The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-25 00:00:00

SUNDAY TRAVELLING.
EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW RAILWAY.

The half-yearly meeting of the Shareholders of this Railway, took
place on the 20. d inst., in the Company's Office, Glasgow. About
150 persons were present, a great number of them tending proxies
for absent Shareholders from all parts of the kingdom.
Mr. Laensirrea in the Chair,
The Report of the Directors having been read, a series of dig..
cussions took place upon various points arising out of that docu-
ment, and attempts were made, on the part of Mr. Makgill
Crichton, and a rew others--first, to move a vote of censure upon
those of the Directors who were known to be favourable to Sunday
travelling ; and next, to turn them out of the Direction, in order
to make way for others holding different views on this subject ; but
in both instances they were completely foiled, and the old Direc-
tors re-elected.
The business of the general meeting having been finished, the
Shareholders then constituted themselves into a special meeting,
for the consideration of the question of running trains on the Sunday.
The CHAIRMker stated that several deputations were in waiting
with memorials on the subject, which they were enxious to present
to the Shareholders in person. This he thought might be per-
mitted as a matter of courtesy, but with the distinct understanding
that they should not occupy more than half an hour.—(Cries of
" Agreed, agreed.") The Chairman added that he had received
203 memorials on the same subject, all urging the Sharehoiders not
to permit any travelling on the line on Sunday, and six in favour
of Sunday travelling. He had also received a communication from
Dundee, which he had been requested to read, announcing that
the Shareholders of the Dundee and Arbroath Railway had, at their
meeting on Monday, rejected the proposal to run a train for pas. 1
sengers on Sunday by a majority of 34.
The various deputations were then admitted, consisting chiefly
of about thirty or forty Established and Dissenting clergymen,
connected with Edinburge, Glasgow, Paisley, Ser.
Mr. W. COLLINS, bookseller, who seemed to act as the Secre-
tary of the whole deputation., stated that the largest portion of
the memorials were already in the hands of the Secretary or the
Shareholders, and that only a few remained to be presented by the
deputations. The first memorial to be presented was from the
Commission of the General Assembly.
The Rev. Dr. DICKSON, of Edinburgh, then came forward and
said—We feel indebted to your courtesy for admitting us to your
meeting this day. I appear here as the representative of the Corn.
essieree of the Commission of the General Assembly of the
Church of Scotland appointed to watch over the progress of
your splendid operation!, and particularly with reference
to the apprehensions we entertain that your Railway
might be employed to desecrate the Lord's Day. The memorial
from the Gornmsssion was some time ago printed and circulated
among the Shareholders, so that it is quite unnecessary for me to
do more than merely lay the document upon your table ; but I may
state generally that it contains to a certain extent an indication of
the anxiety with which the Church of Scotland wait for your deci.
lion this day. We apprehend the most dismal consequences from
any part of that day, which was consecrated from the beginning by
God himself, and sanctioned by the authority of our Divine Re-
deemer, being employed in secular purposes, and more espe-
cially for the purposes of traffic and trade. Nil,Pe give full au-
thority—because we are authorised to do so by our Divine Re-
deemer—to works of necessity and mercy on that day; but
it appears to us that travelling on the railway can in no-
wise be considered as coming under the descripticn either of neces-
sity or mercy. We have not only looked with anxiety to the de-
cision of this day, but we have not been unmindful of the neces-
sity of lifting up our hearts in prayer privately, and of calling upon
our congregations to join us in supplications publicly, that God
would put it into the hearts of our countrymen to abstain from
doing what you well know we consider as a great sin, and conse-
quently from bringing the judgments of God upon our beloved
country. I have only in conclusion to express my earnest hope
and prayer that God would direct your decision that day so as to
prevent the evils which we deprecate.—(Hear, hear.)
Memorials were then presented by the Rev. Mr. Macfarlane of
Renfrew, from the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and from all the
Kirk Sessions within its bounds; by the Rev. Dr. Ifeugh, from the
United Secession Presbytery of Glasgow; by the Rev. Mr. Fowler,
from the Presbytery of Glasgow; by the Rev. Dr. Burns, ti om the
Presbytery of Paisley; and from the United Kirk Sessions of Pais-
ley ; by the Rev. Mr. Stogie, from the Presbytery of Dumbarton,
and from nineteen Kirk Sessions within its bounds; by the Rev.
Dr. Symington, from eight different bodies connected with the
Reformed Presbyterian Synod ; by the Rev. Mr. Simon, from the
Methodists of the Glasgow Circuit ; by Mr. Martin, from the inha.
bitants of Greenock, &c.
Mr. COLLINS stated that the declaration threatening to withhold
support from the Railway, if opened on the Sabbath, had been signed
by 214,113 individuals, and that many of the memorialists would
have signed this declaratiun also, but for a feeling of delicacy to-
wards the Shareholders, and a hope that it would be unnecessary.
Mr. Collins then proceeded to say—This is an eventful day for our
beloved country. The eyes of the people of Scotland are turned
with deep and increasing interest on your proceedings; and it de-
pends ore you to impress deep grief on their spirits, or to diffuse
gladness throughout the whole Christian community of Scot.
land. From our earliest infancy we have been taught to lisp
and to know upon the authority of God's word, that the deca-
logue contained ten commandments, and is it Christian Scotland,
which has been so long distinguished among the nations for its ob.
servance of that holy day—is it, I say, in Christian Scotland that
we are to be told for the first time, that there are only nine com-
mandments in God's holy decalogue ? I pray you to recollect also
the solemn circumstances connected with this event. The com-
mandments were written with the finger of God upon tables of
stone, to indicate their enduring character and immutability. Will
you then seek to erase from these tables one of the commandments
which God has inscribed with his own finger. I pray you to ponder
deeply the step you are now about to take. My earnest prayer to
God is, that He would inscribe this commandment upon the fleshly
tablets of your hearts now, that so you may be led to obey His
statutes, to do honour to His holy day, and to protect the inhabit.
ants of our belovedcountry in the peaceful and undisturbed enjoy-
ment of their holy Sabbaths.
The deputation on that side of the question then retired.
The only deputation on the other side, was Mr. Alexander,
Greenock, Who presented a memorial from 1,806 inhabitants of that
town, setting forth the advantages that would accrue, both as re-
spects the observance of the Sabbath and the health of the work-
ing classes, by the opening of the Railway upon that day. Mr.
Alexander added that the signatures had been procured in the course
or eight days, and without any of the canvassing or concussion which
had been so extensively emploied on the other side ; so that the
memorial be had the honour to present might safely be taken as a
far more accurate indication of the opinion of the people of Gree-
nock than the other.
Sir ANDREW Aexew, in his own name, and in the name of all
who should adhere to him, then gave in a protest against the
running of trains on Sunday, as opposed to the ancient statutes of
the realm; and against the funds and stock ofthe Company being
liable for defending any action that might be raised against the
Company on that point.
The following gentleman adhered to the protest, and with Sir
Andrew, took instruments in the clerk's hands :—Mr. Makgill
Crichton, Mr. James Bridges, Rev. Mr. Dempster of Denny, Rev.
John Ferguson, of Monievaird ; Rev. Dr. Keith, of St. Cyrus ; Mr.
Charles Philip, Mr. Charles Cowan, Mr. W. Campbell, Dr. George
Smyttan, General Pittman, Mr. P. Dalmahoy, Mr. James Craig,
and Mr. W. G. Cassells.
The CHAIRMAN then expressed a hope that in the discussion
about to take place, the speakers would avoid asperity in their
remarks, and be as brief as possible.--.:.(Hear, hear.)
Mr. M'eletet said, as the person who had given notice of the
motion for to-day, he was perfectly ready, if the meeting chose, to
go to a vote at once, without a single observation.
Mr. MAKGILI. CRICHTON objected to this proposal. It would be
a disgrace to permit this great national and religious question to be
passed over without a discussion.
Mr. Weleree--We'l, if the meeting will have a discussinn, I
am ready to proceed, but, for my part, I think the subject is en-
tirely exhausted. 1 think you did right, in point of' courtesy, in
hearing those gentlemen to-day, who thought they could impress
considerations upon us calculated to sway our minds ; but I appeal
to the judgment of every person within this room, whether,
after all the time that has been consumed, after all the
warmth that has been expressed, and all the eloquence
that has been exhibited, one scintillation of fresh light has
been thrown upon this vexed and much debated ques-
tion.—(Hear, hear, hear.) From the respect to the individuals who
sent them, I thought it my duty carefully to peruse every docu.
• extent which has been submitted to me on the subject ; and I
must candidly say, that after the best consideration I have been
able to give them, after the best advice I have been able to procure,
I have not seen it my'duty to depart one inch, either from the
position I took up before, or from the views which I previously
briefly submitted to the Board. As my views then remain un-
changed, I shall not detain you by the repetition of them. In fact,
if the matter had been left to me, I should not have troubled
you with any remarks at all, because I have not the vanity or pre-
sumption to think that anything that I could say could alter your
minds either one way or the other ; for I have no doubt that
every man who entered the room this morning, came with
the determination to vote in a particular way. But
there are one or two considerations, which have been
pressed upon our attention to-day, which it may be
as well should not be left unnoticed or unanswered. I am wilting
to deal with the considerations which they say ought to be conclu-
sive with us, If I believed that public opinion was against us—
meaning thereby the opinion of the quiet, thinking, and I will add
the serous part of the community—l would not press such a mo-
tion. We must all bow to the omnipotence of public opinion ;
but I recognise in public opinion something very different from the
cla nour and declamation of public meetings orthe signatures pro-
cured to the documents before us. I demur to the proposition
that there is anything like a general or universal opinion against
us on this question. The memorialists are no doubt numerous;
but if they are as numerous as they say they are, how comes it that
soli!' ail know there is not a single organ of the the public press
'-'-with the exception of that small portion of it which advocates a
'particular systent of eheirch policy—which expresses this opinion
Upon the subject of these memorials, I confess I feel not a little
'distressed ; f I have never been in the habit of impugning the
motives of any man who takes a different view of the question
.from. me. But I cannot shut my c yes to the testimony of facts
which are staring me In the face, that of these memorials before
you, it is scarcely possible to look at one without being convinced
,hat it is teeming with forgeries.—( Great sensation ; cries of
"Shame, shame,' " Hear, bear," " Chair, chair.")
14tiernerassere—That is a strong expression you have used, Mr.
and I hope you have not made it without being prepared
to prove it —( Hear, hear.)
Mr, lit'lielee —lt is a strong expression, Mr. Chairman;
but I cannot call facts by any other than their right name.—
(" Hear, hear," " Proof, proof.") Here is the proof (holding up
a long list of names) Here is the proof in the very first petition
.which I take up, which contains fifty or sixty names all in the
same handwriting.—(Great cheering. Mr. here handed
the petition to the Chairman.)
The CHAIRMAN—The names do appear to be all in the same
handwriting; but this must surely be a copy of the original petition.
Mr, M'NEILL—Sir, it is the original petition itself. It contains
oneor two genuine signatures; but the rest are all forgeries.
Sir ANDREW Acevew then examined the petition, and read the
name of the clergyman hom whom it came—Rev. Mr. Glass,
Carronshlre.
Mr.. Meitelitee Citroen:en maintained that, even if Mr. M`Neill's
a. scrtnto flee
were true, it did not prove forgery,—(Hear.)
o
lee motion of one of the Shareholders Mr. words
were taken down by the clerk.
Mr. Weimer—Of course, I know nothing of the individuals in
this place; but it really looks as if the list had been taken out of
some Directory._(r
esseighter ) There are, for instance, five or six
Marshal's, about a dozen of Jenkins,
and about half -a-dozen of
Wilsons. (Mr. Mackgill Ctichton "Very natural.") Oh I very
natural.—(Laughter.) But I don't leave my charge upon this
vague statement. Mr. Hamilton has looked into the petitions
with more care than myself, and he informs me that
hardly one of them is different —(siee. r, hear.) I must say
Ido not we nder at the number of signatures when I think of
the means that have been adopted to procurethem—when I
think even of the money that appears to have been ex-
pended in obtaining them. 153 W a document this morning
in Edinburg!, setting forth that if every ono who had signed
the declaration would pay a shilling each . there would be
An ample fund to pay expenses. Now I believe it is said
that greatly upwards of 100,000 persons have signed that docu
ment ;'so that the stem required would appear to be between five
and six thousand pounds.—(Hear, hear.) We all know also that
never in our memory has there been such coercion exercised;
us and continued oppression
much severe, and strenuous, , practised
aspen Servants, children, :footmen, and dependents, to procure
their signatures, and whose names, when procured, have been os.
tentatieusly paraded as the free expression of the opinion of the
merchants and bankers of Edinburgh.—( laughter.) But
snore than that, one Rev, Gentleman actually goes the length
at boasting that he had got the names of all the paupers in his
parish ; as if persons in that condition could do anything else
-but what.the-minister and kirk.session commanded them to de.
Mr. Feasauson rose to explain, but was Interrupted with cries of
"Order, order," " Chair, chair."
)tr, Itelestee, in connection with this point,
also read a letter
seems Iliaekloekwriter, Cal'endar, stating that out of two or
Morslu
,nnes procured in that parish, fifty were those
liwitsn aid. He then proceeded
three
tuft4"4
t—God