The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-27 00:00:00

JUNE 27, 1850.

from a wife who writes to tell her husband that an
execution has been put into their house in his ab
sei,co, and that he must return home directly, and
not w..it till the next day, or their g !d s will be all
sold off at a I,,ss, and she and her children turned
into the street." "My tidings," remarks C, " are of
some little importance." " So I should judge," observes
E. " fro» your black " They are these,"
says C:—" Dear Tom.—Your poor uncle Fas died sud-
den iy. Ho named you as his heir. Come up instantly,
or that old woman will make away with everything in
the house.'" " And I," says E, "am to a surgeon of
Bartholomew's, now in the country, begging him to come
up instantly, as the danger is imminent, and a patient's
°illy chance is an operation." Saint Martin-le-Grand
says, that such news as that above instanced won't keep,
and ought not to be kept even on Sunday; and we would
take the word of St. Martin against that of St. Ashley,
or St. Plumptre.

(From the Cla

Ministers and their partisans srfew to' be extremely
delighted at the notion of the annoyance and incon-
venience which the country has be.un to suffer from
the weekly obstruction of its postal communications.
['hey appear to regard it quite as a feather in I,,trd
John Russell's cap, thi4t the House of C tnmons, of which
he is the official leader, has blundered it,to an absurd
and mischievous decision, the consequences of which
are likely to be intolerably vexatious. "People are
Aready finding out the e&ct of this measure," was the
boastful exclamation of the ChAncelkr of the Exche-
quer, not many nights ago, in answer to a remonstrance

4gainst the stoppage or the Sunday delivery of news-
papers; and he evidently much t4ijo3ed the thought of
the thing turning out many degrees worse than he had

himself predict( d. It is regarded as particularly good
fun for the Government that the Sabbatariana themselves

have been asuong the first to cry out, and that they have
not blushed to denounce the "animus" apparent in the
new regulations—the .said animus being as Learly as
possible identical (minus the sincerity) , with that
which has marked their • own • fsnatical agitation.
On the whole, it seems to be assumed by Ministers,
t) at the worse the new system works for the country
the better it is for them, and that every flesh develop-
ment of the oppressive consequences of this nuisance
redounds somehow to their credit.
For our own part, however, we doubt whether the
public will let the Government off so easily. All this
would be very well if Lord John Russell had been under
any real compulsion to accept, as final and authoritative,
the relult of a chance v(,te in the House of Commons.
We can enjoy the laughable flight and mortification of
the too stien asful 'Sabbatarians as heartily as our
neighbours; and if. it had been absolutely necessary to
give these agitators their own way, we could have
ilorne a good deal for the sake of seeing folly and
fanaticism work out their own cure. But there
was no such necessity. The vote in question was but
one out of some half-dozen or half score occasions (we
have long since left off keeping an exact account)
on which, in the course cf the present session.
Ministers have been outnumbered by nn adverse
majority of the House of Common,; end had they
been really in earnest in resisting what Sir Charles Wood
culls an exceedingly great hardihip and inconvenience
to ell classes, and especially to the poorer classes," they
would have found a way of reconciling convitutional
p-opriety with common sense and public convenience.
The plain fact is, they have deliberately chosen to mske
the very worst of , this business. Totally regardless of
sit considerations except their own official convenience,
they have eagerly selz:d on what they thought a good
opportunity for "giving a lesson" to their supporters.
is a selfish and shabby policy, and we are much. miss
taken if the issue doss not prove far from satisfactory to
its inventors. It will not to by any means so easy as
Ministers imagine, to persuade the country that the
whole and sole responsibility of the late vexatious limos
vation rests with Lord Ashley and the House of Com-
mons, and that none of it devolves on those who have dis-
played so indecorous an sliscrity in "carrying out" a scheme
which they never n 3 iss an opportunity of denounoirg Pet).
Pk WO Pt WWI 14 41i3 09111241 to gee gnu 044 '

POST-OFFICE, SUNDAY LABOUR. i changes in the organization of public deeartmentte--
(From the Timex.) changes which interfere with their daily avocations e ind
The late precipitate pros, eciing with respect to the I.; enjoyments, which derange their calculations, and wh belt
:may even ru nously depreciao their property—made at
Pest-effice may lead to consequences net expected by
these who acted upon the accidental majority of the ; the mere fiat of a single branch of the Legislature,
;without notice, and with scarceey a show of discussiies.
House of Ceremons. A grave question has arisen as to
! the legality of the ere!: r lately issued, and the courts of It may, as Sir Charles Wood averred en Tuesday night.,
be strictly legal (though mall doubt it), but it is ct sr-
law may probably he called upon to decide the point. A
taitily unusual, and contrary to all the analogies of our
mere resolution of either House of Parliament has not !
social and political system; and the public will be se iw
the force of law, and we must recur to Acts cf Parlia- i
to. believe that anybody is really entices erable for a lit Ile
rnent to ascertain the powers of the Postmaster-Gereral I
r and the Crown with respect to the delivery of letters. ievolution of this sort except the Government which has
The question may, indeed, be tried in various modes, and wilfully, and even ostentatiously, allowed the nuisance to
the only persons likely eventually to profit by the re- take its own course. It is no business of ours to defecad
striction now imposed are the lawyers. Important
the Sabbatarian zealots from the censures which their
letters being delayed or delivery of them refused on the folly deserves ; but Ministers may be assured that,
Sunday, an action may be found to lie against the per- when the consequences of the 'recent change shall have
son refusing or detaining them, and the inconsiderate somewhat further developed themselves. it will not
conduct of the Government may thus lead to almost in- to the majority of ninety-three that will have to bear
terminable litigation. It ought to be recollected that the the chief blame. What those consequences are likely to
b business of delivering the letters of the community is a be, we shall, it may be feared, soon have ample means of
case entirely exceptional. The community, speaking judging. On Tuesday evening Lord Brougham men-
by Parliament, has determined both to impose
ironed the instence of a death which had occurred within
upon the Government the obligation of receiv. the previous day or two, in consequence of the new re-
ing, collecting, and delivering letters, and to prevent all gulations rendering it impossible to call in medical aid
private persons from in any way sharing in the be-
by letter; and though it will doubtless be said that the
onsets. For reasons partly of finance, partly of a social case was an "isolated" one, it unfortunately happens
character, a complete monopoly has been established, that." isolated cases," of one sort or another, constitute
The Postmaster-General has b"en made " a corporation" no small part of every man's life. Liability to "isolated"
emergencies, whether of a persona;, a pecuniary, or a
em this purpose; a certein fixed sum or charge has been
settled to be paid by those who send and receive letters;
existence; and nothing is more certain than that, in
domestic nature, is at fundamental condition of human
end heavy penalties are irneoied on those who shall pre-
sume to interfere with tee duty if receiving, collecting, every considerable town in Great Britain, scores or bun-
end delivering them. For many years the chief consi- dreds of instatic,s will arise every Sunday in which im-
et ration of the Goverement in this matter was the sum mediate communication with a distant locality will be a
matter of lieu-and-death urgency. Of course we du not
molected;* the tax was the thing regarded. Security,
of the indeed, seemed to be increased by the G mean to say that the new regime, if allowed to be-
leg upon itself the duties- evernment talc-
come permanent, will be very ire quently productive
Post-office; certainty
. of extreme and fatal consequences, as in the case
also appeared more likely of attainment in consequence
adduced by Lord Brougham. People will soon learn to
of•the same proceeding. But many circumstancee have
occurred to shake the public confidence as •to these sup- understand the thing, and, so far as may be, to aceom-
posed advantages. All unity and precision and securiTy modals themselves to it. Necessity is the mother of
are likely to be lost, if the late proceeding is to be taken invention. The proprietors of the London weekly juur-
as a precedent. The merest accident will hereafter have nals have already, as our readers are aware, made ar-
fatal sway over our most important interess; and ore
rangements with at least one of the great railway tom-
great advantage derived from our advance in art, and
Pantos, which will tend to avert the threatened confis-
in our command over the powers of nature, will cation of their property; and there can be no doubt
have to be struck out of the account to be made that it will be perfectly practicable, with a little time
of the benefits derived from the exist-
and experience, to orgauize a machinery adequate to the
once of society. The people of this country are, we re-
-
supply of other social wants besides the craving for ''la-
joice to believe, an eminently pious people. But their test intelligence." Country traders, who have bills fall-
piety is not always a reasoning and rational piety. They in;' due in London on the Monday will find means of
transmitting cash on the Sunday; and urgent family
are not unapt to permit their mermen sense to be sur-
missives will, we may be sure, neither be kept back till
prised by interested professions if peculiar excellence,
cs
and to be thus led to sacrifice the substance and true merit the critical moment is passed, nor be cerel sly flung into
of piety tor mere outedeobservariele. An imperious•de-
the receptacles where everything lies "unsorted and
sire to compel others to obey our own peculiar opinions untouched." We may say, in general, that (after a
And rules of conduct is but too often the real motive while) there will be a universal Sunday "collection and
leading to an unnecessary strict observance of the letter, delivery" of all letters—except those of the very poor—
in place of the spirit of the law; and of the movement in which are werth being dune up in string and brown
,
the country which eventually led to the Ice resolutien pap r, and cherged as "parcels." In a word, the most
of the House of Commons, the greater part was the re-
notable and conspicuous results of the present delectable
stilt of mere personal interest, and a mechanical obeli- device for promoting Sabbatical religion will be (should
ence to mere outward forms. Of the multitude who the thing last long enough), to make a considerable hole
signed petitions for the abolition of Sunda labour in in the Post-office revenue—to levy a vast amount of
y
private taxation on all classes of the community except
The Post office, a very largo wajoiity acted without
any real consideration of the consequence. The the poorest—to inflict on them a cruel and exasperating
h
mere signing one's name was deemed an easy way hardship—and to add enormously to the amount of
of escaping remonstrance and importunity,
as Sunday labour throughout the country. We take it,
well as of earning a character ter piety. Little atten-
however, to be impossible, practically speaking, that,
:ion was paid to the motives of those by whom the
our experience of this absurd and fantastic innova-
'
esejority cf the petitions were concocted, and signing the tion will be sufficiently . protracted to produce a
rtaineiwas generally believed to be all that would occur. tithe of the social and moral mischief with
The first stir was made under a misapprehension. Those which it is fraught. Mr. Locke has given
who were unwilling to have a Sunday delivery of letters notice of a motion, for the 9th of next month,
in London (which was never contemplated, in fact, by which, will bring the whole question once more under
enybedy) did not tail to take advantage of the feelin the consideration of the House of Commons ; and what-
which they found general in the metropolis, and the cry
themselves from the very discreditable position which
was raised, Wby not make the whole country like
London? Why need there be a Sunday delivery in any they have assumed, there are, we trust, independent
Members of that assembly who will take care that the
ttert of the kingdom? Two classes very distinct in their
character, and as to the objects which they had in matter shall at least undergo one night's thorough and
view, were active on the occasion ; and proved, what
searching discussion. The issue we can scarcely re-
experience has, indeed, but too often shown that gard as dubious. Lord Ashley himself must, we should
in active, persevering, and interested minority will , .
imagine, he already somewhat sceptical as to the moral
'
4enerally obtain their object in spite of the tame operation of a eystem which tends to identify the very
opposition of an apathetic majority. All persons con- name of the sacred day with unwonted and odious social
tletted with the deliveryaf letters, and more especially restrictions ; and we cannot but believe that very many
hose who receive a fixed salary, had a powerful interest among his recent supporters will have perceived, on
in reflection, that the decorous and religious ob-
servance diminishing by one-seventh the labour for which they
servance of the weekly Christian holiday has nothing to
rest, they dexterously put forth their demand for an un-
were paid. To grace and cloak this metre sordid irate-
rest, but everything to Luse, from that sort of finalical
employed Sabbath. They 'asserted that from being exaggeration which invariatly ends in an anti-religious
•ccupied during the Sunday they were unable to attend reaction.
their religious duties, and prayed Parliament not to p er-
gait the continuance, of so grievous a wrong. To anap-
:teal of this doscrip itin Parliament and the country-were
inxious to lend a willing attention, and all must wish
that every facility should be afforded in such a matter.
slut works ot necessity must still be performed; aud of the
•housaeds who signed the petitions presented to Perlis-
went there are few who relieve their own servants
from every duty beyond what absolute necessity
e mends. The ordinary work of every household is
performed, though it includes many more than mere acts
f necessity. Red is prepared; carriages arid horses
ire employed; visits are made and received. Some there
nay be, but still a minute fractem of the whole commu-
Jay, who restrict materially the duties of their house-
hold servants on a Sunday. But take these with all
neir strictness, and much that is mere superfluity wiel
Mill be found to remain. A crust of bread and a elm:
,t plain water are sufficient he al. hilt' to sustain ii he elthy
person for a siege, day. Fire need not be lighted ee-
!ept for purposes of warmth—fm the purpose at prepar-
trig food it is wholly unnecessary. Th., very per.uns
vno claim exemption in this case because of the need-
:ion upon their time for religious observarce deal, we
ire prepared to assert, with the time of others, as re-
tards themselves. in a far different spirit. They who
lave servants command their services. They who have
,:he means of buyitie eejoymt itt spend their money tot
turchase the 'voluieary service of others to that end.
slut who shill say that the transmission of some
earls on the Cuuday is not a work of recessite ?
.end if we allow it in any case, we must allow
;t in all, for no discrimination can be made. We have
stow before us many complaints of the misery which
this restriction has already inflicted. Otis case is an
instance of most grievous misery, most wantonly in-
flicted. A mother lies dangerously ill on the Saturday,
natty ()fie: r children are absent, and she, believing her
end Lear, wishes to gather round her bed of' d, ath the
Children from whom she is destined soon to part far ever.
No letter can be sent. The family is not in affluent
etretonstanees, and the children are scattered. To send
Tor them is impossible. This is no fancied case. The
proof of its afff,cting reality is now ; before us. In an-
ether instance the circumstances are different, but the
:Offering is nearly equal. The child in this case is ill
—additional advice is wished for. Again the family
'a not affluent—and without welter, and for the
parents • almost impossible, 'expense the advice desired
'cannot be obtained. The great mischief of `she matter
i 4 that the evil thus falls. chiefly on the poor. The
cid' man, whether as respects his pleasures or his
wants, is able in most cases by his wealth'to obtain what
ee desires. Servants are dispatched, arrangeinents are
predetermined, and at an increased cost the thing is
lone. But as respects the very end sought to be ob-
t lined by this re-trictive system, that is wholly frus-
trated. Sunday labour, instead of being diminished, is
;really increased; while the good which that labour
tfects is materially lessened. The same train that car-
rice one messenger would carry thousands of letters.
The train travels, all the servants needed for it are em-
ploy:ed, but only the rich man's messenger proceeds upon
eis journey. The messenger of the poor man—his un-
expensive letter—is stopped, and hearts may be wrung,
irreparable wrong may to inflicted, and the poor pre-
once for which all this evil has been accomplished has
;tot the grace of being even in appearance what its
authors desire. We assert, without tear of refutation,
,hat the restriction on the Post-office, instead of di-
nishieg, must of necessity greatly increase Sunday
labour.

(From the Cork Examiner.)
The fanatics of Sabbatical labour must apparently be
satisfied with having annoy eel the public for an exceed-
ingly abort space of time. Their success has excited a
universal outcry through England. Lord Brougham de-
nies that it is legal tor the Government to carry out
the Lew regulations, the Post-office being a means of
taxation, which they have no right to abrogate or lessen;
and the Marquis of Lansdowne promises to take the
point into serious consideration. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer confesses to a maliciotis satisfaction at the in-
coevenience to which the public have subjected them-
selves; indeed, it is doubtful whether the testy indi-
vidual is not more pleased at the consequences of the
vote in the Commons, than angry at its having been
adopted against his advice. Lord John Russell agrees
in the opinion of the Chaneeller, with regard to the
change being unadvisable. Meanwhile, the limes
speeds the opposition to the measure of the vast body of
the Erg!ish classes. The anxiety of Rnisters to see
the House of Commons retrace its steps is not at all ac-
cepted as CM excuse for their complying with an address
voted in such a way. The Spectator says their " con-
duct presents u case of the most naked mala fides—
that it is grossly uncoostitulional,' and despicably
shabby;" and the whole pies, without exception, merely
varies the terms of con,iemnalion. From all these indi-
catieDS, we give the new regulations a very abort time
longer to live. Toe best, because the shortest, argument
on the question is, that the stoppage of the postal de.
livery really tends to increase the amount of labour on
the Sabbath. This has been over and over again de-
monsttatec!. Within the limited range of a single per-
son'. acquaint axe, and on the first occasion when the
obnoxious regulations came into force, we have known
au extent of trouble taken with counnunicationr, almost
equal to that of all the persons engaged in the local
post-office. One fact is stronger than a column of logic.
We give the following illustration cf the new Post-office
rule. A farmer in ih- county gaol for debt, had his bail
papers bent up to Dublin. 'They were examined and
round all rigor. They were tranzmitttd to Cork, and
reached here on Sunday morning. From the non-de-
livery of letters, he was kept a prisoner till to-day, thus
suffering a whole day's incarc,ration that might have
been prevented.

I(From the Scotsman.)
' IThe chief effect, as yet, of the remarkable postal
change which came into operation last Sucday, has been
a great outburst of bitter abuse against all concerned in
it, coming from those who have been silent or very
cautious end gentle in the previous stages of the ques-
tion. Every morning the. Times (Oath, we take only
als conspicuous among a large eumber) comes out
firmer and fiercer, arid with fresh specimens of the op-
pressions and ab.uroities arising out of the new tystem.
That the complaints are just and the specimens fair
there is no doubt ; and even in our Own much smaller
sphere we have already evidenced that, as we have al-
ways maintained, the change wilt not only ieflict great
inconvernerme and cruelty, but, without that inconve-
nience and cruelty being thereby removed in the more
clamant class of cases, will greatly increase the amount
of Sunday labour. The very first Sunday's experi-
ence 'has caused requests to be made to us from
various districts to enter on arrangements by which,
through means of parcels, &c., the papers may be ob-
tainable as hithert.i when the readers pay their Sand 'y
visits to the places where (no anomalous neighbourship)
the church and post-office stand together; and there is
no doubt that arrangements of that kind, not only as
regards despatching, but, in the case of papers published
early in the week,as regards_ receiving also,will.treadopted,
and to some extent are already adopted, by the chief
portion of the newspaper press. The proprietors of the
London Saturday papers are already far advanced with
preparations for a Sunday delivery in a large number of
places by means of private messengers, and a pressure,
the , success of which seems considered certain,
has been commenced on the English railway
companies, to induce them to establish a
Sunday parcels delivery. Our advertising co-
lumns also bear evidence already that the
coffeehouse-keepers and others of the same class even in
Scotland are calling new machinery into operation in
order to obtain their supply of papers. These are spe-
cimens of the remedies resorted to in one department
alone—whence inferent es may be drawn as to what will
be the amount of labour called into existence to provide
remedies in all the other departments, as well as of the
amount of cruelty inflicted and or indignant feeling en-
gendered in those numerous and various cases (the cases
of individuals as distinguished, froin trades or communi-
ties, and the puor a, distinguiihed from the rich) in
which the wrong is irremediable.' The Times of Mon-
day Incidentally makes the following alluaion to 'the mode
in which last Sunday was spent in-London, the city to
which the advocates of the prohibition of intercourse are
so fond of referring in example:—
" The railways could not supply trains fast enough
for the multitude pressing into the metropolitan stations,
and by the time a regular train had got off there re-
mained enough for a supplementary special. The river,
which had not cased to flow, presented a similar spec-
tacle; and as no air was to he got in the streets, it was a
comfort to think cf the several score tiousands who in-
haled it, not quite pure perhaps, but stiil in motion on
the Thames. We never remember to have seen so com-

---
plete a turn-out of the population on the pavement as
there was in the evening, .just as the air out of doors was

beginning to be cooler inan within. We must add-that

we; saw icgood many reading their newspapers, which
they did with the lock of men exerctaug a privile;e,
and resolved to keep it if possible."
This in lieates two of the peculiarities connected with
the case of London, to which we have occasionally ad-
verted. The one is that, besides an amount of Sunday
business happily unknown either in Scotland or the pro-
vincial towns of England, London, with her shut Post-
offic-, is on Suuduy the most jaunting, arid pleasure-
seeking town in the kingdom. Of course, we do not
adduce these things as cause and effect, but only as
coincident, and as having a bearing both on the mdtive-
under which the Londoners keep their Post-office shut,
and on the assumption of the Agnewites that shuttinl
it throughout the kingdom would proejuce better Sab-
bath observance. The second peculiarity in the case of
London iuditated above, is that, in au far as she has her
population concentred, and is rather the giver than
the receiver of intelligence, she is much less de.
pendent on the Post-office than any other district is. l'or
ilstance, London is nearly as pliulous as all Scotland,
but it is very easy to see the difference as to the necessity
of Post-office cummunication betweett B. population:
"e
Together on twelve kquat e wiles, and one spread
over inure Wan 30,000 equate mile,--between a popula-
tion, the members of Which, any Sunday, at tan& any
OUTO Mali AO GWAtors i Maga or olorwiou)

within a few minutes and at a trifling oust—and an equally
numerous population, the mereners or which are separated
by scores and hundreds of miles, and perhaps by shut
railroads and horae:ess highways. Thus, we Fee
that, while the newNpapers belonging to all the
I rest of the population were, last Sunday, lying
locked up in boxes, the Londoners not only
had theirs carried and received, but employed
themselves in reading them. Tile sum of the matter is,
that, in a multitude of 'matters London is, so to speak,
self-contained and self-supplying, while all other places
are dependent on such arrangements as that of which
they have been this week deprived. Oddly enough—so
oddly us to be worth mentioning—just when those who
were silent or timid before are beginning to speak out,
our respected contemporary, the Mercury, who • has
hitherto borne well his share in the battle, seems rather
inclined to " ring in." He " would wish the experiment
fairly tried," and always "thought it well worthy of con-
sidera:ion." In the case of such conversions or waecrings,
experience has led us to the suspicion, never yet wrong
in any instance where inquiry has been made, that the
convert's practice had become lax just when his profes-
sions had become strict. For instance. a reverend
doctor in this city, who used to write very strongly
against the stopping of Sunday trains, lately came out
very furious on the other side--just at the time that he
had shifted his residenee several miles out of town, and
taken to driving in and out every Sabbath-day. Similar
is the case of the Morning Herald, which has of lute -be-
come quite enthusiastic against every species of " Sab-
bath labour "—and whose printers and all connected
with it labour every Sunday as long and as hard as they I
do every Monday. It is nothing lof ' this
kind we intend to allege against our friend's con-
sistency (though he may tel a little frightened)
—we mean to confine ourselves strictly to the queetion
in hand; and, doing so, we point out his announcement
to his readers that, in consequence of that change in the
Poet-office of which he declares in favour, he will
hereafter get them news by means of Sunday parcels!
In profession he says, " We wish the experiment tried;"
in practice, he says (like many others of the few who
approve of this experiment), "but we shall take pre- 1
cioue good care you shall not try it on us." It would
relieve much perplexity were our contemporary (to
whom we speak in respect and amity) to explain by
what process of moral reasoning he arrives at the con-
clusions that it is right that the Government should pro-
hibit the carrying, sending, and receiving of letters of
affection and faintly, necessity and mercy, mayhap life
and death, and that it is right also that he should cause
parcels to be cent, carried, and receivei, to facilitate the
dispatch of his secular business.

GRAND SWIMMING MATCHES.
Last evening the first swimming matches of the Hot.
born Swimming Club came off at the National Baths,
High Holborn. There cou'd not have been less than
1,000 persons present to witness the race, one and all of
whom wore delighted with the admirable arraugements
made by the spirited proprietor of the baths, Mr. James
.Hedgman, for their accommodation. The place was
brilliantly lighted with gas for the occasion. At start-
ing the greatest excitement prevailed' amongst the bet-
ters, sto 1 being offered against the favourite, Mr.
Thomas Young, coming in first, or eieu second. The
number of competitors for the medals, which were of
massive silver, was seven. The distance in trial heats
was feur lengths of the bath, and the grand heat six
lengths. After a most severely contested struggle, as
far as regarded the trial heats, Mr. Thomas Young
and Mr. David Young, brothers, were announced
by Mr. H. -Kenworthy, amid loud plaudits, the
successful candidates for the prizes. By .a strange fact
it was quite a matter of chance which of the twobrothera
came in first, so equally were they matched. -The six
lengths of the bath were swam in the incredible short
time of two minutes and ten seconds. • The rice being
ended, a sweepstakes was entered into T—the first of
course reaching the goal being George Pewters, the
champion of England; Messrs. Robertson and Young
following close in his wake. After a short 'interval
Messrs. Henson and Kenworthy entered the water, and
greatly delighted th comany present by their extra-
ordinary feats. Much having been said about a late
diver, at Bath, having pulled on a pair of boots while
underneath the water, Mr. George Pewters dived; clothes
and all, into the bath, and before he went out he had
succeeded in bringing himself to that state in which
Dame Nature had introduced him to. the world. We
were, at the termination of the evening's entertainment,
which seemed to have delighted all present, requested to
state that Mr. George Pewters is open to swim any man, from five to twenty miles for any amount.
L:

To THE HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN PAR-
LIAMENT ASSEMBLED,
The petition of the undersigned Proprietors and
Editors of London Newspapers, and Contributors
thereto, and other persons employed thereoc,
Humbly showeth,
Thet, on an Address, supported by ninety-five mem-
bers of your Honourable House, and which, by the rules
of that House, could not be again considered before it
was presented, her Majesty, by the advice of her Mi-
nisters, has prohibited the delivery of newspapers on
Sundays by post throughout the kingdom.
That your petitioners thereby have been suddenly aid
without notice grievously injured in their property and
ecoupation.
That the liberty of the press has hitherto been con-
sidered the' first bulwark of British freedom, and that
its uses have hitherto been considered of paramount
value and importance, and that, therefore, any unneces-
sary interference with its operations is the most unbestie
able of oppressions, and the moat galling of insults, that
can be offered to the people, or their habitual informants,
instructors, and defenders.
That her Majesty's Government, in suddenly acting
upon the resolve of an accidental majority, by stopping
the delivery of the post on Sundays without taking
means to consult the real sense of your Honourable
House, has abandoned its duty and despctically trifled
with the property and interests of your petitioners.
Tbat the amount of Sunday labour which will be oc-
casioned by the efforts of the newspaper proprietors to
protect their property will be threefold that saved by the
new regulations.
Tbat the stamp-tax on newspapers has been vindi-
cated as giving the privilege of transmission by post,
and that to make this privilege availsble to one class and
to deny it to another is an act of the grossest fiscal in-
ustiee.
That the circulation of newspapers on a Sunday is a
civiliziug act, meritorious to the highest degree in a free
nation, where every individual is supposed to take the
part of a fie eman in public affairs, and where this day
is the only one that affords to many of the industrious
classes the opportunity, by perusal of the public prints,
to inform themselves of their duty as citizens.
That the business to be transacted by a great number
of indtviduals in the course of The ensuing week is ne-
cessarily regulated by the information as to markets and
otherwise communicated by the weekly papers on the
Sunday.
That the Post•effice is a close monopoly of the most
essential means of communication, which monopoly can
only be justified by its rendering the most complete and
equal service at all times to all parties who require its
agency.
That to make this great public institution subservient
to the sectarian opinions of any body of individuals is
an usurpation of the rights of Government and a per-
VCISIOII of its duties.
That your petitioners, who are as anxious as any
other persons, whatever may be their religious preten-
skins, to give the full enjoyment and repose of one day
in the week to the entire people, feel that this can only
tie done by a moderate sacrifice of the convenience for
some hours of the few to the many, and that it this truth
be not admitted, no one has a right to claim any ser-
vice of any kind upon the seventh day; and that this
principle should be strictly applied to all ranks of men
by stringent I,gisiation.
That your petitioners believe the new regulations of
the Post-utlice to be a violent inroad on the liberty of
conscience, a mere pretence as to the effect it professes•
to produce, the precursor of a series of absurd and op.
pressive messures against the civil and religious liberty
of the people; an act unwarranted by the practice and
faith of civilised Europe—a deprivation ietheted by a
higher class upon au humbler one, and a measure so
totally unworthy of the Government and Legislature of
this country, that it could only have been carried by the
surprise of a single vote.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray of your
Hoeouranle House to rescind the resolution which led to
the late Address, and to enable the Government to resort
to the former usage in this behalf,
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will every
pray, &c.

,TEST ,EWS OF MR. LAYARD.—Letters have
been received from our enterprising countryman so late as the
10th of, April, and dated from Arban, on the River Kliabour.
Our readers will remember that the last siccounts from this
quarter in the Literary Gazette mentioned Mr. Layard's
purpose of penetrating into the Desert, which he has now
done, and explored for. three weeks, meeting with numerous
traces of ancient population, though not so productive of an-
tiquities as was hoped for. His present site, however, is
richer in archaeological remains, and is important, as these
are undoubtedly Assyrian, and thus establish the fact of the
extent of that empire. Two winged bulls and other frag-
ments have been discovered among the ruins. The country
around is described as beautiful. The meadows rich in herb-
age, and the banks of the Khabuur literally gemmed with
flowers. Mr. Layard was desirous to examine this river to its
mouth ; but the Arabs in that direction were hostile to those
whom he ranked among his friends, and amid whose' drums-
daries, flocks, and tents he was located. The sheikh.aud his
ladies and au the tribe were kind and 11( spitable; and we
trust arrangements may be made with the inimical parties
wherever they interpose between Mr. Layard and his inter-
esting discoveries. In his letter, that gentleman says that he
thinks Major Rawlinson wrong i some of his topography,
and that the chronological deductions cannot as yet be con-
sidered settled.—Literary Gazette.
SINGWLAR •Wii.r..—We are informed that-the late
Miss Margarei Creak. of St. Andrews, in this city. whose
dPattr was recorded in our paper of June 8, has left a very
singular will, and not so much prm.erty us is generally sup-
posed—not more than 20,0ue/. in value. She has left Is.
each to such of her relations as :choose to prove themselves
so; a
and a legacy ot 2OL to one neighbour, and 101. to another,
ftrifling le.!acies ot 2/. etch. She has left WI. each
to every houseless person in the country above sixty-eight
years of age; and all her real estate to tound an hospital for
.aged,peisons, the hospital to be built and the inmates to be
habited as directed. she then gives all her personal pro-
perty to a neighbour, who is appointed executor. It is evi-
dent the hernia of the will caonot be carried out—the pro-
perty bEing insufficient. —Norfhlk Chronicle.
CoD Fr.uleo.—Great quantities of cod continue
:to be brought ashore at Wick. In Shetland and Orkney
the take is
,also abundant. Last week, in Shetland, the
smacks did well. At Iteawick the average wag about 500--
the highest the. sloop Nymph, Captain Watts. At Walls, the
average was 300; highest sloop, 1,000. At Scalloway,
avenge, 250; highest, 00. We have heard nothing from
North Marine. At Papti;the take for the week was more
than the average of farmer years. In Orkney, the, fisher-
men are paid at the rate of 4s. Bd. per cwt.--/neerass
Courier.

THE CLERGY AND THE SABBATARIAIi
FRENZY
TO THE .F:DiTOI OF THE SUN.
is well known that great numbers of the
clergy are, on principle, opposed to,the recent change in
the Sunday postal arrangements. The rational and
Scriptural views of Archbishop Whately and the late
Dr. Arnold,. with reference to the Lord's day, are ac—
cepted by hundreds even of those who would feel Some'
difficulty in subscribing to the opiniens of those great
and learned men on some other subjects. Why, then,
do not those who believe this recent change iu the
Kist-office to be repugnant alike to common sense and
to Christianity, step forward boldly and aid the efforts
now making to procure a repeal of this most offensive
regulation ? For my own part, I have done and shall
do all that is in my power to point out to the people the
cruelty, injustice, and, above all, the utterly un-Christian
nature of this proceeding, convinced that in so doing I
am but acting in perfect consistency with my duty as a
clergyman and as a Christian, in resisting the attempt
to impose upon the English people a Judaical observance
of the Sunday, and so to deprive them of '" that liberty
wherewith Christ has made us free." Nothing, as it
seems to me, can be more self-ovidt.nt to any unprejudiced
student of the New Testament, than that the attempt to
stop all postal communication on Sunday is an act of
tyranny and oppression, for which no warrant whatever
can be found in that Holy Book. Is it colic, ivable,' that
He, who so severely rebuked the hypocrisy of those
who would have prevented Him from healing the sick on
the Jewish Sabbath, would sanction a measure which
will prevent the son from hastening to the bedside of the
d) lug parent, and keep thousands racked with the agony
of hope, deferred through the long hours of a day which
ought to be tier, so far as may be, for contemplation on
sacred things, and tor holy Christian enjoyment?
I perceive that the same parry, whose efforts have
procured from a weak and reluctant;Miuistry the perpe-
tration of this outrage on religion and common sense,
are now actively employed in circulating petitions
against the admission ut Jews into Parliament. 1 can
imagice nothing more absurd than this. Why, Sir, if
they are so loud of Jewish ordinances, should they•so'
strongly obj,ct to Jewish. Legislators?
I enclose my address, that you may know that my
signature, is not a feigned one, and with *my sincere
wishes that your exertions in the cause of religious
libeity may be soon crowned with SII3CEI3,
Sir, your very obeo!ent servant
A PRESBYTER OF THE CHURCH OF EN

AND.

[ADVERTISRMENT.]----BOTANI WATER AND
BEARS' GREASE.-- When the hair is becoming thin, and fall-
ing oft', the only effectual remedy, besides shaving the • •
is the use of the two above-named
alter-
nately, the botanic water to cleanshearrioioctiseslroar ii
scurf,applied
and
as 4 stimulant, and the bears' grease as a nourisher. If any
further evidence' Was required or the virtues of bears, grease
for reno • vating and preserving the hair, Mr. Catlin's acccunt
of the quantity used, and the length of hair obtained by
some of ,the North American Indians, would be a sufficient
answer....R& .Sows. 119 and 120, liishopsgate-street,
London, who first introduced the use of bears' grease in this
country, and who fat, and kill the animas, recommend the
public to purchase none other but Is ith their names and
address pruned on the pot, or the chances are their obtain-
ing a spurious article.
[AD VEBTISEMEIST.]—WheeIer's General London
and Provincial Newspaper-office, Manchester.—B. Wheeler
begs to inform his friends and the public, that in consequence
of the alteration in the Post-office regulations, he has made
arrangements to receive Bell's Life in London, and other Lon-
don Saturday_ and Sunday newspapers at the earliest hour,
possible on the Saturday, so as to be delivered in Manches-
ter the same day, and also to forward them to the neigh-
bouring towns on the Saturday.—Exchange Arcade, Man-
chester.
CADvERTisEmENT.J—BeII's Life in London.—ln
consequence of the new postal arrangements, a portion of the
publication of this journal will take place before 5 o'clock on
Saturday mornings in time fur the morning mails and early
railways. To insure the insertion of advertisements in
Bell's Life, they should be sent to 170, Strand, early on
18
dOOOAY. afierupon. The average sale of .14.4's i#Y. exceeds,
THS BRIGHTON _
PAvimoN.—The Surveyor to thee'
Woods and Forests gave the Commissioners of Britbton
pos=ession of the rentioit %tate o Weitealllaikaiee
I#4llo/6 gift** b •

GROTTO-PASSAGE RAGGED INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.--•
The annual meeting of this institution was held yesterday,
at the Marylebone Institution, Edwards-street, Portman.
square; Lord Ashley in the chair. The chairman com-
menced the proceedings by stating that, however ineaient
their efforts might appear to be, yet still they had realised
in many cases greater results than could have been antici-
pated. When they looked upon the lawless class which they
had to deal with, and the depravity which they had to
contend against, they had every cause to be grateful for the
benefits which many had derived from the institution. of the
ragged schools. The report being then read, stated that
36 boyS had been b: arded, lodged, and clothed in the Refuge
Institution; 180 children of each sex, and 4t) adults, had
been under daily tuition; 70 boys had received instruetion
in various trades, and 25 re each sex had been provided with
a daily di-,ner. A Sunday-school, with an average attend-
ance of 43, had been in constant operation; and a library
and reading-room had been opened. Eight boys and three
men had been sent to the colonies. The report was adopted,
and a vote or thanks to the chairman concluded the business
of the meeting.
LOBSTER FISHING.—The lobster fishing has been
prosecuted with great activity and most successfully.on the
.shores of ibis county during tte last two or three months.
At Dunnet and Scarfskerry stations, where there are front
sixteen to eighteen boats employed, the takes have hitherto
averaged about 1;000 a week. Mr. Roberts, of London, fishes
the whole coast from Cape Wrath to Hums, as also the
Orkney Isles; and it is estimated, at a moderate calculation,
that he expends in this one branch of industry atone, in this
part of the country, about 3,00' L during the lobster fishing
season, which extends from the Ist of April to tbq lat of
July. The fishing on the south coast, from Hurna to
Latheron, is carried on by our enterprising townamab,
Gunn, merchant, Bridge-street, and a partner. They
employ two boats, but they have not diiven so profitable a spec as Mr. Roberts has on the north coast.—John -V Groat
'barna

SNOW IN JUNE.—On Saturday morning. between
the hours of nine and ten o'clock, there was a slight fall of
sleet and snow at Lincoln, sufficient to lie upon the flag
paVement. The mornings and evenings have been very
cold.—Postm Herald.

L. ----
%.:
COTII:•:}1 lioprrAl..--A quarterly court. of the
govenws of this corporation was held yesterday afternoon, at
tueir offices in Crane-court, Fleet street, for he reception of
the accounts and for other business ; Dr. .Webster In the
chair. 'rite statement' of accounts trout St. A:4drew's-clay to
Midsummer was read and approved. frAn which it appeared
that the total receipts ..during filet time amounted to
.1,9121. 12s. 24.1.; of which 6011. 16s. was received in dona-
tions, and 354/. 165. in annual subscriptions. The restwas
cumpOsed of a ualance from the last return and the interest
on deposits, rents, &c. The expenditure during the Baum
- 'period amounted to 1,6841. ls. 9d., of which upwards of
1,380/. was devoted to charitable purposes. A letter from
pr,ifes•s-or 'Donaldson, on the subject of the New Record
offices, was read to•the meeting, which :stated that he had
been' in communication with the office of Woods and
Forests on the subject, and it appeared that a plan had been
determined upon much less extensive then that originally
contemplated, 'and whidli would only occupy ground be-
tween Chancery and Fetter-laue, without extending further
'eastward, so that the premises 'of the , Scottish Corporation
would not be required. ,A vote of tlAtukS to the chairman.
Concluded the proceedings.
THE BANQUET TO TRH EX.-LORD . MAYOR, or
LONDON.— We understand that th 3 dinnet to•to given, to Sir
James Duke, M.V., , in, return lot his hospitable entertain-
ment to the chief magistrates of English and Scottish towns
during his iluiyOralty,' and which war agreed, at a 'recent
meeting of Mayors and Provosts at D,rti‘, to take place in
Edinburgh, is, fixed for Thursday, the 11 th 01 Jnly, at six
o'clock. The ballque.t will take piece in the llopetoun
Rooms, and preparations are, we believe, to be made for a
cuinpany o from 150 to 200.—Edinburgh Advertiser. •
---

THE ABODE OF LOVE—WARM RCCEFTION OF •
VISIToRs.-- Five young gentlemen of filidgewater, anxious
for a peep into the m 3 steries of the Agapemone, proCeeded
to that interesting establishment one day last week, and
finding "no admittance except on business," commenced an
attack on the outer gate witt their walking sticks, when, to
their distriiiy, • instead of the responsive expression of " Who
in dat knocking at the doot?" Lund themselves surr6unded
lay five of brethren armed with hockey sticks and hunt-
ing-whips. One of the gentlemen, famed for length of limb,
made a :Lipid departure; the others received a sound thrash-
ing, and were told, with peculiar Princite politeness, that the
same fate would await them on a similar annoyance.

ATmo,pilutic 1-IAYmA4INci,,+
,w jhirlwind visited
a hay-lipid on the tarm of Lord liraybrooke near Saffron
Walden, on Tuesday, and rather astosasbed the troop of hay.
makeig by hurrying off Part,. if the Attgriat uppja „Which
they Were labouring, carrying, milt fantastic ship% Over the
tops ,of the tall trees, 41A1 dekooitia4; ;me Of it bile s
64.4464 447414.