Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-01
LETTERS TO GENERAL sToNEMAN-sUN
DAY LAWS INDICATED,

snail now enter on defense OF the wisdom
and propriety of Sunday laws in general.
| confess that the existing Sunday laws in
California are not such as would like to
see, and if you were pledged to the repeal
of the existing laws in order to the enact
ment of better ones, should feel strongly
inclined to give you my vote. But such i:
not the case. The Convention which NOM
mated you pledged you in favor of a repeal
of the existing Sunday laws on the ground
that such laws are improper, as partakine
of the nature of sumptuary laws. The at.
tempt to identify them with sumptuary
laws | have already refuted, and it now
remains to show that Sunday laws are Just
and proper.
The first step to be taken is to clear
away q lot of misapprehensions and mis-.
representations which have been thrown
around the subject, partly, no doubt, from
design, but in part, also, from the lack OF
definite, clear-cut perceptions.
In this discussion | waive for the present
all advantages l might derive from the
divine origin of the Sabbath. All that ]
shall assume or insist upon is that the i'm.
mense majority of Jews and Christians be.
lieve it to be divine institution. Even in
the San Jose Convention there were l67
the courage of their convictions. 1t is not
on that ground alone, however, that we
rely for our vindication of Sunday laws.
The advocates of Sunday laws concede
that in this, as in every other free country,
eve.y ,;n1sS has equal rights with his fellow.
citizens, and STANDS So the same ground
before the law. We also utteeSsy repndiate
the idea of amy connection of ChufSs-isaaSa
State, in the sense of legal establishment
of religion, in any form or denomination
thereof. la this country no form of relig-
ion can be by law established no relig-
ious test for voting or holding office can be
imposed, nor, by parity of reasoning, can
any ;rreligiot.s or infidel test be imposed.
No preference can lawfully be given to the
members of one religious denomination
above another; nor can any preference be
accorded to those of other forms of belief,
or of 10 belief, over those who do believe
IN the Christian religion. There is prob.
ably not a sect or denomination in the
country which desires any such distinc.
ton and certainly the others would never
concede it.
1t is not pretended by the advocates Of
Sunday law tnat any man can or should be
forced to contribute to the support of any
church or of amy religious institution nor
can he be forced to attend upon the serv.
ices of any church or religious institution
whatsoever. In this country these things
are, and must be, purely voluntary. Every
body knows tliat men cannot be made re-
ligious by legal enactment, and it is not
the object of Sunday laws to do so. We
admit that every man is at liberty to regu-
late his conduct and life according to his
convictions or conscience, provided he does
not violate the law of the land or infringe
upon the rights and liberties of anybody
else.
These principles have not been extorted
from the church by uubelieveIs they are
fundamental principles of the churches
themselves, and were thence transferred to
the State. Religious people and church
people have done more and suffered more,
than all the world besides, in behalf of
these principles. And no men in the world
are so ready to defend them as those who
are the firmest advocates of Sunday laws.
Aud believe the simple statement of these
principles will remove the doubts and diff
culties in most honest minds in reference
to Sunday laws. Let moot of your foreign
born citizens, especially Germans, French
and Italians, see~ that no connection OF
church and state is intended, that they are
not thereby required to profess any form
of religious belief, to attend any church
services, or contribute to their support.
and most of their objections will vanish.
In fact, believe that all objections to Sun
day laws are based on considerations en-.
tirely foreign from their true intent and
operation.
The Christian Sabbath is, however. NOT
morJ a religious than civil institution.
a seventh days rest from labor is a part OF
the constitution and course of nature, and
is essential to the physical, moral and
social well being OF society. This is now
so generally acknowledged that / will not
detain you with arguments in its defense,
But the Sabbath, in this civil aspect of it,
becomes proper subject of legislation.
We are therefore bound to insist on the
maintenance and faithful execution of the
laws enacted for the protection of the Sab.
bath. Not that men are to be made re.
ligious by law, nor that they should be
compelled by law to attend upon church
services or contribute to their support, but
that they should abstain from all unneces
sary business and from all barbarous and
noisy amusements or demonstrations or
that day. This civil Sabbath, this cessa
tion from worldly business and from al
barbarous and beisterous demonstration:
on that day, is what the civil government
in all Christian States is bound to enforce
Because
|. Every laboring man has an inalienablt
and God-given right to rest from labor one
day in seven. And he needs to be by Law
protected in the enjoyment of this right
against the avarice and injustice both o.
individuals and corporations Let the
workingmen of California vote for the re
peal of the Sunday laws, by voting for you
sir, and very soon nearly every man WIKI
works for another, or for company, anC
who has not control of his own time, and, .
host of men who are in business on theil
own account, from the force of unscrupu
| lous competition, will be compelled Il
labor, year in and year out, for seven day.
In week, without rest or recreation. AnC
ultimately they will have to work sever
! days, with no rest, for the wages Of elk
| For the same Unsuitable greed that woulC
extort seven days labor in a week, b,
combining could easily force reduction o
wages, so that the slaves in their emplo,
would get no more for seven days worl
than they get now for six. Every labor
| ing man, therefore, and every conscientiou
business man, has the most powerful in
centive to vote gainst you, irrespective o.
| party affiliations.
2. There ia another and higher reason il
| this, that the immense majority of tb,
people in every civilized community be,
| lieve that such a seventh days rest is tbs
command of God. You will please to
notice that / do not raise the question
whether this is the command of God OIL
not 1t is enough that l believe that it i.
SO, as do most of the people in this coun.
try and as kng as they believe Il, iE bind
their conscience. And these conscientiou
convictions me entitled to the protection o
law. The people should rot be exposed t.
the liability 81 being forced to violate thei
conscience. They should be protected By
law from the exiortionate greed ant
avarice of unscrupulcus men and corpora
tions. If they are not it will be in th,
power of srch men to Cypress them. b,
| discriminating against them, and in favo
of Others VIII are more INSCRIPTIONS.
8. firmly believe that the protection Q
the Sabbatifas civil institution, to sa,
nothing nov of its religious character,
essential tot the preservation of our free in
st;tutions, and of the peace and welbeing Q
society. Tbs indispensable condition {
social orderin free country is good MOI
ais among the people. And no one ca
question the fact that day of rest, at res
ular Intervals, with its opportunities fl
refreshmenb clean clothes, recreation an
Instruction. is one Of the chief safeguard
Of virtue ahi intelligence among The pc,
Pile. Evensif we admit that morality conl
long be preserved without religion, whic
| am very BIZ from admitting, it is urque