The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-31 00:00:00

FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 3l, 1850.

SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-
OFFICE.
(From the Times.)

A journal of vs hich a perfect copy- may be procured
by half-past four every Monday morning cannot be
expected to advocate " the total cessation of Sunday
labour in the Post-office." If all Sunday labour is
forbidden, then we are participes criminis, and even if
we were allowed the Jewish mode of reckoning the
day—viz., from sunset to sunset, we should still
find considerable difficulty in doing what is ex-
pected of us, without infringing on the Sabbatical
hours. Our evening contemporaries, indeed, and
some of the " weeklies," might preach Sab-
batical observances without the like inconsis-
tency; but we in return might appeal, and
we do appeal, to the common sense, the uni-
versal usage, and the immemorial tradition of
the country. The English custom is so decidedly
and so manifestly against a literal and Jewish ob-
servance of the Sunday, that few persons can sub-
scribe to Lord Ashley's proposition without strange
forgetfulness or reckless hypocrisy. There are
few persons in this metropolis who do not use a
carriage, or an omnibus, or a steamer, whenever
it suits their convenience or their pleasure on a Sun-
day. There are few persons who do not have a hot
dinner on Sunday, if their means allow it, and keep
their servants at home for the purpose of cooking it;
there are few persons of a humbler class who hesitate
to send a dish to a bakehouse, or to purchase refresh-
ments at a public-house or a shop on Sunday; there
are few who will not pay a toll on this day ; or who,
on an emergency, will not write a note, and send a
special messenger with it. Nor can we pretend to
quarrel with the liberty claimed by the English public
in these matters. The English particularly resent the
bondage of a rigorous exterior. They are not the
people to draw their blinds, and spend a fine Sunday
afternoon in demure and solitary tippling. They
abhor seemings. Accordingly, their Sunday observ-
ance is honest and transparent. As a general rule,
they take a moderate degree of recreation on Sunday,
and do as much work as will save a good deal more
work, or contribute to the cheerful enjoyment of the
day. If they were more capable of hypocrisy, perhaps
they would adopt a more formal profession.
We are justified, therefore, by the practice and
public opinion of the country in demanding for the
public service no stricter Sabbatical rule than as great
a cessation of labour as is compatible with public con-
venience, or as will not produce serious inconveniences.
It may not be easy, indeed, to lay down the rule ; for
it would undoubtedly puzzle ninety-nine hundredths
of the respectable householders of this metropolis to
say what is their rule of Sabbatical observance. The
question for the conscience in this matter is not so
much the antecedent rule as the propriety of this or
that existing practice. Show us the practice, and we
are prepared with an opinion upon it. We are pre-
pared to defend the use of a village bakehouse on a
Sunday, because a hot dinner contributes to the cheer-
fulness of the day, and it is better that one public oven
should be heated than twenty private ones. We are
prepared to defend a walk into the country, and an
occasional excursion further and faster than our legs
will carry us, on Sunday, because this also tends to
ally holiness with cheerfulness, and because, in the
neighbourhood of large cities, the respectable class are
a species of police over the less respectable, and show
an example of innocent and quiet recreation. From
all accounts, the Sunday is much better observed in
the suburbs of London than in the suburbs of Edin-
burgh and Glasgow, where the line between the ob-
servers and the non-observers is much wider than
here, and where the observers sit at home doing what
they best know themselves, and the non-observers
have a monopoly of the out-door recreation. If the
general practice of respectable Englishmen is any
guide,
we cannot think it positively sinful that half-
a-dozen clerks should go to a post—office early in the
morning or late in the evening, open and make up a
few bags, and so enable many thousands of their
fellow-creatures to receive letters, perhaps of great
importance, on Monday morning, instead of having
to wait another day.
The nature and the results of the recent change at
the Post-office, about which heaven and earth were
moved for some weeks, have been repeatedly described
to our readers, and it is unnecessary now to add any-
thing to the full explanation given last night by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. There never was such
a bubble as the agitation we refer to, as far as regards
its statements and its terrors. As for its motives, the
less said about them the better. But who would have
thought that all that nonsense about " Sabbath dese-
cration," about " the commencement of Sunday labour
in the Post-office," about "the point of the wedge,"
about " postal tyranny," about " official persecution,"
and about Mr. Rowland Hill's secret and steady
design to vitiate the morals and undermine the faith
of this country, was all about a plan which has
actually relieved 8,000 persons in the country of a
good deal of Sunday labour, and reduced the persons
employed in the General Post-office from 27 to 4
throwing so little labour, even on them, that no person
in the Post-office need now neglect Divine service ?
Lord Ashley himself, who possesses far too much
candour for the people who prey on his scruples or
his good nature, does justice to the recent changes,
and cheerfully vindicates them from calumnious mis-
representation. It might, however, be wished that
the petitions he presents, and makes the foundation
of his case, were equally candid and truthful.
Without intending it, the Noble Lord has made
himself the harmless vehicle of as great a flood of
nonsense, not to say worse, as was ever poured into
the House.

The motion was carried by 93 against 63 ; a result
easily accounted for by the agitation which has been
got up on the one hand, or, on the other hand, by
the very little zeal manifested in some quarters to
support Government, where it may decently be left
to its fate. Lord Ashley, it must be admitted, has
considerably modified the otherwise
impracticable
character of his resolution, by confiningits im-
perative expressions to the non-collection and de-
livery of letters, and leaving the non transmission of
letters to the issue of an inquiry. For our own
part, we believe that the cause of religion would
be better consulted by leaving every part of the
subject to the discretion of a department which
has shown a more active spirit of reform, and a more
hearty desire to consult the wishes of the people, than
any other branch of the public service. We confess
to a considerable degree of disgust at seeing so many
persons demanding from the State, in the name of
God and his commandments, that which they won't
do themselves, as may be seen at every church door
in this metropolis, not to speak of still more gratui-
tous Sabbath desecrations. If there is to be a certain
amount of concession to the raw political conscience,
we presume the first part of the resolution, relating
to the collection and delivery of letters, will be taken
into consideration, though any strict and universal
rule on this point will lead to abundant evasions, and
to the use of private channels for the conveyance of
letters. But let that pass for the present. As for
the other object of the resolution, the non-transmis-
sion of letters during the whole twenty-four Sabba-
tical hours, and throughout the whole kingdom, we
anticipate no other benefit from such an arrangement
than a deluge of petty questions, the moral of which
will be that the first and great commandment of Chris-.
tianity is a Rabbinical Sabbath.

wich Union and Imperial Fire-office. The last de-
structive fire that occurred at these works was on
the 12th of October, 1849. The damage now exceeds
5,000/.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, MAY 30.
Her Majesty and his Royal Highness walked early
this morning in Osborne Park.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the
Princess Royal, and the younger members of the
Royal Family walked and rode as usual.
There was no addition yesterday to the royal dinner
party.

A full-length miniature of her Royal Highness the
Princess Royal, painted by Sir W. C. Ross, R A., by
command of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, was
presented to her Majesty on her birthday.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
honoured the Lord Mayor with his company at din-
ner yesterday evening, at the Mansion house.
A deputation from Glasgow, consisting of the Lord
Provost, Mr. John Henderson, of Perth ; Mr. John
Jamison and Mr. Charles Grey, of Glasgow ' • had an
interview with Lord John Russell, at his official resi-
dence in Downing-street, yesterday. The deputation
was accompanied by Mr. Macgregor, M.P., and Mr.
Cowan, Dl P.

Vi-count Jocelyn transacted business yesterday at
the office of the Commissioners of Railways, in the
Board of Trade.

The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had
a general meeting yesterday at their office, in White-
hall-place.

Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office, from the Governors of Van Diemen's Land and
New Zealand.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

EPSON' RACES.-THURSDAY.

Yesterday was as complete an " off" day as could well
be conceived, the sport being indifferent, the betting flat,
and the attendance thin. The few who were tempted
by the fineness of the weather to repeat their visit, find-
ing little to stimulate them in the racing, turned their
attention to the Oaks, for which about sixteen are ex-
pected to run. We give the quotations below. It will
be seen that Tiff and Eliza Middleton have changed po-
sitions, the latter, after being backed at 4 to 1, declining
to 11 to 2, currently offered. Rhedycina was sent to the
right about, and Gilliflower was priceless. Next to the
two favourites, Probity, Sacrifice, Kathleen, and Sister
to Swallow were most in favour; the investments, how-
ever, were of small amount. Tingle is scratched. The
following is a return of the racing:—
The Epsom Foar yrs old Stakes of 50 soya. each, h ft;
colts, Bst I llb; fillies, Bst 61b. New Derby Course.
(6 Subs.)
Duke of Bedford's Quasimodo (F. Butler) 1
Mr. Carew's Normanton. (J. Maroon) 2
5 to 2 on Quasimodo, who took the lead, kept it to the
end, and won by a length. Run in 3 min. 9 sec.
The Durdans Stakes of 10 sous. each, 5 ft, acd 50 added;
the second to save his stake, and the winner to be sold
for 300 L, &c. Last mile and a quarter of the New
Derby Course. (4 Subs.)
Mr. Bingley's Christians (601.), 4 yrs, ist 21b (Thick) 1
Mr. Roberts's Heroine (601.), 6st Illb ...(E. Sharp) 2
Duke of Richmond's Harum Scarm (601.), (crd. sst) 3
Mr. Dorrien's The Verderer (2001.), 3 yrs, 6st Ilb 4
Betting-6 to 4 agst Harm Scarum—and 2to 1 agst
Christiana. No other mentioned. Christiana took the
lead at starting, was never approached, and won in a
canter by three lengths. Run in 2 min. 17 sees.
The Grand Stand Plate of 200 soya. added to a Handi-
cap Sweepstakes of 25 soya. each, 15 ft, and only 5 if
declared; the second to receive 50/. out of the stakes,
and the third 25 SOTS. Two miles and a quarter.
(43 Subs., 28 of whom declared.)
Mr. Humphries's Escape, 5 yrs, ist. Ilb . (Charlton) 1
Duke of Richmond's Jelly-fish, 6st 131 b (Kitchener) 2
Mr. Nevill's Herbert, 4 yrs, 7st 111 b (E. Sharp) 3
The following also started, but were not placed:—
Mr. Murphy's Dough, 5 yrs, Bst 71b (Magee) 0
Mr. Ford's Lady Evelyn, Bst 61b (Bartholomew 0
Mr. Rolt's Eagle's Plume, 5 yrs, 7st Ilb...(Cbapple) 0
Mr. Death's Lady Frances, 5 yrs, 6st 71b (G. Mann) 0
Betting-2 to 1 agst Herbert-3 to 1 apt Dough-4
to 1 agst Escape-5 to 1 agst Jelly-fish—and sto 1 agst
Lady Evelyn. Jelly-fish made play at a good pace, fol-
lowed at wide intervals by Escape and Herbert, to the
distance; here the three closed; the race, however, which
was severely contested to the end, being between Es-
cape and Jelly-fish, the former winning in the last stride
by a head; Herbert beaten a length and a half, and no-
thing else near.
The Nonsuch Stakes, of 15 sous. each, 5 ft, and 25
added; for two years old, ist, and three, 9st; fillies
and geldings allowed 31b. Half a mile. (5 Subs.)
Lord Clifden's Beaufort, 2 yrs, 7st (G. Brown) 1
Mr. Gully's Solomon, 2 yrs, 7st (Holloway) 2
Mr. W. V. Jenkins's Miss Larkaway, 3 yrs, Bst I llb 3
Mr. Webb's Vigilant, 2 yrs, 6st 111 b ... (W. Sharp) 4
Sir G. Heathcoto's Dark Susan filly, 2 yrs, Est 11lb 5
Betting-5 to 1 each agst Beaufort and Solomon.
Beaufort made all the running, and won by half a length;
all well up but the Dark Susan filly.
The Cobham Stakes of 5 soya. each, with 30 soya. added;
the winner to be sold for 1501., &c. Heats, one mile.
(4 Subs.)
Mr. Howard's Aristocrat, 3 yrs, 6st 71b. (1501.)... 1 1
Mr. Formby's My Mary, aged, ist 121 b (60/.) ... 3 2
Mr. Maroon na Rubins, 3 yrs, 6st 41b (1501.) ... 2 dr
Both heats won easily.
Handicap for the Innkeepers' Plate (this day).
Yes. st lb Yrs. at lb
Beebee Bonnoo 4 7 8
Defiance
Bastilion
Flare-up
Remnant
Marteal
)AKS.
as, AND LATE

Joe o'Sot
Athelstune
Old Fox
Thorbill
Rodney
Stanton

6 9 4
5 8 9
... 4 8 7
4 8 2
... 4 8 0
... 4 7 12
THE
'ARTERS, RID

Trainer.

.... 5 7 7
.... 4 7 7
... 3 6 12
.... 3 6
.... 3 6 0

Rider.
Templeman
Whitehouse
Rogers
Marlow
Marson

A. Taylor
J. Scott
Beresford
Fobert
Boone .
W. Sadler...
J. Day .....
Hesseltine...
Di11y.........
Godwin
French.
Death .
Warrener 1
Harlock
Stebbing
Trees ......
Doubtfu

'T BETTING.
Latest
Betting.
9 to 2t
11 to 2
B'o 1t
10 to 1
10 to 1
12 to 1
14 to 1
15 to 1
20 to 1t
40 to 1

J. Sharp
A. Day •1
8umby.......
Flatman
F. Butler
Bartholomew
W. Abdale
Holmes
Norman ......
W intringham,.

ST. L
2 to 1 ags

it starters.
.EGER.
it Vo'tip=

CRICKET.