders to appoint their suc-
cessors. The Americans certainly furnish us with
a notable example of the readiness with which man-
kind passes from one extreme to the other. The
I very nation who boasted so long of their freedom
1 from military burdens, now not only maintain a
large standing army, but are tolerating the substi-
tution of military for civil law, thus rolling back
the tide of liberty and progress for many a genera-
tion. It is difficult to understand how American
1 citizens can be so infatuated as not to see upon
what a dangerous course they are entering. Almost
all the great Republics of the world have ended in
military despotism. The successful and popular
General is the most formidable enemy of Republi-
canism, and if the body politic is broken up into
factions and parties, if the bitterness and jealousy
of political rivalry become the animating spirits of
the Legislature, the Executive, the press, and
the platform, the peril is great indeed.
The public at large become wearied at
perpetual contention, of angry recrimination,
of intrigues and manoeuvres. The mutual accusa-
tions and exposures break down teir. confidence in
their so-called leaders, and they turn with a feeling
of relief to the strong band which shall weld all
into one, and shall at least restore vigour and unity
to the Government. But the ascendancy of the
Radicals in Congress is so complete that they
icarsrtyorayll before them, at least
within its doors.
ii
la_ lost upon them, the examples of
other nations are useless, remonstrances at home
and abroad are alike unheeded. It is openly
avowed by some of the party that they intend
to exclude the South from representation until the
Southern people promise to vote for Radical candi-
dates—until, as Mr. STEVENS and some others
openly affirm, Radicalism can obtain " dee:sive and
trustworthy majorities." The only reliable means
of alttining this desirable end is Ly giving carte
blanche to the military cotninanders in the matter
of registration. No unregistered person can vote ;
and, therefore, if by a little judicious tuanceuvrinf,
none but Radicals are registered, themajority will be
pretty certainly on their side. This assertion receives
strong confirmation by the publication of some
letters addressed to Generals SUERID AN and ORDE,
which direct them to continue the registration of
voters in their districts without reference to the
Attorney-General. How long it will be possible to
maintain such a system may well be wondered.
Another achievement of the Radicals is an
outrage upon public decency and feeling, of
which few national assemblies would, we may
hope, have been guilty. STEVENS, CHANDLER,
land several other prominent Radicals, have
made epeches in Congress strong'y denouncing