Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-09-01

eW- The Spirit of the Age is mistaken in attrib-
uting the celebrated Sunday Mail Report" to Col.
VIM. r. Johnson. Col Richard NJ. johnson, KY,
was the author of that Report which, it was. sup
posed, settled the question for many generations
The Age says:
Z" The discussion of question similar to this has
been tainted with rdieule, and sinister sheer of
puritansm," has been sufficient to silence all in
vestigaton, especially in the Southern States. This
is certainly very unchristian manper of disposng
OF question involving offence which violates the
law of both God and man; for other citizens re-
CURED to refrain from secular employments on the
Sabbath day, and why should not all ?"
The people of the United States are pre-eminently
Christian people, and the Constitutions of the in
dividual States nearly ALL if not quite ALL based
upon an express recognition of the doctrines Of
Christ but the federal Constitution differs from the
State Constitutions in this respect. Jew and Gen
tile Pagan and Christian all embraced in its far
reaching and mighty grasp; none of them are ex-
atel above the others, depressed, but they
all equal. That Constitution confers on Congress
no power to interfere, in any way, with questions
involving construction of Holy Writ or questions
of religious belief The people of the United States,
who made this Constitution, and whose interests and
welfare are so intimately connected with strict,
just, and equal Interpretation of it. do not all agree
as to what day should be observed as the Sabbath
or day of rest. This fact being established-and we
take it for granted it will not be disputed-t newt
ably follows that Congress has no power to declare
that even the Christian Sabbath shall be alone OBJ
served, and all other days of rest be disregarded.
To claim this power, and to exercise it, would be,
in principle, to establish State religion and this
no one in this country should wish to do. We think
it very clear however, that the different Transpor-
taton Companies, under State authority, should see
to it that all labor not necessarily connected with
the regular transmission of the mails and of passen-
gers with the mails, should be suspended on the
Christian Sabbath day; leaving it to persons to
travel, if they choose, with the mails, or by their
means of conveyance. The Christian Sabbath,
we have stated, is in effect expressly recognized
by all the States in their Constitutions.
Certainly should treat question of this
sort with rdicule; is it always in good taste to
"sncer" at the "puritanism referred to by our
friend of the Age. But there is an odor of over
righteousness-of Pharisaism, of excessive piety
streaming down to from the past annals and pres
ent dongs of certain communities in this country,
which we do not at all relish. We may be mistaken
the remark may not be just one; but we feel con.
strained to declare our belief that the people of
North-Carolina more God fearing and law-ab
ding, and possessed of and governed by higher and
Northern States that might be mentioned, in which
this doctrine of opposition to Sunday Mails" is so
much cherished and generally sustained.