Litchfield enquirer., 1830-03-25
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATTVFs.
 SUNDAY MAILS

OH FOSt ounces and Post terred for prohibiting the transportation of Mails, and the opening of Post Off;csS ~. ~. Sunday, REPORT
 Jhat the memOrialists regard the first dav "1 c me week as day set apart by the Creator 'or religious exercises, and consider the trans- P"rtatlnn "f the mail and the opening of th4
 post ohces on that day, the violation of re- ms'o"s duty' and calls for the suppression of 1ne pTact'ce. Others, by counter memorials.
 are Hnown |" entertain different sentiment oeneVinS that no one day of the week is holi. CT than another. Others, holding the univer.
 sahty and immutability of the Jewish deca. 'ogoe' believe in the sancfity of the seventh aay Ot the week as day of religious devo-
 tion; and by their memorial now bef,re inc
 committee. they also request that it may he
 set set, apart for religious purposes. Eaef, has
 huhertO been left to the exercise of his own oP'nnn; and it has been regarded as tho proper business of Government to protect all. ana determine for none. But the attemnt is now made to bring about greater uuiformi- ty' at least. in practice; and, as argument has failed, the Government has been called upon to interpose it's authority to settle the controversy.
 Congress acts under constitution of dele. gated and limited powers. The committee 'o"k m vain to that instrument for deleea- "on of power authorizing this body to inquire ana determine what part oftime, or whether any, mas been set apart by the Almighty for .ene.ous exercises. On the contrary, among the few prohibitions which it contains. ia ons that prohibits religious test; and another. which declares that Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion. or prohibiting the Hee exercise thereof. The committee might here rest the argument. up- on the ground that the question referred tO them. does not come within the cogh;zance ot Congress; but the perseverance, and zeal with which the memorialists pursue their ob- Ject' seems to require further el,icidation of 'ne s"9!ect. And, as the opposers of Sunday Ma.is 0lsclalm all Intention to unite church ana state, the committee do not feel disposed 10 'mpugn their motives; and whatever may ne 2, advanced ID opposition to the measure, will arise from the fears entertained of ;ts e' ta' tendency to the peace and happiness of Inc nation. The catastrophe of other na- tIons, furnished the framers of the cons,i.u- !'on beacon of awful warning. and they nave ev'nced the greatest possible care iiv guarding against the same evil
 psfatrs rtiiafa Jjt now exists, makes no dis all reasonub.-:e Fos, z. .hA week, but is i'm. the duties oftheir ofiea22 a22astsr shall attend at General has given his instructions to an Post masters. that. at post offices, where the mail arrives on Sunday the office is to be kept O. pen one hour, or more, after the arrival and asserting of the mail but in case that would interfere with the hours of public worshipy the office is to be kept open for one hour af- ter the usual time of dissolving the meeting. This liberal construction of the law does not satisfy the memOrialists. But the committee believe that there is not just ground of com- plaint, unless it be conceded that they have a power over the cOnsciences of others. IfC"ngress shall. by the authority of law, sanction the measure recommended, it would constitute legislative decision Of re- ligious controversy, in which even Christians, themselves, are at issue. However saited such decision may be- to as ecclesiastical cOun- cil, 1t is incompatible with republican legis- q lature. which is purely for poiiticak and not religious purposes.
 In our individual character, we all enter tain opinions, and pursue corresponding
 practice upon the subject of religion. How
 ever diversified these may be. we all harmo-
 nize as citizens. while each is willing that the
 other shall enjoy the same liberty which he
 claims for himself. But in our representative
 character. our individual character is lost.-
 The individual acts for himselE--the represen-
 tativc for his constituents. He is chosen to
 represent their political and not their religious
 yiews--tO guard the rights of man; not to
 restrict the right of conscience. Despots may
 regard their subjects as their property. and
 usurp the Divine prcrogatiye of prescribing
 their religious faith. But the history Of the
 world furnishes the melancholy demOnstra-
 ton, that the disposition of one man to CO.,
 cree the religious homage of another. springs
 from an uncbastened ambition, rather than
 a sincere devotion to any religion. The priD- cipIes of our Government dO not recognize in the majority. any authority over the minori- ty, except in matters which regard the con- duet of man to his fellow man. Jewish
 monarch, by graspng the holy censer., lost
 both his sceptre and his freedom; destiny
 as little to be envitd may he the lot of the
 American people. who hold the sovereignty
 of power. if they, in the person of ftheir rep-
 resentatives, shall attempt to unite. in the re-
 motest degree, Church and State.
 From the earliest period of time. religious
 teachers have attained great ascendancy over
 the minds ofthe people; and in every nation.
 ancient or modern, whether Pagan. Mahom-
 edan, or Christian. have succeeded in the in-
 corporation of their religious tenets with the
 political institutions of their country. The
 Persian idols, the Grecian Oracles, the RO-
 man auguries. and the modern priesthood oi
 Europe, have all. in their turn. been the sub. ject of popular adulation and the agents ol political deception. If the measure recon n n L IL ErNA