New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY rs PAR
TISAN LEGISLATION.

animus and drift of the new orgsniI alton
forming "for the preservation and promotion OF Civil
and Religious Liberty" as expressed in your issue Of
March s. You and T. Mr.. Greeley, have fought shoul'
der 10 shoulder for several years in favor of the Pro-
hibtorv or Maine Liquor Law; and, although the
.phere of my influence has been comparatively limited,
have until recently, been perhaps as honest and a.
earnest an advocate as yourself of laws requiring tue
Observance of the First Day of the Week. Like Saul
of Tarsus, endesvoripg TO promote his religion by
threatenings committing men to prison, &c, verify
thought ought to do these things and truly supposed
that, in supporting these legal measures was doing
God and my fellow.men service.
But while thus thinking and acting, great light fell
upon my pathway, and scales, as it were, dropped
from nv ewes and now not with bitterness and malice,
but with earnestness and bodness, feel il my duty 10
contend against the course which i myself pursued
before. Iou have too much candOr and consistency
TO me, trust for bringing tha Lea ana per
sstency which you were wont 10 commend 10 the sd-
yocacy of that view which now seems To me the true
one Intentionally msrepresent my present position
Pease understand then, that l. and that those asso-
cisted with me 10 the formation OF the Society IN
auesti on do not oppose all legislation, but only Pdri
san and seciariGn legislation, and legislation upon
matters which, according TO our most excellent clVIl
polity do not properly within the province OF
the law. So much OF legislation for some years
past has been of partisan character, that you are
somewhat eYcusable, il must be confessed, IN sup
posing that in taking stand against partisan leglSa-
tion we desire to do away with all legal enactmentS'
Your criticisms certainly indicate such to be your un-
derstandng.
The state Of things which you suppose TO be existing
where our ideas acted upon, indicates an absence
of all law and government. There could be nothing
but anarchy in that community where tipsy coal,
HEAVIER" would be suffered to enter church owned
or rented by any religious society, and opened and
occupied at the time for the special purpose OF solemn
religious worship, and to Insist on singing oId % Dan
"Tucker and dancing Virginia break down IN front
" Of the pulpit" or where "a vender OF fish would
be permitted on any day of the week, willfuly and
maciOusy TO plant himself just in front OF the
"church DOOR" where a congregation were worship
ing, and there devote the hours of Divine service
"to blasts of diabolc force and frequency from his
rusty n-born." If you reslly suppose, Mr. Editor,
that we are in favor Of such license this no wonder
that you suggest that our " comprehension OF the
"nsture and scope Of civil and religious liberty is m-
"pertect" Were we to Justify and defend mon in such
vsnton disturbance Of any religious or other meeting,
whenever or wherever held, We should deserve, and
should receive, the scorn and contempt OF all decent
mep.
But, Sir, legislation against such wful outrages as
hd.e never could be partisan legislation; for il would
be for the qualification and protection of one party
o. opposed 10 another party honestly differing in senti-
ment but for the protection Of aHwthout regard to
their peculiar views the manner Of conducting their
services-from wanton outrage and Insult. fouh
that no political or religious party could be formed IN
",
conduct you have supposed on the part Of the coal
HEAVIER and fshmonger OF course, legislation sinst
such conduct would not be of partisan character.
No man could turn it, properly administered to the
furtherance Of any sectarian or selfish ends.
Such laws are not Sunday laws, for they are a.
proper and needful day Of the week another
If the present Sabbath movement" as il is called
has only in contemplation the prevention OF such out
RACES, though they confne Their view TO Sunday
services, have nothing to say against 1t. We are
he mn hear
aymen and 100 clergymen merely desire, in addition,
to prevent crowded streets from being used a.
racecOur-e for fast horses and to keep their ordl-
nary quiet from being disturbed by drunken brsws
and fights on Sunday, still are with them moe. dis
tipctly and decidedly But il, suppose To oe the
case, and you aso appeht admit, tue ntentioni.
il is thought possible, not at once to out
law rslcsrs, gay equipsges sndshowy pleasure car
risges cigar smoking. &C., in our streets on Sun
dsy, thus distinguishing this day from others IN
which these things are consideied perfectly orderly
and proper and making that which - not uniawui or
criminal other days OF the week, unlawful ana
criminal on this, then will oppose the movement
with oil our power. II is but party, and q small
party N that, which desires such enactments:
But if it included ninety-nine one hundredths OF
our population still such law would not be Just IL
might indeed then be enforced lag il could not now)
but would be tyrsnpicsl and directly opposed TO the
spirit Of free institutions, which requires the pro-
lection Of q minority, however SMALL from oppression
by majority, however large One would think, 10
bear some men expOund the Democratic doctrin The
majority shall rue, that it contemplated the complete
subsection Of the minority TO the majority. ana, a.
You know this construction IA not infrequenty scted
upon by political well a. ecclesAsticsl parties
ITO the yctors belong the spols 60 in, and rayase
While you may; take every advantage ~hlcn yCur
position gives you to wrong and outrage, 70 weaken
and sggrayate the smaller party; Tor "nen sney
were in the majority they did 20 70 you, and
win again if they can. But majority has
no such legal or moral night, bat only 20 Try
their hand al tie seales, and see how evenly and
fairly Justice may be misunderstanding ana inno-
ceIce prots eted-vcs and crime restrained And, se-
coYdps 10 our most excelen, republican principle OF
complete separation between Church and state our
statute laws to be founded, not on the enacents
OF the great Jewish legislator, nor those Of ths sreA
Christian Emperor Constantine, nor upon those OF
p-nrely Pope or Puritan Reformer but ot common,
natural law Partisan and sec,srian legSaeon nas
ever wrought erH. tending, as it lnyanev Se'' %
induce contempt FOR al Law; and IL is our .n % ue
lief that il IL such legislation, with he VelAhiy
and corruption which mus: Away attend upon IL,
which hns bred, than any o,her one thing,
hat fearful lsve. now 20 prevalent; ana We sn
,erely believe tha: We snaI DO good 'er'ce " Ie
whole con munity by asscating ourselves 70 oppose
/, not by political wire pulling but by argument and
appeal TO the fund anenta principles OF our Tree, re-
publican government.
With you. I'VE hold him less than good neighbor
cor q good citizen who viii r0rt0Hiy shock re-
gous conviction or m pede the manifest ston Of any
" sincere md ear1es: ts,lh in God In whatever
else ". may differ, re certainly 90 not inths.
J. l. HATCH.
Having aDo~ei Hr. Hatch fGli swing, se snail
ssy nothing 70 oyoke d rejolnier, eAcep. just
tbs-we believe sis inpatat,on ou those engaged
in the Sabbath Movement in our e;y, that t.ey de-
,ire partisan or 'ec'aiaa esisis:ion u any l-g.la
laiioD enforcing Pa'itsRio ob-eivaHce Of tie Sab
bath, entirely unwarante3. Te doubt whether they
propose anything fu,the. :han tbsttte .ens az nty
.k.Ne IA Il ,lv IA q. anforpag