The Arkansas advocate., 1830-04-28

I loillSQ It's oD5cTtdHCes IL hoo 0diSleiiJ 1 prohibited all worldly ernployments, un- der penalty, to be levied on the goods of the delinquent; and if they prove in- l sufficient, to be satisfied by the impris- onment of the body in the house of cor rection.
 What the legislature mean by ( works of necessity or charity" IS explained in the proviso of the section. "The dress ing of yietuals in private families, bake houses, &c. the delivery of milk, or the necessaries of life before nine of the clock in the forenoon, and after i've of the clock in the afternoon,2 are enamer- ated among few others.
 1t will be seen, that the legislature in those enactments has not regarded the Sabbath simply as . divine institution. It has recognized its observance as an important preventive ofvice and immor- ality. It has adopted the Christian Sabbath, as thus to be set aside for rest and quiet, because the sacredness of that day is acknowledged in the religious belief of almost every sect; certainly Of the vast majority of their constituents. It has shut ali its courts, all its public offices; 1t has prohibited the adnninis- tration of justice, the execution of the law, except in cases of the most press ing kind. In short to every purpose, Sunday is dies non jatridieats. All con tracts of what kind soeyer made on that day, are absolutely void. They can be enforced before no tribunal within the State. Such regulations are notconfin- ed to Pennsylvania. Most of our sister States have adopted laws of a similar tenor. The principle is as old as the common law itself, whichis the fountain and source of ourmunicipal regulations. As far back as the days of King Ethel stan, of Saxon memory, we are present ed with the following as promulgated by him: Die Doauaico memo aaereatarana faeito: id qaod si q,tis egerit, q ipsa nsef- cede et preterea uiginla solidis ngulctator.
 Pennsylvania has acquiesced very long under these laws, and has not con- sidered an act to promote the obsefv- anee of the Sabbath, as in any wise by human authority controlling or interter- ing with the rights of conseicnee,o or, 4 as giving preference by law to any re- hgious establishments or modes of wor- ship. The legislature at that time consisted ofmany of the franers of the Constitution; and at the head of the iex- ecutiye department, was placed the re- yolutionary patriot Thomas Mifflin, a man whose distinguished liberality ol principle will not be denied. They made this law parallel enactment, with one still standing upon the pages of the statute book, imposing a penalty upon any one who shall profanely curse or swear by the name Of either person ol the Holy Trinity.
 Let us now view the acts of Congress under the clause in the Constitution of the United States.
 Without adyerting to the exceeding broadncss of Col. Johnson's principle. that the government of the U. States ought not to regard one day as more ho- ly than another, or remarking on how many various instances in the practice of the government itis not supported: 1T the rest allowed to the President and other public functionaries on the first day of the week; in the fact that Con. gress itself adjourns over that day; that the courts of the U. States are shut, and justice not administered on Sunday, lei us turn our attention to few facts or this subject, connected with the history of the Post Office department.
 By an ordinance of the Revolutionary Congress, July 26, l776, the Post Of flee department was established, and Benjamin Franklin appointed Post Mas. ter General. The transportation o1 the Mail was then matter of great diff Gculty; in country involved in won derful and fearful contest with daring enemy upon the spot, and without the means of safe and ready travelling. The ordinance of the 18th of October, i782, provides for the weekly transportation of the mail, and in the section ahixing a penalty to the offence of carrying let ters without authority, excepts s official messengers and expressly authorizes the Post Master General to hire ex- presses who shall not be confined to fix ed days, nor travel the usual post roads. 5 This ordinance was continued by act of September22, l789, to 3d of March, l79i; and again from March 3d, l79I, to the end of the then next session of lko1.1.racc IL ;--zroll ll-.r.,I I or-41.1.l 4A<L