Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-23

NC M"Tn right OF every citizen, to exercise those
civil ana political rights which he possesses in COM
mon with Others be decided at the bar orhis O,
conscience 1t is matter. in which others have no
Iight 10 interfere No man prescribe my course
VI ouly' I'D relation to the exercise of my acknowledge
ed rights, without ,nermeddiing with other mems
concerns.
Having shown that the possession and avowal of
any set of opinions whether religious or otherwise
ao hot impair any ones rights as citizen, proceed
to ascertain how the case stands in relation to the
PoSt-Oticc law, which has called forth so many mo-
MORALS and nti-memorials.
!. Our Government recognizes either the truth.
or the faisehood, of Christianity There is no alter
native here No government could possibly exist
without deciding practically the great question
whether Christianity is true, or a false relirion
The requirement ofcur oath in the affairs of govern
ment, and In the administrai of the laws assumes
that there is God in opposition to the creed of the
Atheist. The use of the Bible in administering the
oath, implies belief that it is true in oppostion TO
lnhdeis OF every description. The use of the rhoie
Christian, in favor OF the latter Now, would anv
Gouernment appeal to God which it did not believe
to exist, and enforce the obligations of an oath bv
book which 1t did not acknowledge to be true, Would
public profession of hypocrisy increase the fidelity
of an officer or the credbility of witness.
g Fhe question whether there is a Christian Sab.
oath or not, Is one which it is impossible in the ma
tare OF things for our government to leave undecided
II the Executive Leglsa i've, and Judicial depart
ments suspend public business one day in seven, they
decide IN favor of a weekly Sabbath. If they are
engaged in public business every day alike they de-
eide that there is no Sabbath. There can be no
neutrality here. The government cannot exist one
month, without deciding practically and fully the
great question, whether there is a Sabbath or not;
and whether the first seventh, some other day in
the week, IS the Sabbath. The decision of this cues
tion is necessarily involved in the very existence of
our government.
8: Accordingly, we find that it has been actually
aeclueo from the commencement of our national eXis-
tence ine hrst day of the week has been uniformly
observed as day OF rest IN every department of our
government The President of the United States
and the Heads of the several Departments with their
Clerks and Agents. turn aside from the public busi.
ness on that day Both Houses of Congress suspend
their sessions and appoint Chaplain to preach the
Gospel to them the first day of the week. The
Judiciary too in all its branches observes the same
as day of rest.
These remarks are applicable to the several
state Governments rs to that of the Union. They
have all decided that there is God-tlat the Bibla
Is true revelation of his willard that the first day
OF the week IS to be observed as day of rest Thus
they have decided the grand question, against the
hthelst' the Delet the Nahometan, the Jew the Sab
batarian, and the Nothngarlan-in favor of the
Christians They were compelled, from the very
nature of the case, to decide it, one way or the other
and the Christian religion is true their decision is
according to truth and wisdom.
Let us now turn to the case before u.s. Conorass
have passed law requiring the transaction of public
business in the Post-O Office Department eyerv dan in
me 'oeef- We petition them to repeal this law
n
ideas together, that do ask them to settle anv
religious principle We have seen that the Drinciple
has been settled from the very origin of our govern
nent, and that Congress sanction it every week. 1t
IS reposterous therefore, pretend that the repeal
or the law, In wolves the decision of any relipious
question, or has the most tendency to unite
Church and Stae. No man of common intelligence
who is acqnant ed with the facts of the case can on
pose IL on TINS ground The only principle in ques-
tlon arises, not out of the repeal but out of the en-
actment OF the present law, by which Congress have
undertaken by their own act, to abolish the Sabbath
ID opposition 10 the uniform decisions of the General
and State Gayernments.
But there isAnother aspect in which this spbiect
presents itself Docs not the prosperity of this ma
ton require the most rapid diffusion of intelligence.
and would it not therefore be inerpeaeut to repeal
the present law? This Is fair question: but it
braces more than good people seem to be aware
1t is manifest that the question of expediency can
never arise except the assumption that the sane
tlhcaton OF one day in Of divine autllori
ty For II Is not to be supposed that any man can
be so inconsistent believe that one day in the
week Is appointed by Infinite wisdom as day of hoiv
rest and then turn about and contend that it is cape
dent to violate the law of God! We cannot for
moment peneve that IN the view of any human being,
the wise Ruler of the Universe has given us law,
which regard to our highest happiness compels us
to disobey.
The expediency of the present law, then, is to be
advocated by such persons only, do not believe in
the existence Of any Sabbath at all. But consistency
in them requires the application of the same rule of
exPediency to every department of our government.
There is no Sabbath by Divine appointment in the
Post Office, how happens it that there is one, by
human appointment, in every other department? By
what rule of expediency do the Executive, Legisa-
tive and Judicial departments neglect the peoples
business one day in seven, and thus waste annually
several millions of the Peoples money? Expedency
requires that this same hoy-day, which is thus was
ting our substance, paralizing the arm of govern
ment, and forming an alliance between Church and
State should be banished not from the Post flee
only, but from the Presidents House, the Halls Of
Congress- and the Courts of Justice. | do not say
the friends Of the law contemplate this entire and
universal abolition Of the Sabboth. But consistency
requires this; and we know, that, if such were the
object, policy would induce them to commence the
work of destruction in the very department. and in
the very manner in which it has been introduced
Mr.. Johnson's Report on this law, may be resolved
into three prOposltions-1 It's repeal would decide
religious question, and therefore does not come with
IN the powers of civil government 2, 1t would unite
Church and State; 8, 1t is ncxpedent to repeal the
law, because then the diffusion Intelligence would