New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-03-11
TIE AsrEc1 OF TIE LApoRlse CLASSES

TIE AsPEcI OF THE LABoRISG CLASSES
No. vi LoNDos Eoven Der, Isi5
The system Of Holidays is one Of the great curses
Of the English aboring classes They calculate
on idng one or more days in the week and gene.
rally take Monday. 1t is so universal as a custom
in many sections as to seriously incommode the
operation Of manufactures but no remonstrance Of
employers can remedy the evil, it belongs to al
most the whole working population. These Holi-
days are partly Saints days, aud partly State
days. II has ever been the policy Of the Catholic
Church Of which the Established Church Of Eng
land is but a tail-to divert the common and bet.
ter sense Of its votaries from the fragrant assump
tons OF power and spirituality it has taken by
lazations and pageants In proportion as people
are uniformed and rude the seductiveness Of
this bait has succeeded 70 charm and habit in
dulged in for ages and strengthened by vices aud
dsspatons consequent upon idleness, is not readily
broken. The child learns TO love and covet what
the parent enjoys, the apprentice readily initiates
the journeyman or master, and with a common
consent they adhere to spendthriiting tiae. You
shall hear the complaint almost everywhere. If
you minge with men Of business and especially
gone upon a spree, has taken a holiday, or is not
yet through with his Sunday, for the idle Monday
is called a continuation OF the Sabbath which in
England among the lower classes is the greatest Of
all holidays On this day they interchange their Wis
it's eat their best dinners and drink their deepest
draughts Confined to toll for the week, without
resort to Ay to beyond the taproom. and feeling
no sympathy with religious establishment that
only interests itself toward them by picking their
pockets--and cOntemning their carnal rags as they
contrast with its purple and fine linen-the mass
of people seek any other place than the Church for
instruction or entertainment. They naturally turn
from toll 10 the bowl, which, while it obscures the
Past Tor moment. also shn's out the badness OF
the Future. Those few institutions uo'IsUl ~
Government or philanthropic societies, and opened
free to the public are shut to the class that most
needs their influence, because ioresooth they have
no day but the Sabbath to enjoy them in. How
can they get loose from the drudgery OF the week
10 wander among the creations OF the scuptors
chise or the painters pencil the volumes OF the
free Reading rooms and Libraries. of which by the
wav there are none The Sabbath is legtimately
the only leisure their condition allows them, and
the conscientious Government closes Its munlfl-
cent Academies and galleries on that day. Joseph
Hume indeed made move in the House OF Com
mons to throw open these places on the Sabbath
for the benefit OF the poor but II was ruled down
with pious Indignation Bishops and Lords could
feel a holy horror az the very idea OF the tolllng
man and woman or the INDECENT child peacefully
and pleasurably enjoying the culture that pleads
IN the rudest heart from marble and canvas. They
could shut the doors of temples filed with images
of beauty, though Gods universe iull oil statue
and panting-of poetry and song-ot music and
grace was spread abroad as gally and cheeriiy on
q fha They COulQ
a veil over the Minerva and Nenus-the Last
sumner and the crucihxion, though the hills and
yallies spread out 10 the laughing sunshine were
emblems of Eternal Justice and superhuman
beauty--whose music OF brooks birds, leaves
and Young breezes dalying with the lips OF odorous
| flowers ceased not with the break OF the Sabbath
morning They could shut out what little sem
| blance of God might be seen, and at one ocloc (
! F. NJ on the Sabbath, open ten thousand hels iuil
of internal spirits TO madden the brain, corrupt the
/ heart, and brutalize the humanity OF man. There
was no revenue to be derived from Mr. Hume 5
/ movement save some little advance IN morals
some little growth in intellect and spiritual
| strength; but from these tap-rooms sn over ing
! land these beermugs that facilitate melttaxes'
| and Gin glasses that quicken the Treasury heart
with accommodating duties-they plead IN the name
| of ten million pounds of revenue and who can
| Withstand them Who OF that filthy alliance Of
| Church and State. will rise up 10 cut Oh penny
from the fund whereon his salary hangs suspended
] 10
| enrise of Il bell book and candle, but patriotism
that involves the least probability OF self sacrifice
in its love for humanity is quite another thing -
! Let the Church, more punctIhOus than gracious,
determine in its own good time whether II Is exc,
/ cradle 10 transport mails. and open the doors Of
public galleries on the Sabbath cannot win a.
/ its puff and pomp convince any deccHHy informed
or commonly sensible man, that either OF them IS
more sinful In the sight OF goodness, more de-
praying 10 humanity. than their license oil beast
making groggeries' Nay who can tor a moment
doubt in the city of London, teemlng iUil OF men
seeking intensely for some diversion thar u were
better 10 see them seated amid the wonders OF
Science and Art and Nature aloof from the traps
Of socety devils and robbers rather than lining the
I brass rallied counters OF thousand haunts where
every possible debauchery and CRIME are eneendeI'
ed And these holidays are not alone aste oiilme
They lead at once 10 the slehouse where Knots oi
/ men and women spend all that can possibly DC
SHARED from the scanty bread clothing and rent IN
drink From intoxioaton rise other excesses.
until a condition OF society Is presented, Nitiated
I beyond parallel Women drink quite as readily
/ as men IN this country. and they both drink inces
: sanity The national guslet Is like continuous
spunge saturated from morning tail night with beer
Z By this mean the great mass OF working people
I though drink beyond any measure We Know oil Is
I moi confined 10 the lower classes. ! have known
the wife OF a respectable tradesman renting the
house where lodged, in the best section OF hon'
don beastly drunk on ale and porter three ana iou
! times A week have also seen women IN higher
lie dsy after day in that dreamy bali stuPihed
s,sta that borders on trance pouring down their
mugs OF filthy beer which they must and VIII have
whether the children can read and write or not
whether they so IN rags or clean olo.nes' tlsats
/ Of families do | know. where shining DAY Is
snent for drink yet they are too poor TO take
newspaper. and have scarcely book IN the house
Av' many of them have never taken paper, and
seem TO know nothing and care less tor what their
county or the world is about. II such Is the case
in the city OF London among people no. aoso m
In want, what may be expected IN Cornwdl-a'
Newcastle among the potteries--around Brming,
ham and Wolverhampton in the eo!lieries, and
about Manchester, Stockport and Oldham, where
the population is not only dense, but destitute IN
oraat measure where SCHOOLS tor the children OF
ths poor would be useless because those children
must labor from very necessity just as soon as they