The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-14
Iect, and he would let the opponents Of the
lazy sneak for Themselves.

this was mere police regulation prohibit
ing, under penalty, the sale OF intoxicating
liquors on Sunday.
2. The law was said 10 be odious because
discriminating aQains, liQuor-sellers IN
making The fine heavier for sale OF that aTtl-
Gle Of commerce than for sale OF calico,
shoes, bread, &c. Ii was claimed that in
toxicaiing liquors stood on the same foot
ing with food and clothing. On election
days The statute draws circle Of prohibit
tlon around the ballot-boX so rs TO prevent
broils. The Doctor read q late decision
II ON a New York court affirming the right
of State 10 regulate the liquor trafhc, 10
prescribe the conditions upon which 1T
might be carried on, and TO impose penal
ties 10 secure society and individuals
against the danger OF the traffic.
9. The third objection raised 10 the law is
that II interfered with religious freedom.
The Doctor said that, politically 'and reli-
giously, he was unaIlerably opposed to any
alliance, open or covert, between Govern
ment and Churches; favored absolute sepa-
ration, aud thought that duties TO God as
such should never be enforced by human
legislation. He drew clear distinction
! between religious duties and duties that are
moral and virtuous; insisted that every
/ civil code was based on morals, and that
/ laws must have a Substratum OF right. The
! lower the standard Of virtue and purity the
more degraded aud vicious the people. Ii
proportion as the standard is high does it
conform TO Christian morals. Human law
is enriched or impoverished as it absorbs
the spirit and principles OF Christianity.
/ To cOnfOund the recognition OF moral ideas
as the basis OF civil law with requiring ad-
herence 10 religious doctrine was TO miss
| the distinction Of things.
The Doctor denied that Christianity was
parcel OF the comrSon law, but urged that
sins against society, against decency, the
peace Of the community, must be punished,
albeit the same sins were liable TO Divine
retributiOn. Society often requires the in
corporation into its code what was preyi-
ouSly in the Divine. To keep open bar
room on Sunday was hardly religious
rite or matter Of conscience, while to con-
vert Sunday into day OF dissipation and
es,s OF the people.
A. The fourth ground was that the law
took c0gnzance Of Sunday as a religious
institution. The speaker denied the right
OF government to cOerce the observance OF
Sunday as a religious day, but claimed
and here he passed into some affirmative
consideraticns-and held,
/. That il was competent and right for
government to have ctrd SABBATH, day
non-legal. when public business and COM
pulsOry labor should be suspended. The
experience Of mankind demonstrated the
indispen sableness OF a day OF rest. The
con>titution of man required it. This en-
forced cessation from labor was blessing
10 the poor which they would be short
sighted to give up.
>. \ civil Sabbath being an idle day, the
necessity was great for closing groggerie,
and preventing the temptation to drunken
ness. disorder, and crime. On holidays
there is double danger to the peace Of com
munity, and the law should carefully guard
against breaches Of the peace, immortality
&c.
3. The dangerous character OF the traffic
especially on an idle day, was brought out
Statistics show that the use Of intoxicating
liquors cause pauperism. violations OF law
insanity, increase Of expenditures ana tax
alton.
4. The law has operated benetcially IL
our city, as is shown by the diminished
number OF cases for trial and the dlmln
ished expenses OF the courts.
The Doctor urged the faithful enforce
ment OF the law, the preservation OF tb'
high character OF the city, the avoidance o
European customs in reference to the sab
bath, and closed by quoting from Theodore
Parker, the Boston nationalist, who prefer
, red the quiet OF a New England Sabbath t.
the beer and dlam-drinking and disorderi.
Sunday of an European capital.
The speech Of DR.. Curry was received
with loud applause, and round OF cheer
greeted him as he resumed bis seat.
At the conclusion OF DR.. Curry's speech
, the Chairman introduced
RIGHT REV. BISHOP KEANE,
t who was received with loud and long con
| tinued cheering. He said:
e am no politician; and ii believed tha
2 the matter for tho consideration OF whlc
: this meeting is assembled was merely po
. litical one, or that its aim was political agl
+ tation. | would not be here tonight. Il.
i this | do not mean that politics, IN them
J., selUeS, aie bad or outside the province Of
d minister OF religion, but that, taking tn
: world as it is and politics as they are, tn
political arena is popularity, and DelleV
rightly, considered, not to be the best ficl
- for n cIcrgvman's labors. This is true
Q But it is equally true that when a matte
: which happens 10 lie within the province o
' civil legislation lies also within the prov
ince of religion, then it is rot only perml'
BILE TO clergyman, but becomes his boun
den duty TO protest against any Legislation
thar would be immoral and antl-rellglou
; in IFS tendency. such ] understand to b
the case now at issue; and therefore spea
on this occasion not merely IN compliance
with the request extended to me, Du
, throuoh q decp sense Of sacred duty.
The question before us, a undersidh
It. is. whether the sunday laws, as they nov
exist, shall be maintained, and shall con
tinue TO be enforced in ways which the laN
provides, or whether they shalt be so moul
fed that, in regard to the selling OF lquoi
, they would be reduced to minimum, Wflc
competent Judges declare tantamount 10 a
. invitation TO violate the law.
| 1t at once appears, then, that the oDlec'
this meeting, and the desire OF those wa
y have called il, is by no means the tnTodul
i ton OF a religious matter into our civil iegl'
latiOn. The matter in question IS alread
!, and has long been part OF our civil legi'
n lation, and the question Is, whether II
q now TO be virtually excluded from II. 1t
i not 10 introduce q new law, but TO ask thf
!. an old one be maintained, as conducive
the Dublic veal. The law was Ion
since passed fer wise and good end
and the question is, Shall it be KEEP
o in the shape best securing those END
G or shall IL be virtually a0ollshed
IS II would be a mistake, then to assert mi
!, those calling this meeting and adyocalln
l its object are maugurating po1tlc'
religious agitation. The truth is just tt
other way. They that petition for chang
IS OF the existing law are the ones VINO II
i auenrate The agitation. They that advoca
the law are acting on the defensive, an