The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-11-08


aprinciple which, in the opinion of the com
mitee, would lay the foundation for danger
ous inovations upon the spiri, of The cons'i
tuition, and upon the religious rights of tn
citizens. If admitted, it may be justly ap
pretended that the future measures of gov
eminent will be strongly marked, if not even
tually controlled, by the same influence
All religious despolism comm ences BY com
bnation and influence; and when that inhu
ence begins 10 operate upon The political in
stilutions Of country, the civil power soon
bends upon it; and the Catastrophe of Other
nations furnishes an awful warning of The
consequences.
Under the present regulations of the post
office department the rights of conscience
are not invaded. Every agent enters volun.
tarily, and, il is presumed, conscien,iously,
into the discharge OF his duties, without in.
iermeddling with the conscience OF another.
Post offices are so regulated as that but a
small proportion of The first day of the week
is required TO be occupied in official bust.
ness. In the transportation of the mail ON
that day no one agent is employed many
hours. Religious persons enter into the busi-
ness without violating their own conscience,
or imposing any restraints upon oihers.-
Passengers in the mail stages are free 10
rest during the first day of the week, or 10
pursue their journeys, at their own pleasure.
While the mail is transported on Saturday,
the Jew and the Sabbalarian may abstain
from any agency in carrying it, from consci.
enlious scruples. While it is transported on
The first day of the week, another class may
abstain from the same religious scruples.-
The obligation Of government is the same 10
both these classes; and the committee can
discover 10 principle on which the claims Of
one should be more respected than those Of
the other, unless il should be admitted that
the consciences Of the minority are less sa-
cred than those of the majority.
1t is the opinion of the committee that the
subject should be regarded simply as ques-
tion of expediency, irrespective of its religi-
GUS bearing. In this light it has hitherto
been considered. Congress have never leg
islated upon the subject. II rests, as it ever
has done, in the legal discretion Of the post
master general, under the repeated refusals
of Congress to discontinue the Sabbath mails.
His knowledge and judgmen. in all The con-
Germs Of that department will not be ques-
toned. His intense labors and assiduily have
resulted in the highest improvement of every
branch of his department. 1t is practised
only on the great leading mail routes, and
such others as are necessary 10 maintain their
connexions. To prevent this would, in the
opinion Of the committee, be productive of
immense injury, both in lis commercial, po-
litical and, and in its moral bearings.
The various departments OF government
require freque nlly ir peace, always in war,
the speediest intercourse with the remotest
paris of the country; and one important OBJ
jecl of the mail establishment is 10 furnish
the greatest and most economical facilities
for such intercourse. The delay Of the mails
one whole day in seven, would require the
employment of special expresses, a, great
expense, and sometimes with great certain
~.
The commercial, manufacturing and asri-
cultural interests Of our country are so init
mately connected as to require a constant
and the most expeditions correspondence
betwixi all our seapors, and between them
and the most settlements The delay of the
mails during the Sunday would give occasion
to The employment of private expresses to
such an amount that probably ten riders
would be employed where one mail Stage is
now running on that day thus diverling the
revenue of that department into another
channal, and sinking the establishment into
a state of pulsianimity incompatible with
the dignity of the government Of which il is
department.
Passengers i'll the mail stages, il the mails
are not permitted 10 proceed on Sunday, will
be expected 10 spend that day at tavern
upon the road, generally under circumstances
not friendly 10 devotion, and at the expense
which many are but poorly able 10 encoun-
ter. To obviate these difficulties, many will
employ extra carriages for their conveyance,
and become the bearers OF correspondence,
as more expeditions thar the mail. The
stage propnetors will themselves often fur
nish the travellers with those means of con-
veyances, so that the effect will ultimately
be only 10 stop the mail, while the vehicle
which conveys il will continue, snd its pas.
sengers become the special messengers for
conveying considerable proportion of what
would otherwise constitute the contents of
the mail,
Nor can the committee discover where the
system could consistently end. If the o5ser-
vance Of holiday becomes incorporated in
our institutions; shall we not forbid the
movement of an army, prohibit an assault in
time Of war, and lay an injunction upon our
naval officers 10 lie in the wind while upon
the ocean on that day? Consistency would
seem 10 require it. Nor is it certain we
should stop here. If the principle is once es-
tablished that religion or religious obser.
yances shall be interviewer with our legisla-