New-York tribune., 1876-07-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
WHAT WAS THE PURITAN SUNDAY
THE cARCATURE USUALLY DRAWN AND IliE REAL
DAY,
To the Editor Of The tribune.

DAY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: What is called "Tle Sunday Ques-
cp ia likely TO have free and fu discussion, not only
I'm its relation to the National Exhibition but IN
It's moral and even its political bearings. IL
finds its place in platform constructor
by some of our fcllow-cihzens, who, while they
call themselves Americans, still frame resolutions "a a
nationality and propose that have no legislation or
restraint as to the keeping OF sunday or S1hbaiiday
They do that there two sides TO that Hues
ton aud that If every man NAV Keep the dy as ho
pleases my day OF rest ani quiet may be hi'ory oe
str,ycd If he chooses TO have music ana dancing aud all
the attendant noise next door AS people, natohiy,
the day has been TO a day OF peace and rest ana
many amons US believe You know that G ID so ordained
H. and made us so that the repOse Is necessary not cny
morally, but mentally and physically. Even ahlhas
hold out better vino rest day in seven began Dy
asinr question There Is mach oucry about the Purl-
tan Sunday with apparently definite idea about IT, ex-
cent that il was everything that and harsh and
dislgroeable Many OF the ideas are taken frOn me on
Connecticut Blue laws" a burlesque which has been
cuoted aud expoded hundreds Of times. saw copy
once and II carried its absurty on its face
II hal n rough wOOlcut for fronsDecc. niue
boy cries ont, Nam. dIds ketcaed man chhih 10
blccer;" and the wOman's answer Is, " My oni' ho WI"
Bnt what was really the Puritan sabbath The name
simply means day of rest ana 3t course oPin.iiS i
IN rrli,,uus dutt,s; hut wien men ul their higher
duties attention the needs OF sli1al nature moo
conducive their happiness, VINO sAali glin5y hol
ID was "a day Of restraint, II! Ana ihcSt axe Jays oi
license. VINO shall say that ;;ic lcjli"iit is not ~
piucsS : TGc men who had cn tine eyil cncctS oI
sunday spent III spots and games ana disNptIon Nel
quietly TO place where they c0ui 1--we ~ tncy pleased
and made their laws. Those who di not IKE helr
laws were not the least bound Ia go where lhry hci
sway The world was before them. Why 20 there ana
then complain In AL these things one Is tcHP,5l 10
Men talk IL religion, iir c'ft of = hhcr
aud better and life, We're hardsblpani pelanc
a restraint and bitterness. i n0t uay Vi II. H..
a nrjyIlrgel SUPPOSE quarreed because thcy
had To sleep AT night and take repo>cf suppose i'Y pre-
fcrrcd 40 be kept awake by trumretS ana drums a an
the upToar OF tUrchig1t prOccssrnSi lhcN hl'" tci
than That. They know llat man cannot ave Nlodt
quiet sleep. Neither the better mature hya WthOu,
r,st Bui, even for the sake ~ argument aUOWihE ai
Jt was said Of the Puitan sunday "a IL eNj-EF!''n
which system turned ont the ~ ani most ~ NJ anu
tenn made the most thrifty nation, TIE ie"eSt pae'S
Ne are beginning as people to wake mp to the mis-
strong drink, TIE destruction! OF HO
buly and estate Diseases the crimes that ait'hu lts
piorc-s for progress tcrc has breJ On' hdS Cu} 20
read Of ynSY frauds" ana the revenue IrtdriS 10 pt
convinced Of tins NOW, 70 W0ndeiH! exon, oanlig
recreation" rs 1t is called. and drinking 90 together
Give the day of rest the indulgence Of the over n
ture and yOu take away Of our last hopes IN tnc
name of humanity iet me have chance - rise. II IL
must be by law II men must br t;Ectc'e OF, iet rs 'c
for them. FINALLY, man, be Le workman, pl2h. -
man. politician, can work d'ys IN tue week. IL
was Il thing to be marked tuat pupc man CrntF'
who was Suddenly stricken down, hll written rtttT',
ired brain and nerves had 10 r', There was = hctIef
law written in his nature there Is ~ the nature ~ every
man IL The law OF rest 81 was lnstiAt"G III Tue Nc-
ginning. when the dy oi rest was set 3", IL ~ no
JewiSA Puritan institution, ana hEe al INC HS "a
COD, no man brcass IL with inpunity. Lin
Aec- York, July IL, 1876.