Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-03
Shall the Home be Protected ?

A strong effort is being made to enforce
the Sunday law in Philadelphia. A large
delegation of leading business men recently
waited upon the mayor to urge the better
observance of law. Joshua L. Bailey, Esq,
in an earnest aud able address TO the mayor,
to the statute, said 1T is law
not only of our commonwealth, but of all
the states that distinguish our common
country. 1t is by authority of law that the
halls Of congress are closed on the first day
of the week. 1t is by law that the state
legislature holds no session ON that day, and
the business of all our courts of justice and
the public departments are suspended. The
hum of activity cease in all our mills and
factories, our banks are closed, the counting
room of the merchant is deserted, the car
penter puts away his tools, the shoemaker
leaves his bench, and the hammer lies silent
beside the anvil In all the marts of COM
rnerce, where, during six days in the week
there is the hum of ceaseless activity, there
is on this day neither sound nor tread.
Tradesmen of every grade, all the little shops
as well as the great establishments OF the
city, where for six days, from early dawn to
latest eve, there is constant toll until Satur-
day night comes, when, closing all their
doors and windows, and shutting up and
shutting out all thoughts of toll and labor,
they welcome the Seventh day, the God
given day of rest. ! think that it will be
safe to say that ninety per cent of our pop
ulation observe the day, respect the law,
cheerfully, lovingly. One portion only OF
population disregard both the law and the
observance of the Sabbath. The law very
properly permits deeds OF charity and neces-
sity. Is the traffic in Intoxicating drinks
~ ohar af ~
We're it so, all good citizens would cheerfully
permit it the exemption it demands. But if
II be true, as we learn from the present
ments OF our grand juries made from time
to time, and which have become almost
wearisome in their uniformity, that the
liquor traffic is responsible for three-fourths
OF all the crime and all the poverty which,
in one form or another, is continually about
us, filling and overlooking our almshouses
and iails-why, then, it is not work of
charity or necessity, and is a work which
should at least be restrained and confined
within the limits which the law has fixed.
We have about five hundred churches, and
as many or more Sabbath-schools, whose
doors are open on every Sabbath day for
instruction. We cannot compel the people
| TO enter the churches nor can we compel the
parents to send their children TO Sunday.
school. We can only offer them the oppor-
tunity, and if they decline to accept it the
responsibility is with them. But if we per-
init ten times this number of saloons to be
open on this day, conducting their business
in defiance of law-schools of immortality
and vice to tempt and trap our youth and to
inculcate the principles Of disobedience to
law, why in that case the responsibility is
ours If we fail to lift up our voices and most
solemnly protest against it, Some OF the
saloons of our city do more business ON Sun
day than any other day. Some, II is said
do as much business as on any two or three
days OF the week. am told that should We
succeed in fully enforcing the law, the effect
would be TO drive ut least one-quarter OF the
aloon-keepers out of the business-such II
the extent TO which this law-deiiant bust
meas Is conducted