按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
at any public meeting or assembly … penalties for letting
carriages； and penalties for hiring them … penalties for travelling
in steam…boats； and penalties for taking passengers … penalties on
vessels commencing their voyage on Sunday … penalties on the owners
of cattle who suffer them to be driven on the Lord's day …
penalties on constables who refuse to act； and penalties for
resisting them when they do。 In addition to these trifles； the
constables are invested with arbitrary； vexatious； and most
extensive powers； and all this in a bill which sets out with a
hypocritical and canting declaration that 'nothing is more
acceptable to God than the TRUE AND SINCERE worship of Him
according to His holy will； and that it is the bounden duty of
Parliament to promote the observance of the Lord's day； by
protecting every class of society against being required to
sacrifice their comfort； health； religious privileges； and
conscience； for the convenience； enjoyment； or supposed advantage
of any other class on the Lord's day'！ The idea of making a man
truly moral through the ministry of constables； and sincerely
religious under the influence of penalties； is worthy of the mind
which could form such a mass of monstrous absurdity as this bill is
composed of。
The House of Commons threw the measure out certainly； and by so
doing retrieved the disgrace … so far as it could be retrieved … of
placing among the printed papers of Parliament； such an egregious
specimen of legislative folly； but there was a degree of delicacy
and forbearance about the debate that took place； which I cannot
help thinking as unnecessary and uncalled for； as it is unusual in
Parliamentary discussions。 If it had been the first time of Sir
Andrew Agnew's attempting to palm such a measure upon the country；
we might well understand； and duly appreciate； the delicate and
compassionate feeling due to the supposed weakness and imbecility
of the man； which prevented his proposition being exposed in its
true colours； and induced this Hon。 Member to bear testimony to his
excellent motives； and that Noble Lord to regret that he could not
… although he had tried to do so … adopt any portion of the bill。
But when these attempts have been repeated； again and again； when
Sir Andrew Agnew has renewed them session after session； and when
it has become palpably evident to the whole House that
His impudence of proof in every trial；
Kens no polite； and heeds no plain denial …
it really becomes high time to speak of him and his legislation； as
they appear to deserve； without that gloss of politeness； which is
all very well in an ordinary case； but rather out of place when the
liberties and comforts of a whole people are at stake。
In the first place； it is by no means the worst characteristic of
this bill； that it is a bill of blunders： it is； from beginning to
end； a piece of deliberate cruelty； and crafty injustice。 If the
rich composed the whole population of this country； not a single
comfort of one single man would be affected by it。 It is directed
exclusively； and without the exception of a solitary instance；
against the amusements and recreations of the poor。 This was the
bait held out by the Hon。 Baronet to a body of men； who cannot be
supposed to have any very strong sympathies in common with the
poor； because they cannot understand their sufferings or their
struggles。 This is the bait； which will in time prevail； unless
public attention is awakened； and public feeling exerted； to
prevent it。
Take the very first clause； the provision that no man shall be
allowed to work on Sunday … 'That no person； upon the Lord's day；
shall do； or hire； or employ any person to do any manner of labour；
or any work of his or her ordinary calling。' What class of persons
does this affect？ The rich man？ No。 Menial servants； both male
and female； are specially exempted from the operation of the bill。
'Menial servants' are among the poor people。 The bill has no
regard for them。 The Baronet's dinner must be cooked on Sunday；
the Bishop's horses must be groomed； and the Peer's carriage must
be driven。 So the menial servants are put utterly beyond the pale
of grace； … unless indeed； they are to go to heaven through the
sanctity of their masters； and possibly they might think even that；
rather an uncertain passport。
There is a penalty for keeping open； houses of entertainment。 Now；
suppose the bill had passed； and that half…a…dozen adventurous
licensed victuallers； relying upon the excitement of public feeling
on the subject； and the consequent difficulty of conviction （this
is by no means an improbable supposition）； had determined to keep
their houses and gardens open； through the whole Sunday afternoon；
in defiance of the law。 Every act of hiring or working； every act
of buying or selling； or delivering； or causing anything to be
bought or sold； is specifically made a separate offence … mark the
effect。 A party； a man and his wife and children； enter a tea…
garden； and the informer stations himself in the next box； from
whence he can see and hear everything that passes。 'Waiter！' says
the father。 'Yes。 Sir。' 'Pint of the best ale！' 'Yes； Sir。'
Away runs the waiter to the bar； and gets the ale from the
landlord。 Out comes the informer's note…book … penalty on the
father for hiring； on the waiter for delivering； and on the
landlord for selling； on the Lord's day。 But it does not stop
here。 The waiter delivers the ale； and darts off； little
suspecting the penalties in store for him。 'Hollo；' cries the
father； 'waiter！' 'Yes； Sir。' 'Just get this little boy a
biscuit； will you？' 'Yes； Sir。' Off runs the waiter again； and
down goes another case of hiring； another case of delivering； and
another case of selling； and so it would go on AD INFINITUM； the
sum and substance of the matter being； that every time a man or
woman cried 'Waiter！' on Sunday； he or she would be fined not less
than forty shillings； nor more than a hundred； and every time a
waiter replied； 'Yes； Sir；' he and his master would be fined in the
same amount： with the addition of a new sort of window duty on the
landlord； to wit； a tax of twenty shillings an hour for every hour
beyond the first one； during which he should have his shutters down
on the Sabbath。
With one exception； there are perhaps no clauses in the whole bill；
so strongly illustrative of its partial operation； and the
intention of its framer； as those which relate to travelling on
Sunday。 Penalties of ten； twenty； and thirty pounds； are
mercilessly imposed upon coach proprietors who shall run their
coaches on the Sabbath； one； two； and ten pounds upon those who
hire； or let to hire； horses and carriages upon the Lord's day； but
not one syllable about those who have no necessity to hire； because
they have carriages and horses of their own； not one word of a
penalty on liveried coachmen and footmen。 The whole of the saintly
venom is directed against the hired cabriolet； the humble fly； or
the rumbling hackney…coach； which enables a man of the poorer class
to escape for a few hours from the smoke and dirt； in the midst of
which he has been confined throughout the week： while the
escutcheoned carriage and the dashing cab； may whirl their wealthy
owners to Sunday feasts and private oratorios； setting constables；
informers； and penalties； at defiance。 Again； in the description
of the places of public resort which it is rendered criminal to
attend on Sunday； there are no words comprising a very fashionable
promenade。 Public discussions； public debates； public lectures and
speeches； are cautiously guarded against； for it is by their means
that the people become enlightened enough to deride the last
efforts of bigotry and superstition。 There is a stringent
provision for punishing the poor man who spends an hour in a news…
room； but there is nothing to prevent the rich one from lounging
away the day in the Zoological Gardens。
There is； in four words； a mock proviso； which affects to forbid
travelling 'with any animal' on the Lord's day。 This； however； is
revoked； as relates to the rich man； by a subsequent provision。 We
have then a penalty of not less than fifty； nor more than one
hundred pounds； upon any person participating in the control； or
having the command of any vessel which shall commence her voyage on
the Lord's day； should the wind prove favourable。 The next time
this bill is brought forward （which will no doubt be at an early
period of the next session of Parliament） perhaps it will be better
to amend this clause by declaring； that from and after the passing
of the act； it shall be deemed unlawful for the wind to blow at all
upon the Sabbath。 It would remove a great deal of temptation from
the owners and captains of vessels。
The reader is now in possession of the principal enacting clauses
o