The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-11 00:00:00

THE SUN,

'noted by such an union, are to be restricted and cir- •
cumscribed in their liberty of choice, in the privilege
of selecting the future partnes of their lives, to
gra' fy the ridicifous fancies of n b g• t ed and fanatical ,
clique. The question, as we have long since stated,
is essentially one of"chit and rdigiuus litlerty," and
the very argument I.c-sorted to by M. Waneons
affords the strongest evidence of this fact, which
we have endeavoured to impress upon our
readers; for if everything were to be pro-
hibited on which some who profess to have
what are termed tender consciences were pleased to
entertain, or to say that they entertained, a doubt,
there would be an end of any degree Lf toleration.
The tyrant majority, or what is more to the purpose
in the present instance, the factious and turbulent
minority would carry all before them, and inflict
grievous punishments on all who ventured to wor-
ship their CREATOR in the manner which, in their
souls and consciences, they deemed most fitting.
But, although the Bill was read a third time, it was
not finally carried through the House. A clause was
proposed, providing that it should not extend to Scot-
land. This point had already been fully discussed in
Committee, and the proposed limitation was deliberately
negatived; but it was again brought forward, and
wi,h a similar result. The " Obstructives," how-
ever, succeeded in retarding the measure for another
day. It must again be brought on next week, on the
question that the Bill do now pass ; and its friends
must once again attend in their places to ensure its
final success in the popular branch of the Legislature.
It will then be for the Peers of Eogland to decide
the question ; we cannot doubt as to the result, or
suppose that their Lordships would reject a Bill on
which the hearts of so many thousands, aye millions,
of her MAJESTY'S subjects are anxiously set. One
thing at least is certain, the opposi-ion in the Lords
will be of a straightforward and bona fide character•
If defeated on a fair trial of strength, the minority
will not resort to the " dodging and trickery," to the
vexatious delays and repeated divisions on the same
points, so justly to be complained of in the minority
of the Commons House of Parliament on this impor-
tant and deeply interesting question.

Our impression this evening contains elsewhere the
report of a meeting held yesterday in this metropolis,
with an eye to the acknowledgment of the great
public exertions made in the way of sanitary im-
provement by Mr. GEORGE ALFRED WALKER. To
tew members of the community are the people of
England more largely indebted than to this gentle-
man, whether in regard to intellectual ap-
plication, to physical labour, or to pecu-
niary sacrifices in the advancement of a
great social reform materially affecting the health
and morals of the community. Hence it was with
peculiar satisfaction that we observed the initial move-
ment of yesterday towards the recognition of the
efforts of this really national benefactor. The Noble
Lord, the representative of the borough of Maryle-
bone, has only afforded another testimony of his
public spirit by taking the lead in this laudable
endeavour to commend the beneficient undertakings
of Mr. WALKER. As chairman of the meeting to which
we are now directing public attention, he yesterday
specified in terms of the most earnest, as they were
also the most deserved, eulogium the nature of the
enterprise upon which Mr. WALKER embarked
fourteen or fifteen years ago—an enterprise the suc-
cessful prosecution of which necessitated the most
complete self-forgetfulness and the most laborious
perseverance. Taut both those requisites have been
most fully and cordially yielded by him throughout
the agitation of the subject of Extramural
Interments, we fancy is sufficiently proven by the
mere circumstance that now, in defiance of all ob-
stacles, the evils of the existing system of burial have
been formally acknowledged by her MAJESTY'S Go.
vernment. But for the assiduous persistance of Mr.
WALKER, and for his magnanimous sacrifice of his
own personal comfort and convenience, we should not
so readily have attained even this Shadow of
the desired innovation. For to his painful
disclosures in reference to the manner of intramural
sepulture are alone attributable the steps already
taken by the Cabinet in the way of improvement.
True, without doubt, those steps are as yet only fal-
tering, and in many respects erroneous, yet, at the
same time, they are also reasons for oar congratula-
tion, seeing that they are auguries of an ultimate
enactment securing to the community all the benefits
desired by Mr. WALKER and his co-operators. As
yet we have only a feeble hint of those
benefits, but in the end that hint assures us that,
with perseverance, we shall compass their entire
realisation. As was very emphatically observed yes-
terday at the meeting, the evils of the measure now
awaiting the last approving stamp of the Legislature,
are not in any manner traceable to the scheme of
Mr. GEORGE ALFRED WALKER, that gentleman
being strongly opposed to the whole project
of this lamentable Bill, and seriously dread-
ing the inevitably evil effects of its ope-
ration. Had the plan been submitted (as it
should undoubtedly have been submitted) to
his scrutiny prior to Its introduction to the Houses
of Parliament, the pernicious clauses, already again
and again enumerated by ourselves, would infallibly
have been expunged, and others substituted of a
nature calculated to reconcile all conflicting interests.
The circumstance that Mr. WALKER. has throughout
the whole movement acted independeutly of any one
else, was surely no valid reason for the Cabinet re-
fusing to avail themselves of his w.questionable
abilities, and of his undoubted experience.
Knowing mere than any other individual in the United
Kingdom upon the subject of intramural interments,
it would have been only rational to have permitted
him to participate in the labours of improvement,
especially seeing that he himself individually ori-
ginated the whole scheme of s tnitary innovation.
Other persons have subsequently pushed forward
more prominently in behalf of the health of the mul-
titude, winning more particular regard from
the population by their more ostentatious
exertions, obtaining official appointments at Gvvydyr
House, and being invested with the honours of
Knighthood in the columns of the official Gazette.
But, meanwhile, the gentleman in whose favour the-e
tardy efforts are now making towards the purchase
of a suitable testimonial has been labouring ear-
nestly, without any encouragement whatever from
the State, and accumulating for the masses, almost in
secret, a large amount of practical benefactions.
With a view to the public recognition of these great
services to the multi- ude, the prelitninar3 meeting con-
vened yesterday will be beneficial as a testimony that the
nation is not invariably ungrateful to its benefactors,
beyond which the occurrence will not prove without
advantage as a glaring cnraleinnation of the forgetful-
ness evinced by the Government. Gratified, how-
ever, as we are at the circumstance, and striafied as
we must assuredly be with the sl.a7e taken in this
commendable movement by Lord DUDLEY STUART,
the Chairman, and by Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON, the
Secretary, we cannot but regret that the meeting was
nourevergtehneelersasl,
nTchtteoinlle
effofect;,raei, du
taiencge sfsriobmle cthhearacter.
selec-
tion of an inconvenient hour and locality may be
readily obviated, and we trust that the people at
large will be soon enabled to evidence their
regard
for Mr. WALKER, and their admiration fur his la-
bours, by a more numerous attendance, and a not less
unanimous enthusiasm.

art desirous
We would again urge upon those who
of promoting a Christian observance of the Sunday,
as contradistinguished from a Judaical observance
of the Sabbath, net to relax one jot or
tittle in their exertions. The Pharisees are reckless ;
it was only yesterday that the clique of " illustrious
obscure," who on Tuesdayihad stated to Lord JOHN
RUSSELL that they were the representatives of the
weekly metropolitan press (they being connected
exclusively with journals which do not publish on
Sunday, and having therefore a direct interest in
diminishing the circulation of the Sunday journals)
waited upon the Marquis of CLANEICARDE, the Post-
master-General, end made the same representations
to him, urging' him to render permanent the aboli-
tion of the Post-office Stmday delivery. The Mar-
quis of CLANEICARDF, in his- swayer, stated that the
tquiry now pending would continue for some werksond
- a at until that inquiry was concluded the Post• office de-
livery on Sunday would not be restored. This an-
sa is anything but satisfactory. There is no ne-
w !salty fur any such delay, and it would
8 sem as though the Ministry were afraid
the SabbatariAns. Their conduct, too, on