DOI Heft:
September 16, 1865
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16876#0115
THE THIN END OE THE WEDGE AT SYDENHAM
The following petition to Parliament, representing the Sabbatarian
principles and convictions of that most serious section of the serious
public, the serious publicans, is designed to lie for signature at pot-
houses and ginshops in and about, the Metropolis :—
To the Honourable House of Commons, 8fc.
The Humble Petition of the Professing Christian Publicans, Hotel
and Tavern Keepers and proprietors of Wine Vaults in London
and the neighbourhood, Humbly Sbeweth:—
That on Sunday last week about 15,000 persons, shareholders of
the Crystal Palace, with their friends, and the members of the Crystal
Palace share clubs, with their friends also, were admitted to the
palace and grounds by free tickets, thus desecrating the Sabbath, just
as it is desecrated in another quarter of the Metropolis by the Pellows
of the Zoological Society, and those select but sinful persons whom they
admit by order to the Zoological Gardens on Sundays.
That the majority of those present at the Crystal Palace on the
said Sunday belonged to the great middle class, the special depositary,
i hitherto, of the genuine enlightened British religion.
That notwithstanding the gross sinfulness in the commission whereof
they were engaged, the weather was magnificent. And that all present
seemed to enjoy what they called their privilege, with a truly painful
want of a due sense of the meaning of that word.
That during the afternoon a selection of sacred music was performed
by Mb. Coward on the Grand Organ, to disguise amusement with
the pretence of a devotional celebration.
That after the performance of the sacred music, a secular address
was delivered by Mb Baxter Langley in explanation of the principles
of the National Sunday League. That, the principles of the National
Sunday League were practised by the Directors of the Crystal Palace
Company, in admitting, at the suggestion of the said League, into the
Crystal Palace, last Sunday week, a multitude of the wicked, to wit the
Sabbath-breakers aforesaid.
That, on the part of the Crystal Palace Company, or the National
Sunday League, or both, it was announced that a free Sunday admission
to the said Palace would shortly be given to the Letter-carriers of the
Metropolis.
That your petitioners, as faithful men, duly licensed to deal in
spirituous liquors, are therefore much grieved in spirit at the desecra-
tion of the Sabbath which has been perpetrated, and at the intention
shortly to perpetrate a similar desecration of that day at the Crystal
Palace.
That in the opinion of your petitioners this desecration of the Crystal
Palace is the thin end of the wedge.
That if crowds of people are allowed to be admitted to the Crystal
Palace by free ticket on Sunday, your Honourable House will next be
called upon, and will be unable, with any regard to consistency, to
refuse to allow the National Gallery, the British Museum, and all
other such institutions to be open on the Sunday likewise to the British
Public.
That if those places of amusement and instruction were open on
Sundays, great numbers of persons would pass some time in them,
which they now, perhaps, spend in spiritual exercises. And that they
would also keep a considerable amount of money in their pockets which
they are at present certainly accustomed to spend in spirits, wise, and
beer.
That your petitioners are wholly regardless of the consideration that
popular abstinence on the people’s holiday from alcoholic beverages
would in any measure injure the business of your petitioners ; but they
are truly afraid it might seriously affect the revenue.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly entreat your Honourable House
by legislative enactment to prohibit for the future those evasive ar-
rangements through which admission to the Crystal Palace may be
obtained on Sundays by free ticket, and, in the interest of the State,
not at all in that of your petitioners, to enact that, whilst public-houses
remain open on Sundays, public institutions devoted to art, science
and natural history, shall remain closed.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, and daily accustomed
will ever pray, &c.
September 16, 1865.] PUNCH. OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Aunt. “ Now, Clara, you should do as I do. Whenever any Man follows me, I turn round, and give him one of my Looks,
AND HE IS OFF IMMEDIATELY.”
WE SHOULD THINK SO.
The following petition to Parliament, representing the Sabbatarian
principles and convictions of that most serious section of the serious
public, the serious publicans, is designed to lie for signature at pot-
houses and ginshops in and about, the Metropolis :—
To the Honourable House of Commons, 8fc.
The Humble Petition of the Professing Christian Publicans, Hotel
and Tavern Keepers and proprietors of Wine Vaults in London
and the neighbourhood, Humbly Sbeweth:—
That on Sunday last week about 15,000 persons, shareholders of
the Crystal Palace, with their friends, and the members of the Crystal
Palace share clubs, with their friends also, were admitted to the
palace and grounds by free tickets, thus desecrating the Sabbath, just
as it is desecrated in another quarter of the Metropolis by the Pellows
of the Zoological Society, and those select but sinful persons whom they
admit by order to the Zoological Gardens on Sundays.
That the majority of those present at the Crystal Palace on the
said Sunday belonged to the great middle class, the special depositary,
i hitherto, of the genuine enlightened British religion.
That notwithstanding the gross sinfulness in the commission whereof
they were engaged, the weather was magnificent. And that all present
seemed to enjoy what they called their privilege, with a truly painful
want of a due sense of the meaning of that word.
That during the afternoon a selection of sacred music was performed
by Mb. Coward on the Grand Organ, to disguise amusement with
the pretence of a devotional celebration.
That after the performance of the sacred music, a secular address
was delivered by Mb Baxter Langley in explanation of the principles
of the National Sunday League. That, the principles of the National
Sunday League were practised by the Directors of the Crystal Palace
Company, in admitting, at the suggestion of the said League, into the
Crystal Palace, last Sunday week, a multitude of the wicked, to wit the
Sabbath-breakers aforesaid.
That, on the part of the Crystal Palace Company, or the National
Sunday League, or both, it was announced that a free Sunday admission
to the said Palace would shortly be given to the Letter-carriers of the
Metropolis.
That your petitioners, as faithful men, duly licensed to deal in
spirituous liquors, are therefore much grieved in spirit at the desecra-
tion of the Sabbath which has been perpetrated, and at the intention
shortly to perpetrate a similar desecration of that day at the Crystal
Palace.
That in the opinion of your petitioners this desecration of the Crystal
Palace is the thin end of the wedge.
That if crowds of people are allowed to be admitted to the Crystal
Palace by free ticket on Sunday, your Honourable House will next be
called upon, and will be unable, with any regard to consistency, to
refuse to allow the National Gallery, the British Museum, and all
other such institutions to be open on the Sunday likewise to the British
Public.
That if those places of amusement and instruction were open on
Sundays, great numbers of persons would pass some time in them,
which they now, perhaps, spend in spiritual exercises. And that they
would also keep a considerable amount of money in their pockets which
they are at present certainly accustomed to spend in spirits, wise, and
beer.
That your petitioners are wholly regardless of the consideration that
popular abstinence on the people’s holiday from alcoholic beverages
would in any measure injure the business of your petitioners ; but they
are truly afraid it might seriously affect the revenue.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly entreat your Honourable House
by legislative enactment to prohibit for the future those evasive ar-
rangements through which admission to the Crystal Palace may be
obtained on Sundays by free ticket, and, in the interest of the State,
not at all in that of your petitioners, to enact that, whilst public-houses
remain open on Sundays, public institutions devoted to art, science
and natural history, shall remain closed.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, and daily accustomed
will ever pray, &c.
September 16, 1865.] PUNCH. OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Aunt. “ Now, Clara, you should do as I do. Whenever any Man follows me, I turn round, and give him one of my Looks,
AND HE IS OFF IMMEDIATELY.”
WE SHOULD THINK SO.