Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-13

carried on Sundayl III this be their mouVe,
then il is the worldly gain which stimulates 10
action. and not virtue or religion. 10 they
complain that ,nen less considerations IN re-
lation TO the Sabbath, obtain advantages over
them. bv receiving their letters and attending
to their contents Still their moi'ye IS Won
| " and selfish. Blu, ifiheir motive be TO induce
Congress to sanction by law, their reogious
opinions and obssrvances, then their Efforts are
to be resisted; as in their tendency lala', bo'h
to religious and political freedom. why have
the petitioners confined their prayers TO the
mails /. Why have they not requested .na'
the Government be required 10 suspend al us
executive functions on that day! why 90
thew NOT REQUIRE US to enact that our ships
shall not sail? tha, our armies shall not march!
that officers Of Justice shall no, seize inc sus>
/ pec,ed. or guard The convicted they seem 10
forge, that government is necessary on sunday
as on any other day Of the week. The sPirn
of evil does not rest on tina. day. IL Is 'he
Government ever active III its functions, which
enables US all, even the petitioners, 10 worship
in our churches IN peace. Our Cove rnment
furnishes very few blessings like our mails
| They ear from the centre of our Republic 10
It's distant extremes, the acts of our legislative
bodies, the decisions Of the judiciary, and the
orders of the Executive. Their speed is often
essential 10 the defence Of the country, the sup.
preston Of crime, and the dearest interests OF
The people. Were they suppressed one day
Of the week, their absence must be ot'en sup.
piled by public expresses; and oesioes' "nhe
The mail bags might rest; the mall coaches
would pursue their journey with the passen,.
gers. The mail bears, from one extreme OF
the Union 20 the Other, letters OF relatives and
friends, preserving a communion OF heart be-
tween those far separated, and increasing the
most pure and refined pleasures OF ur exist
tence: also, the le tiers Of our commercial men
convey the state OF The markets, prevent ruin
Gus speculations, and promote general, as well
as inGividua, interest: they bear innumera-
able religious letters, newspapers, magazines
and tracts, which reach almost every house
throughout this wide Republic.
Is the conveyance of these a violation OF the
Sabbath? The advance of the human race IN in.
telligencc, in virtue, and religion ITSELF, depends
in part upon The speed with which knowledge
of the past ia disseminated Without an IT.
terchange between one country and another,
and between different sections Of the same
country, every improvement in neral or po-
li,cal science, and the arts Of life, would be
confined 10 the neighborhood where originated.
The n,ore rapid and more frequent this inter
change, the more rapid will be The march Of
intellect. and the progress Of improvement
The mail is the chief means by which intellec-
rual light irradaes to the extremes OF ;he Re.
public. Stop il one day in seven; and you re-
tard one seventh the advancement OF our coun-
try So far from stopping the mail on Sunday
the Committee would recommend the use OF
all reasonable means to give it greater tx.
petition and greater extension. What would
be the elevation Of our country, If every new
conce p,inn could be made TO strike every mind
in the Union at the same time! 1t is not the
distance Of a Province or State from the seat
Of Governme ut, " hich endsngeTs its separa tion,
but it is the difficulty and unfrequency Of inter
cou.e between them. Our mails reach Mis-
souri, and Arkansas in less time than they
reached Kentucky and Ohio in the infancy of
their settlements; and now, when there are
three millions Of people extending thousand
miles west Of the Allegheny, we hear less OF
discomfort. than when there were few thou.
sands scattered along their western base.
To stop The mails one day in seven W. uld be
10 thrust the whole western country, a,s! other
distant parts Of this Republic, one days jour
nty from the seat of Government. But were il
ex pedient TO put an end to the transmission OF
letters and newspapers on Sunday, because il
| violates the law of God, have not the petition
ers begun wrong their efforts! II the arm Of
Government, be necessary 10 compel men to
respect and obey the laws of God, do no, the
Stare Governments possess infinitely more
power in this respect! Let the petitioners
turn to Them, and see # they can induce the
passage Of laws 10 respect the observance Of
the Sabbath; for, if it be sinful for The mail to
carry letters on Sunday, 1t must be equally
sinful for individuals TO write, carry, receive or
read them. 1t would seem to require that
these acts should be made penal, to complete
the sys EN-. Travelling on business or recrea
lion, except to and from church; all printing,
carrying, receiving, and reading Of newspapers
-sll converse ions and social intercourse, *
cept upon religious subjects, must necessarily
be punished, 10 suppress the evil. Would IT
mol also follow, as an inevitable consequence,
tina, every man, woman, and child, should be
compelled 10 attend meeting? and, as only one
sect, in the opinion of some can be deemed
orthodox. mus, it not be determined, by law,
which that is, and compel all 10 hear those
teachers, and contribute to their support! If
minor ounisbmcn,s would not restrain the Jew