The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-10-10

Il
i And haste TO my loves embrace,
or TO the dusky tomb r. Y st, es
i The mountain voice replies v
" The dusky tomb
And onward still the horseman rides
With gloomy thoughts opprest,
And An shall reach the grave so soona 81
i Well.--in the grave is rest" t
aai The voice again replies
The grave is rest.
The tears fall from the horselnans eyes,
And on his pale cheek rest;fa, q, ti
a F, Since only death can. comfort me-, fas
Il For me the grave is best .i,.
The hollow voice replies
| #Ga sq, gt an" The grave is best" t+
FHE SABBATH IN WASHINGTON. There are abou
sixty thousand inhabitants in the city Of Washing
ton. 0fithis number, it is estimated, that one il
ton, or six thousand of this population Of sixty
thousand, pay regard to the Sabbath day. ...a
Fifty thousand people, who habitually neglect tc
attend places of public worship! and a great ma
Ijonty of whom spend that day in seeking theil
own pleasure and amusement
mot only is this the case in Washington, bu
there good reasonsfor believing that it is little
il amy better in other cities of the country! How
is it that We as people have become habitna
negecters Of the Sabbath day? 1t was not the
case in former times. Our forefathers remembered
the Sabbath day and kept It holy. We, their de.
stcndants, desecrate and profane it, and ARE re.
a'onsibleto Him for the manner in which thou.
sands in our midst dishonor and profane, and de-
sccrate it. a 4s.a> s.s4
A stranger visiting our city, and wandering in
the direction of Capitol Hill, some little northwest
Of the Capitol might, with proprety, ask if there
was no law in Washington regulating the sale of
Intoxicating liquors, and providing for the decent
observance of the Sabbath day He mould ask
the question, perhaps, and the reply would boz
there are laws prohibiting the sale of liquors on
tat day--there are laws requiring that the places
where liquor is sold shall be closed up on that day.
but these laws are not enforced, and consequently
| disregarded-openly violated -shamefully set at
imught, and the officers whose duty it is to en-
force the laws laughed at and derided, or worse
STILL are parties to the fraud against the city gov
eminent, and enemies to the peace and quiet of
the city-hand and glove with those who ha-
l'itually spend that day in drinking, carousing,
dancing, fighting, and gambling through its
sacred hours-who make no secret of their
| shame, but openly boast their violation Of the
law Of God and man, and tauntngiy proclaim
their right and privilege to spend their own
time in their own way, the law of man and
the law of God to the contrary notwithstanding,
| He would hear the sound Of music and the shut.
ling of busy feet moving in the merry dance, and
he would hear loud and boisterous conversation,
and cursing and swearing; and, if he could under
st md the lingo, obscene and vulgar epthets, in.
terpreted by equally low and disgraceful and
vulgar actions. All this he would hear, and see.
and feel, on the Sabbath day in Washington.
There is no concealment, or even an attempt at
concealment. This thing is known to the authori-
tics, is known 10 the police, and has long been
lenown-t still exists, not alone on Capitol Hill
but in many other places known as "Lager Beer
Saloons" 81. .H a-ate'. fi .t'a
In another portion of the city, on the Sabbath
LAY, not quite mile from the above place, and
within sight and hearing, may be seen, regularly,
assemblages Of men, armed with bandys, engaged
in the classical game Of shinny, making the air
resound with their cries of eIultation and defeat
MS victory perches upon one side or the other.
And here, too, may be seen women, spectators Of
the exciting scene, whose noisy clamors help to
make hideous the hours of the day of rest. It
t unfrequenty happens, in this locality, that the
handles are converted into sbelloJ;es and s,c,;on
nitted against faction engage in a reon,ar obt
which the women, shining off their .nrono
which they use artistically. with stone fastened
il, the centre. particpate with the fury Of demons
Il was not ALWAYS thusl The day Of holy rest
was once observed with, at least a decent regard
10 outward observance. Time was when even
tiod defying men and women, were compelled.
from decent regard to public opiniop 70 rest, ain
their wicked propensties, and to respect the L,os
aud the feelings Of Others, however little thew
felt Il to be their duty to keep holy the Sabbath
day. This state of things was bad enouph---but
we have been going from bad to worse. Our
children have been led away by the examnIe of
those whom we have permitted to end home
among us. Gradually and imperceptibly, they
have, by evil example, and witnessing the impu-
nifty with which the laws have been violated. and
heir preconceived notions of propriety and duty
lat at nought and tramped upon-lost their venora.
tion and regard for the sacred day---and now, the