interest in the subject to which they are soliciting the attention of Congress. They not only wish to preserve their families and friends from the contagion of a bad example, and of an allowed, customary disregard and contempt of an invaluable institution; but they are also persuaded, that for national deviations from right, emanating from the government, a present national retribution is to be apprehended, inasmuch as the future reckoning is for individuals, and not for states; and such public retributory judgment must fall upon the people, and must be borne by your memorialists in common with others."

From Rowan County, N. C.

"Your memorialists consider the practice of transporting and opening the mail on the Sabbath, contrary to the FOURTH COMMAND IN THE DECALOGUE; and that the continuance and increase of our happiness depend on our obedience to the laws of God."

From Trenton, N. J.

"The practice of opening the Post-office of the United States, on the Sabbath day, is, in the opinion of your memorialists, a violation of the Divine commandment, injurious in its effects on the public morals, and unsupported by any plea of public necessity or convenience; while it gives just offence to the principles and feelings of the Christian community."

From Jersey City.

"The memorialists do not think it will be expected of them to reply at length to the arguments used in defence of transporting and opening mails on the Sabbath, and the delivery of letters and newspapers at Post-offices; as the honorable bodies addressed will at once perceive, that an entire suspension of secular business on that day would operate impartially on the whole community; that experience demonstrates that the rest of one day in seven conduces alike to a vigorous prosecution of business and to a healthy moral tone; and that the whole array of arguments in favor of breaking the Sabbath is answered by the solemn truth, that the violations of this holy day are contrary to the laws of God, and detrimental to the physical, civil, and moral good of the people."

Many petitions, from all parts of the Union, were couched in the same language.

From Salem, Mass.

"Believing, as your petitioners do, that the practice above mentioned is a direct infringement of the Divine law, and its existence is inconsistent with the character, and a reproach to the name of a Christian people; that its tendency is to subvert the institutions of religion, by lessening that respect for them which ought ever to be felt and inculcated; that it exerts a pernicious and demoralizing influence upon the community at large, by encouraging, and, in effect, inviting their attention to secular concerns on the Sabbath, to the neglect, and even the exclusion of the appropriate duties of the day; that, as an open violation of an express command of the SUPREME LAWGIVER, it must be offensive in his sight, and may lead to such a general depravation of manners, as to cause him to withdraw from us that abounding goodness and favor which he has hitherto vouchsafed to us as a nation; and that, from all these considerations, it calls loudly for correction and redress;-they repeat their most earnest and respectful request," &c.

This form of petition was also much used.

From Spartanburgh District, S. C.

"While the arm of Jehovah is lifted for our defence, no enemy can subdue us or impair our rights. But if the supreme Legislature of this Union, by their act, make it necessary to violate the command of God, his justice will demand that adequate punishment be inflicted on our common country. His own law he will magnify and make honorable, by inflicting the sanction, or honoring those who honor it."

From Rockbridge County, Va.

"Our opinion is based, not only on the firm belief that God claims that day for his service, but on a firm belief, that every nation, which generally profanes that holy day by neglecting to keep it, does bring upon itself heavy judgments."

From Hanover County, Va.

66 Being fully convinced that the blessing of God will be conferred on that nation which obeys his laws, and that punishment will be inflicted on the disobedient, we have, with much concern, seen in the Post-office Department, that the Sabbath, a day which God hath commanded to be kept holy, is broken and profaned."

From Westmoreland County, Va.

"We view with deep regret the public violation of the Sabbath, in transporting and opening of the mail on that day. We regard the command to keep the Sabbath holy, binding upon nations, as well as individuals. We are dependent on Divine Providence as a nation, and cannot expect the blessing of God, while we act in opposition to his requirements."

From Newburyport, Mass.

"But, more than all, by these means, an explicit command of God is violated, and the authority of the Lawgiver set at naught, and his righteous displeasure incurred, not against individuals only, who are the immediate transgressors, but also against the community and government, which authorizes or suffers such wickedness."

From Rensselaer County, NY.

"With a few unworthy exceptions, were the question for the observance of the Sabbath put to the citizens of the United States, it would be unanimously carried in the affirmative. Why then should this public evil of which we complain, which tends to destroy the observance of the Sabbath, and to disturb those who do observe it, be supported by Government?"

From St. Lawrence County, N. Y.

"The toleration, or rather establishment, by the law of the land, of this work and labor on the Sabbath, has long been deplored by a vast majority, it is believed, of the Christian community."

From the City of Boston.

"As a people, the inhabitants of the United States, if they

were all to speak their minds, would demand the preservation of the Sabbath. They have the deepest interest in demanding it; for if all the restraints of religion were removed, our national prosperity and our political freedom would soon depart, to return no more. But what could not be done directly, and at once, may be done gradually, and too effectually, if the Sabbath should be secularized."

From Philadelphia.

"That the recognition of the Sabbath, in all the institutions of the country, as is shown in the usages of Congress and of our courts of justice, in the execution of the laws, &c., and the peculiar sanction with which it is guarded by our State laws, induce your memorialists to hope that the exception to the general observance of a day of rest, which is found in the Post-office Department, and which is but of recent practice, will receive the attention of Congress."

From Bedford County, Tenn.

"We rejoice that the sacred institutions of religion are so generally respected by the laws of our highly favored country; yet we regret that the Sabbath, which is the holy of the Lord, and honorable, is, by the authority of the rulers of our nation, violated in one important case; we mean the mail and Postoffice Department.

"The laws of our happy country, (that is, the laws of the several States,) say, 'No work shall be done on the Sabbath, by persons of any class,'-yet the law to which we refer says, that 'carriers of mails, postmasters, and clerks, shall work on that holy day."

From John Cotton Smith and others, Conn.

"Your petitioners have long perceived, with the deepest regret, that the attempts of the State authorities to enforce the due observance of the Sabbath have been greatly obstructed, if not defeated, by persons acting under authority derived from the Post-office Department. If the General Government actually possesses the right thus practically to annul a salutary law of the several States, and one which is founded upon the DIVINE

COMMAND, it is hoped, that at least a spirit of comity and conciliation will prevent its further exercise.

"But your petitioners presume, that no such right is claimed by the national legislature, believing, as they do, that no such right exists. Surely no express authority to contravene the injunction of the SUPREME LAWGIVER will be found in the national charter; and none is given by implication, unless we admit the preposterous conclusion, that the people of these States, so highly distinguished by the favor of the Almighty, have intentionally sanctioned the violation of his laws. Persuaded, as your petitioners are, that the regulations of the General Post-office, requiring mails to be transported and opened on the Lord's day, is alike unnecessary and unauthorized, and confiding in the wisdom and piety of the Congress of the United States, they do most respectfully and earnestly entreat, that a prompt and effectual remedy may be provided for the evil of which they, in common with all the reflecting portion of our fellow citizens, have just reason to complain."

From Washington County, Penn.

**"If these things are true, have we not reason to deprecate the judgments of heaven upon our nation, because of the extent to which this offence is practised, under the pretence of Post-office regulations, which are repugnant to the laws of the Supreme Governor, and to the municipal enactments of every State in the Union?

"Your memorialists would respectfully inquire, upon what pretext is the law of God thus disregarded, and his sovereignty thus insulted ?"

From Bedford, Westchester County, N. Y.

"The religious freedom secured by the Constitution to every citizen, is infringed by a law that offends the consciences of multitudes, and exacts from Postmasters and others services forbid'den by the religion which most of them profess."

From the City of Boston.

"We rejoice in the principles of universal religious toleration on which our General Government is founded; and we would