The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-01

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the astonishing successes which have marked
the course of the French Emperor in the late
campaign, and his brilliant coup diplom 1tiqm at
Vlllafranca, have given him the lead in Europe,
position from which it may require very
powerful combination indeed to displace him.
The Sunday Laws and the Peoples Voice In
Philadelphia.
On Saturday evening great and enthusiastic
meeting of the citizens Of Philadelphia was held
in Independence Square, to denounce the Sunday
restrictions and the decision of the Supreme
Court and to take measures to purge the statute
book of all laws contravening the civil aud reli-
gious liberty of the people for one day out of
seven. In another column the reader will find
report of the highly interesting proceed
ings. We are glad to see this noble spirit Ia
the Quaker City founded by William Penn,
whose opinions were entirely opposed to the
fanatical intolerance which 1t is now attempted
to put into operation against the great body Of
the people. The character of the city for reli.
gious federation and the memory of its founder,
who gave his name to the State, are now, there
fore, vindicated. He was the only man. among
all the founders Of the colonies, who treated the
red race with justice and paid them the price Of
their landslide only man who did not shed
their blood-and the consequence was that not a
drop of Quaker blood was ever shed by on In.
dian. He gave the people g Charter of Liber-
ties" signed with his own hand, and free reli-
gious federation was ordained, for one of its
provisions ran;-"All causes for irreligion shall
be repressed, and no man shall be molested for
bis religious opinions" After his-day the Puri-
tanical spirit crept in, which it is now the task
of the people to root out
But that city has other historic memorials to
remind its inhabitants of their rights, "cheaply
earned with blood" The meeting was held in In
Square, infront of old Independence
Hall, in which the immortal Declaration was
signed, and whose bell rang out with joyous peals
the glorious tidings which, in the spirit of prophe
cy, had been inscribed upon ITSELF proclaim
liberty throughout the land, unto all the inhabi-
tants thereof"
New York, too, has historic recollections, and
we hope the meeting in Philadelphia will DC fol-
lowed up by similar meeting here. If the De
claration Of Independence was signed on the
banks Of the Delaware, in the City of Brotherly
Love, the first meeting of Congress under the
constitution was held on the banks of the Hud-
so1, in the island of Manhattan; and in the old
City Hall, built on the site on which the Custom
House now stands, George Washington was in-
augurated first President Of the United States
New York has, therefore, historic antecedents to
stimulate it to the vindieation of its liberties.
Being the Empire City, and the centre of light
from which civilization radiates all around, It
ought to set an example to the rest of the Union
The free cities of tie Middle Ages, maintaining
their municipal rights against their cppressors,
preserved the vital spark of liberty amidst the
darkness of despotisn, and were the exemrlars
to future States and considerations of States.
Municipal freedom is the foundation of all free
dom, and the present question is one which is en-.
tirely municipal The regulations for large
city necessarily are and ought to be, aiferentfrom
the general laws of sparsely peopled State,
and the citizens themselves ore the best
judges of the laws which suit them. Let New
York, therefore, pronounce on this question, and
insist that not fragment of the vile tyranny shall
be left which gives an opportunity to Sabbath
Committees and Young Mems Christian Associac
tons and Metropolitan Inqu;sitors to interfere
with the rights of the people, guaranteed by the
constitution Of the United States and the conssitu
ton Of the State Of New York. The Metropolitan
Police act and other despotic laws have been
forced upon the city against the Will of its nhabi-
tants. How would the people Of the State like
law forbidding the use Of wagons on Sunday
those wagons in which they are conveyed to
church, and in which they amuse themselves by
long rides through the country in the afternoon
They do not want country air, for they have
always enough of it. But then they ought not
to lend themselves to the tyranny which would
interfere with others enjoying 1t occasionally as
well as themselves. Were it not for the support
Of the members Of the Legislature from the rural
districts, this intolerant despotism, for which
there is no authority in the Scriptures could
not be inflicted on the city of New York.
In one of the communications which we
published yesterday on the observance Of
the Sabbath, there was statement Of the au-
thorities on both sides of the Sunday question.
From that statement the reader will see that those
who want to turn Sunday from its Christian
spirit, as day Of joyous relaxation, into the
gloom Of Jewish Sabbath, can cite, on their
side, but comparatively small number of
Christians, during comparatively short period
Of time; that is to say, the Puritans Of Grea.
Britain and America, for about two hundred
years; while they have against them all the Chris.
tians who have lived for more than fifteen hun.
dred years, from the commencement of the Chris
tian era till some time after the Reformation
more than seven-eights Of those who have lived
from that time to the present day; the testimony
of the fathers of the Reformation, Martin Luther
and John Calvin, the declarations of the early