public mind, guardian of the public safety, and promoter of public prosperity; that, therefore, its due observance, according to the holy Scriptures, will call forth Divine favor upon the nation, whilst, on the other hand, its profanation must be followed by expressions of Divine wrath."

From the City of New-York.

* * “We would hope, too, that the members of our government, by their conspicuous example, in this regard, by their cogent arguments in the halls of legislation, and by their manifestation of a sacred regard for the Sabbath, in all the arrangements of business at the seat of government, in the army and the navy, in all the public offices, and upon the highways of our land, will exert a powerful influence in checking the immoralities named, and in protecting an institution which is more efficacious in perpetuating the blessings of a free government, than the best laws ever framed by the wisdom of man.”

From the City of Philadelphia.

"Your memorialists would represent, that in the rest from labor, which the Sabbath enjoins, the comfort and health of man are promoted; and by the devotion of a set time to the contemplation of our condition as moral and responsible beings, the virtue and intelligence of the community are most certainly advanced, and thereby the prosperity and liberties of the country are secured."

From Merchants of the City of Baltimore.

"Without entering at all into the imperative nature of the obligation which requires of Christians to observe this day as sacredly set apart and appropriated to religious observances, we may urge, in favor of the prayer of the memorialists, the general usefulness of the institution; a fact attested by common observation, and universally admitted by persons of every religious persuasion. A proper observance of the Sabbath greatly tends to promote and strengthen moral habits, and, in a variety of ways, to better the general condition of society; and, unques

tionably, the promotion of these objects is, or ought to be, the great end of human legislation."

From Washington County, Md.

"The experience of individuals proves, that it is their true interest to obey the divine precept, and rest from business on the Sabbath; and we are fully persuaded that the national welfare will be promoted by discontinuing the practice of transporting and opening mails, and delivering letters, on that day."

From the City of Boston.

“Your memorialists regard the institution of the Sabbath as one of the most striking proofs of the divine beneficence, and as affording the only adequate means for preserving the fear of God, the sanctity of oaths, genuine personal integrity, the public morals, and our civil and political privileges. Though there are too many in our land, who practically disregard the Sabbath; yet, it is believed, there are few who would willingly see that sacred day abolished."

From Boonsborough and vicinity, Washington County, Md.

"The transportation and opening of the mail, and the delivery of letters and newspapers from Postoffices on the Lord's day, are practices injurious to the morals, and to the civil and religious institutions of our country."

From Berkshire County, Mass.

"We believe the good sense of a vast majority of this nation desire a suspension of labor on the Sabbath; and as the other offices of government are closed on that day, we see no reason why the Postoffice should not likewise be closed.”

From Elizabethtown, N. J.

"Your memorialists would state, that the laws, which require the opening of Postoffices, &c., on the Sabbath, have, in their influence, an exceedingly demoralizing effect upon the community; and that they are contrary to the feelings of a large and increasing portion of this nation."

From Spotsylvania County, Va.

"The undersigned cannot but regard the transportation and opening of the mails on the Lord's day as injurious to the morals of the community, and as a violation of that rest, which all who recognize the authority of the New Testament not only feel it their duty to observe, but the observance of which they consider a glorious privilege."

From James M. Garnett, and others, Va.

"Human passions are quite sufficient, of themselves, without any legal pretext or encouragement, to cause many more violations of the Sabbath, than human laws can prevent."

From Accomac County, Va.

"The undersigned have, for a long time, viewed with sorrow, the demoralizing effect produced by the transportation and opening of the mail on the Sabbath, as well in this county, as in other parts."

From Edenburgh, Ohio.

"Your petitioners, believing the profanation of the Sabbath a general and growing evil in our happy country, and fully persuaded that this evil is perpetuated by the transportation and opening of the public mails on that day,—humbly pray, that you, who are, under Providence, intrusted with the affairs of the nation," &c.

From the City of New York.

"Your memorialists beg leave respectfully to represent,— That the transportation and opening of mails, and the delivery of letters and newspapers from Postoffices on the Lord's day, are practices injurious to the morals, and consequently dangerous in their influences upon the civil institutions of this country.”

From the City of Boston.

"Your memorialists are fully convinced, that the transportation of the mail on the Sabbath, and the opening of Postoffices

on that day, operate constantly and powerfully to bring the Sabbath itself into neglect and contempt; that these causes are more difficult to be limited and concentrated by the true friends of their country, than any other, if not than all other, causes combined; and that no remedy can be found, unless the national authority shall interpose to correct the evil."

From the Grand Jury of Washington County, Penn.

"The violation of the Sabbath, by the running of the mail stages on that day, is considered by all pious and reflecting persons as an insult to Almighty God, and as likely to produce a great corruption of public morals, unless the practice is speedily reformed."

From Sharon, Conn.

"Your petitioners deem it unnecessary to repeat the arguments and motives so forcibly urged in the New York memorial, for the suppression of a practice which has become most alarming in its extent; and which, if suffered to continue, must, as they verily believe, draw down the sorest visitations of Heaven upon our country."

From the State of New York.

"Your memorialists have witnessed this increasing immorality with deep regret and solicitude, and they are constrained to believe that it is in vain for the friends of good order to attempt to protect this holy day from desecration, while the government allows the mails to be carried on Sundays, and requires the Postmasters to deliver letters, papers, and packets on every day of the week.' We feel that we have a right to look to the government of our country for example; and that those, whom the people have clothed with power, will not permit a practice which is continually undermining the morals, and consequently endangering the liberties of the nation."

From the City of Boston.

"The undersigned would respectfully represent, that the transportation of the mail on the Sabbath, and the opening of

the Postoffices on that day are great public evils, in no sense necessary, and not counterbalanced by any supposed convenience arising from them."

From Washington County, Penn.

"Your memorialists beg leave also to appeal to your own observation, as statesmen and legislators, to sustain us, when we assert, that the disregard and breach of the Fourth Commandment is generally the first inroad to crime; and that moral delinquency, in any country, increases in a ratio with the profanation of the day."

From Washington County, Ala.

"When we reflect on the number of persons employed in discharging the various duties relative to Postoffices, such as Postmasters, deputies, clerks, mail-carriers, &c., we cannot but regret that the subject has not, long since, met the attention of the American public. We heartily concur in the efforts which are making to restore to Postmasters, &c., the privilege, which, under the present regulations, is denied to them, and which we believe it to be the right of every person in America to enjoy."

From Telfair County, Geo.

"Those citizens [Postmasters, &c.] are compelled to follow their daily vocation, in violation of the law of God, while all other citizens are, by the laws of God as well as of man, especially forbidden thus to violate that consecrated day."

From Callaway County, Ky.

"While every other grade and order of the people of this Union are permitted a cessation from toil during the Sabbath, yet the persons engaged in this national affair, [the Postoffice Department,] are compelled to drive on without intermission."

From Washington County, Ky.

"We pray your honorable body so to change the laws regulating the Postoffice establishment, as, in time of peace, (at all events), to prohibit the transporting of mails and the opening of