Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-09
Letter from Boston.
BOSTON. Feb. 6. Is.

Boston, Feb. 6, 1871.
Editor Rutland Herald In the Legis-
lature the State Police matter has been
disposed of by an appropriation of money
for their salaries and expenses for apother
year, of considerable sum the t'cfice of
the opposition being to favor quite small
sum, in this part of the session that they
might make it nothing before June, as
the session will last until that time, and
longer.
The deadly hatred and cool deterpiina-
ton of those who are forming public SEN
timent to acquiesce in, or to take part
in the secularization of the Sabbath, have
carried the matter to the Legislature, in
the form of petition that the city of
Boston may be allowed to open the Public
Library ON that day, for the benefit of
those who cannot go there during the
week, as we'll az all others. The motives
and objects of this party of Puritan haters
are perfectly clear to any rejecting per-
son. They do not love those who labor
hard during the week, more than their
neighbors do, or have any more anxiety
for their growth in prosperity, knowledge
or happiness, but they hate cd Puritan
ism the moro or any religion that asserts
| that sin is sin, and that the everlasting
poor classes" have their share of it, as
we'll as all others. There is not one good
reason, mental or moral, why the public
library of this city should be opened to
this or any class of people on Sunday.
But as the harm il not so much in the
use of this particular place, as in the ten
dency it would have towards licensing
other openings of a secular character,
there is opportunity enough for skiliful
dehaters to convince those innocent and
wavering ones, who cannot anticipate an
event until it is half gone, that the event
would standsalone, and that the petition
ers and active hackers arc all holy and
just men. While the truth is, some of
the most skillful managers. behind the
scenes and out of sight and hearing, of
this general fcrusade against the old OBJ
servance OF the Sabbath, are moral bank
rupts, but are most maliciously caleulat-
ing and skillful in their movements.
The Free Religionist" course of lee
tures, which for two seasons have been
held in Horticultural Hall, are continued
this season with nearly the same list of
lectures, and with an audience composed
OF almost the identical persons of those of
last season, and about the same in num-
bers. ......
Yesterday, Sunday, was one of our
coolest days as well as windy. The most
interesting matter of conversation, the
weather considered, being the burning of
the Adelphi theatre during the Saturday
night before. This theatre was situated
on narrow street, completely surround
ed by large wholesale and retail stores.
but the fire was confined to the
theatre, which was entirely destroyed,
the usual blackend timbers and rubbish
being the next morning entirely covered
with ice, and hundreds Of feet Of hose
lying in the streets frozen stiff and
straight, and untransportable. Little /,
more than fifteen years ago this building
was fitted up by Mr.. Cutting, as the
"Aquarial Gardens" upon an extensive !
scale, but which did not pay, the novelty t,
II this form Of exhibition being some
what over; this gentleman, with part !.
aer, having made previously in small i
aall in another street quite large for 4
une in quiet way. p T. Barnum then
purchased it. 1t was afterwards used as 9