The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-07-19
Sunday Law in LOndOnd-Am .sistra-
tive REFORM.


London correspondent of the Philadel-
phia Bulletin writes the following:
Next to the war, the most exciting sub
ject in London is the Sunday law, which has
strengthened the array of the popular forces
against the privileged classes. The law.
which forbids trading and closes the shops,
beer-h1uses, &C., except during certain hours
of Sunday, is an excellent one in principle
but while it operates seriously against the
lower classes, it interferes not at all with the
Sunday occupations and amusements OF the
aristocratic and wealthy. So, on Sunday af-
ternoon last, an immense crowd of people as
sembled in Hyde Park about the hours when
the nobility turn out to drive. They lined
both sides of the great drive on the right of
the Serpentine, and as their carriages arrived
their occupants were greeted with shouts OF
$50 home!" $50 to church!' "You have no
business out of doors on Sunday!" along
with derisive cries of "Does your mother
know you're out!' "Have you got the key g.
and other good humored absurdities.
At length they became SO violent hat car
riageswer actually stopped, and noble ladies'
! in sumptuous dresses were compelled to
alight, send home their equipages. and walk
quietly back to thier residences like common
-
have reached $4,000 or 10000. About o.
O'Clock, when I, not knowing OF the COM
motion, walked down toward Hyde Park to
see the stylish turn-oats, found a crowd of
several hundred policemen AZ Hyde Park
| corner, one of whom told me the meaning of
the gathering. They were stationed there
as corps of reserve.
/ hastened up to the Park and found still
crowd OF many thousands, but the carriage
way was absolutely vacant. Not carriage
was near it, but occasionally an ~odventu-
rous horseman (but not fashionable) dashed
| through the gauntlet, and was hailed with all
sorts OF good humored shouts. The police
on the spot were numerous, but as there was
| then no breach of the peace there were no
arrests. But the nobility and gentry had
been laugh. severe lesson, and it was de-
monstrated that in England, in this age, there
can be no law enacted controlling social GUS
toms. which is not made equally applicable
to rich as we'll as poor.
AID illustrative reform is a phrase heard
now l.. every ones mouth, and the weekly
meetings at Drury Lane Theatre are begin
ming to excite much attention. TN w ed
nesday evening, Charles Dickens nude
his 6rst political speech there, and it was a
spicy, slashing bit Of satire that is keensy felt
| by those IN power.
The Government organs try TO throw rid
cule upon it, and condemn Dickens for going
out of his proper sphere TO NEEDLE with
topics belonging to another class Of people,
apparently forgetting that oil the evil com
planned OF is attributed to the custom Of
confning politics and Office to one privileged
class.
Layard, the Ninevah explorer, is the leader
of the reform movement; but Dickens as a
great popular author, is regarded as an in
valuable acquisition to the party, and it is
gratifying TO see that man of his influence,
who has been accused of toadyism TO the no.
bility and aFistocFacy, has the maniiness to
come out boldly on the popular side of the
question, which is now regarded as the vital
one to England.
1.-THE petty shops are to be closed, and if
working people are to be deprived of their
Sunday recreation, the great club-houses of