Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-03-21

u eur erw txlisf that h. Win ssssr in.l
nense benc6ss On cur people,
On lasE Saturday: the 18th inst, biz
empowering she company to eoastrues and
rua steamers between Point Lookout and
Sourshern ports. Norfolk. Riehmood. Be-.
passed to . second reading. The biIi to
repeal the usury laws failed in the House.
our eosnty msmbcrs voting against it,
There Was some able debating in the House.
Msssrs. Spencer and Clarke made cogens
and learned speeches for the repeal, Dr..
Chaisty speaking sgains. il. The speech
Of DR.. Chaisty was not only . fervent. but
really an able argument against usury IN
its Christian sense. which view of the
question most of the other speakers ienor-
ed. The great natural benevolenec Of
this gentleman. and his antipafhy 10 all
measures that have even q scmblssee Of
unjustly pressing on those classes already
soc much oppressed. ensure to his efforts
in debate an attentive hearing. and al.
though be may sometimes fail to enlisht-
en-. he always commands respect. He il
. gentleman Of refined manners and cul-
tivated mind. and is universally respected.
A companion question (repeal of the pres
ent Sunday law occupies much Of the
time. and is exhaustive Of Legislative wis
dom and efforts. Opposition to said law
is mostly confined to the City Of BaIti-
more and to the German population there
Of. There is great deal said sild spoken
Of the American Sabbath and the Euro
pean Sabbath. but little is said. theology
eally speaking. about the Christian Sab
bath. by ,yhom and when instituted. and
how far We Of. the 18th century d
bouad BY Jewish or Puritanical notions
and traditions. or Old Testament require
ments. This Sabbath question. and laws
enforcing its observance from a pharisaio-
al stand point of view. is not without its
difficulties. There Is too prevalent dispo-
sition to legislate men into cardinal vir-
tues. and destroy as far as Legislation can
to do so. all free agency. However. this
much can be said in favor of tue Law as it
new stands. that it ensures a degree of
quiet to Baltimore city on Sabbath days,
which it did not enjoy before its enact
ment. Your ears are not now assailcd,
as they we're some ~ OF is years ago,
with obscene and blasphemous language.
nor do you see crowds of drunken rowdies
obstructiug the sidewalks of the streets
leading to churches. l think these ad-
vantages ought to reconcile Our German
friends to their inability to drink lager
beer on Sunday evening in public gar
dens. &C.. especially as they are at full liber-
ty to make beasts Of themselves (if they
deem it conducive to health or MORALITY
at home on oil days Of the week. Under
all these efforts to desabbathize Sunday.
there turks an anti Christian. indeed an
Athcistieal element. which all sane Chris
tians will combat whenever and wherever
it shows itself The legislature has no,
as yet decided as to repeal, but seem in
elined to refer it to the voters of Balti-
more city alone. This. I think. wrong.
for we Of the couuties have some interest
in the quiet and deccncy of Baltimore
city. which we visit occasionally with our
wives and daughters.
The anti-Sunday law portion Of Balti-
more have sent in very large, iuauen-
tial and really able number of men to fight
out this matter in the Rotunda. The Syn.
agogue is largely represented. as we'll as
other ''gogs." and if they carry the poin.
Of reference to the dear "canaille" and
elves of the doggcries and groggeries.
they will have fair chance Of carrying the
day Some Rev. gentlemen. with whom
| have conrersed are sadly puzzled. how
to reconcile their Scrip,ural views aud ar
gumcnts on the Sabbath and usury ques-
tious-"Remembcr the Sabbath day to
keep holy" &c. is. with these gentlemen.
conclusive against repeal of Sunday law.
&C.. bat the equally stringent command.
as We read it in % chap. 25 verso Of Ex-
odus--"If thou lend money to any ofmy
people that Is poor BY thee. thou shall not
Be to him as an usurer. neither shalt thou
lay upon him usury" ispbsoletc. forsootb.
and is not intended for this most progress
sive age This is strong view. and dog
NAUTICAL withal. but to my poor apprehen-
sion. neither very convincing nor consis-
tent. My young friend. Phil Carroll.
from Georges. with q budget of Southern
news and ideas has just entered my sane
tum. and as ] am in haste to listen to him
aud indulge in talk Of auld lang syne.
am constrained to conclude. Next week
there will be Important Legislation and
stirring times in the Rotunda, Of which
I will write you in due course. Yale. c.
P. s: The Joint Committee. to whom
the difficulties between State and b. & o.
r. X. were referred for an amicablc set
Element. have made their report, advising
repeal Of Law requiring the one-ffth pas
senger money. on condition precedent
that the company pay up all money due
up to January. 1872. It is not quite
certain Gas am informe6) that the COM
rany viii accedc to this arrangement -
They claim, however. delay until next
Tuesday to make up their minds. Many
are of opinion that they will decline to ac-
eept the terms proposed. but viii appeal
to Cesar-M ess-the Supreme Court Of
the United States. q.
CrRcuTr CouRf.-Thc March term OF
our Circuit Court commenced on Monday
lasf. His Honor. Judrc Ford prcsidinr