New-York tribune., 1867-10-17
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.

Influence TO repeaI the clause prohibiting the traffic
liquor Sunday The to this end has been 80
powerful that the conduct OF political partisans
utaes the apprehension that efforts will be made to re-
peal the law.
The misrepresentation by part of the public press.
and especially by the German secular papers, In regard
TO the law and the efforts to enforce It, have been oalcu
lated TO miscad the public and create false impression
The spirit of the antSunday movement, and the tone OF
the press which assas the law shown by the follow
ing extracts which give fair view Of the character OF
the opposition
AT German anti-Sabbath meeting In Chicago, August
IT, 1867 the principal speaker said: On Sundays We
ascend the hills Of social pleasures. and drown our
troubles good beer aud fiery wine, and forget all the
cares Of life" Resolutions adopted at several Ger
man anti Sabbath and anti-Temperance meetings last
Summer That they will vote for any who is
n favor OF Sunday and Temperance laws"
The NeiC- York Deaolrdf German daily paper, winds
peated demand Equality OF rights for an No caste of
priests! Either abolish the observance OF Sunday as
public institution altogether or close the churches ON
Sunday The paper. October H. 1867, says IL is
notorious that the Americans are a1cted with the In
glsh disease which is religious madness composed OF
pietsm phariseesm, hypocrisy. Sunday sanctmonious
ness. and humbug and supported by downright fanati
petition was presented June 2S 1861 to the COnstitu
tona Convention Of this State urging that the reading
Of the Bible in the public schools be prohibited by the
Constitution, apd all Sabbath laws be abolished The
German Central Republican Committee Of New York sent
a petition to the Convention TO the effect that
Sabbatarian and temperance legislation be forever pan
Will vote for revised Constitution which sanctions
such laws"
the Christian Sabbath have felt deep interest III the en-
actinent and enforcement OF the law which prohibits
Sith its behefccnt results that the Committee deem it
their duty declare that its repeal would be public
ms ke efforts to snstain the law,
1t is alleged that the law nterferes with civil and re.
giOus liberty. This charge Is utterly groundess III
SIMPLY prohibits ne public huGe IN liquor and beer on
Sundays. Beyond this neither restraints or interfees
with conduct Of provided the people are u
disturbed in their enjoyment Of day OF quiet rest It's
opponents endeavor TO create an thst the re-
strants of the law harsh and rigid beyond precedent
That this charge is entirely false IS shown by the Ioo"
Sunday traffic in Intoxicating drinks has been pro
hblted by State and Municipal laws, which have been
enacted from time time for than 200 years. In
1855 the following city Ordinsnce was passed;
II any person In the City Of York shall sell by re-
ale, agerbeer or other strong or spirtuous liquor
shall consent TO allow or permit any wine ae agerbee
and delivered 10 be drank n his or her house outhous
garden, other premises Whatsoever without pelnS
lsensed according law being licensed, shallse
deliver, consent to allow or permit any wine, ale
agerbeer OF other Strong or s2uo9s u%r 80 sou 10 OF % no
day of the week called sunday excepting TO Doarders
and Odgers actual travellers within the provisions OF
the law she shall, for every such ofense be liable
to the pains and penalties hereinafter mentioned"
Approved March 90 1865, by FERNANDo WOOD, Mayor
Ii should be observed that this ordinance prohibits the
sale OF tCte ale, and dgeIteer on SunddB as we as
I'm delivering the opinion OF the Supreme Court upon
the constituuonaty OF Sunday laws IN 1861 Judge VII
AS civil and political usuton the establishment
and regulation OF sabbath s within tc Jnst power ol
trainers of the Constitution did not abolish, alter or
weaken ies pH' ~ An ntsTest reSuir national
uniformity IN the day observed aud That is observance
should far compulsory to protect those who de-
"As civil institution the sanction of the day is az the
option OF Legislature; but is t that ths Christian
Sabbath should be observed by Christian people and
does detract from the moral legal sanction OF
statute that conforms 10 the law OF God as recognized
by great majority Of the people. Existing here by
common law, all that the legislature attempts TO 90 IS
The common law recognizes the
day. Contracts, land redemption etc. maturing on sun
cial acts the sabbath mostly Illegal. Work done
on Sunday cannot be recovered for, etc. .
he Christian Sabbath is then, one Of the clyi insti
tutions of the state 10 which and duties Of
life by the common law made 10 conform ana aaapt
science Of any the Sabbath Of the people imnemo
ally enjoyed sanctioned by common law and recognized
in the Constitution should be respected and protected by
The exisence OF the Sabbath civil institution be-
ing conceded as it be, the right Of the Legislature
IN control and regulate il and its observance
sary sequence Prccedens found in the statutes Of
every Government, really or nomlnay Chr'S'"n irom
Il is the right of the citizen TO lie protected from
corrupt the morals and debase the moral sense OF the
community 1t the right OF the citizen That the sab
inconsistent with It's purpose and the necessity ont OF
which grew day Of rest rather than day OF riot
and disorder, which would be to overtime" IL ana rehoer
IL a curse rather than blessing"
Judge Wright in delivering the unanimous opinion OF
Excise law liberal Eycise t1Ic than that which II
supersedes any general law since the organization OF
the Government as part ofits pOnee
restraining. and prohibiting the tFaihe IN intoxicating
drinks aud adds ,.,,-.,.
n s limit, y tie Stat. ior more hsn bs u'a right
a. subject 70 deeply Affecting ss aS re aa aS no sp w
would have been deny The powers OF sosneni Inherent 70
bold assertion this that there anything IN the state OF
Constitutions conflicting sh setting bounds upon the
discretion seioB directing how uher and where trade
shall conducted articles intimately connected with the Puhc morals
public safety public prosperity indeed 10 prohibit and snpsi.
such altogether deemed essential eject those great ends "
! good gOVerDment
Prior 10 this Excise law there IN tke Metropolitan
Police District 92J0 qnOrsbOps and beer saloons, OF
which 500 were not licensed. Under this law the
eerysOres longer retail hquOT and IL as diminished
number OF liquor shops by more than Se0 and those
lay dissipation, and which filed the pTitons and IOsr
houses with victims OF intemperanee.
DAYS nearly half and reduced the abOrs OF the police
accordingly On the fifteen sundays following the second
Sunday January 1867, when the Law began to be en-
forced the number of arrests for lnt0xeaOn and dsOr
derly conduct us less than on the eorrespsndpg
Sundays OF ltt under the old system On the eight sun
days in July and August last the naIoset OF arrests tor
the came ohenses amounted ~ 42 aRahst t during the
| nine Sundays In July ana August. 1866
| Formerly there were mere e}ses OF drunkenness on
Sunday than on any other dsS Of the week Ths contrary
returns received al the Police Headquarters
IL Is shown that the ten succeeding the 10th OF
august a,s hs number Of ses Tor ee ssrs csfs o.
day, ESQ; Wednesday, 2se; Thursday go; Friday 70;
Saturday 2 while on sunday the arIeits were only es
trct 6uTdened with taxes largely BY psupersn
and crime resulting from the trae IN liquor OVERLOOK
the financial resuts OF this law which 10 Se years hes
contributed nearly y, 500 900 for their relief
The friends Of good order and Christianity may wen be
aroused when political psrtsens consent to tanper with
A a. nhfn hOn HaA n