The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-17
The Sunday Tyrsnny-Popalsr Dsmonstra-
ton AKsinsi IL.

The Sunday Tyrsnpy-Popalsr Dsmonstra
ton Agsinsa IL.
On Friday evening last one Of the greatest
popular demonstrations witnessed in this city tor
some years came off in front Of the HERALD Office
It consisted of the German population, aud other
citizens who sympathize with them ia the cause
of social and personal freedom, and who are ami
mated with the same sentiments of Indignation
against the Inquisition which has been erected ia
the heart Of this democratic city, long after such
institutions have been put down ia the despot-
isms of Europe. An immense multitude marohed
in imposing procession, bearing torches, and ac-
companied by magnificent band of music, mum
boring eighty pieces. Hating at the iotersec-
ton of Fulton and Nassau streets, it arranged
itself in perfect order in both thoroughfares aud
after some of those grand instrumental perfora-
among civilized nations, and after some vocal
feats of the highest art, chosen speaker express.
ed the sentiments of the vast assemblage, when
it retired in the same orderly manner ia which 1t
had come, thus showing that the Germans are
noble people, worthy Of liberty in its highest
While we feel honored by such spontaneous
expression Of the popular mind, the only credit
we claim in the matter is, that we uttered In this
journal what was in the heart of every man not
darkened by bigotry and fansticism-that we
expounded the principles Of civil and religious
liberty so happily established by the American
Revolution and the constitution Of the United
States, but 80 little appreciated, 80 i'll under
stood, by many who have the good fortune to be
born under the shadow of the stars aud stripes.
These principles have been subverted, and our
citizens wounded in their sacred rights.
We have said that an odious Inquisition has
been erected in our midst. And by what
other appellation can the Police Commissioners
be SO well described, with their pious Pilsoury
as their chief agent, veritable Fouche, prying
into the family secrets and private concerns of
free citizens. Such is the legacy left US by the
republican party, and 1t is in keeping with every.
thing they do The union of Church and State
has been abrogated in the most enlightened
countries of the Old World, and provision
against it has been inserted in the constitution
of the United States, while the Inquisition is
among the things that were even in the Papal do
minions. Yet, in this advanced period of the
nineteenth century, and in this model re-
public, under which we have been taught
to believe universal religious federation existed,
an attempt is made practically to revive the ex-
ploded union of Church and State, and to build
up Protestant Inquisition on the ruins of the
Catholic. 1t is ludicrous effort to transplant
Puritanism into the soil of New York after it has
died out in New England, and the pious Pillsbury
might as well try to carry out the rest Of the old
blue laws Of Connecticut-such as those which
ordained that cat should be hanged on Monday
for killing mouse on Sunday, or that man
should be severely punished for kissing his wife
on the Sabbath day-as to attempt to
enforce the edicts of the. Police Com
nissioners touching the closing of houses
of refteshment on Sunday, the only places
where numbers of the people who occupy rooms
without board can get anything to eat If they
interfere with the German Gardens" on the
ground of violating the Sabbath, how much
more, on the same principle, ought they to inter
fere with the fast horses of "the bloods,u which
throng the Bloomingdale and the Coney Island
plank roads on Sunday? They ought to inter
fere, too, with private carriages driving peo-
pie to church, and oven With people walking
more than "a Sabbath days Journey" which is
about mile, as regulated by the Jewish law
the only foundation for the Sabbath observance
which is 20 vehemently insisted upon by our
holy reformers The Jews did not cook on the
Sabbath, the Puritans did not cook on Sunday
Why do not the Inquisitors send their agents
into the kitchens of New York to smell out roast
beef on the Lords day, and punish the cooks
and their employers? They ought, also, to take
measures to put stop to the city railroad cars
both in New York and Brooklyn. In "the City
of Churches" after hard struggle the running
Of Sunday cars was established and these con-
veyances take people into the suburbs by seve-
raj routes, where they can enjoy fresh air, aud
sight Of trees and green fields. The sin.
ners who fill these cars violate the Sabbath
just as much by sitting in groups on
the green sward and conversing about the news
of the day as do the Germans, who, living in New
York, and unable to get out of the city by
means of cars, frequent the Gardens" with their
wives and children to drink glass of harmless
lager or smoke segar, while they listen to the
concord Of sweet sounds" which is 60 well cal
culated to soothe the troubled spirit And so is it
regarded in Philadelphia. There movement has
been set on foot in that enlightened city to pre-
vent the running of cars on Sunday. 1t is wor-
thy of the City of Fraternal Love, and is at least
consistent. 1t is eminently brotherly and loving
for one or more sects to establish q standard of
Sabbath observance, and compel all others to
square themselves to that sort of Procrusteau
bed, to which, by appropriate instruments of
torture, the victims Of brotherly love must be
fitted, whether they are long or short
1t is loving and brotherly on the part of those
who live in large and airy houses, and who caa go
to the sea side or the country on any day of the