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Leader (1850-1860), 16th February 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 158

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      LORD STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE'S APPEAL . It is understood that Lord Stratfokd De Redcmffe has earnestly entreated tlie Government to lay before Parliament with the least possible delay , the whole of his correspondence respecting the Asiatic frontier of Turkey , the defence of Kara , the expedition into Circassia , and ids own position with reference to the conduct of xailitary questions . We can imagine no grounds on which this appeal -could be fairly resisted . Lord Stratfokd re Redclifpe

      is under imputations which affect his diplomatic and personal character . If he can rebut the charges that have been made , the Government is bound to give him the opportunity , me English interests can be served by concealment . If other interests are consulted , which might be compromised by the full publication of the despatches , they are consulted at the expense of justice , and of the reputation of a public servant . Whatever may be Lord

      Stratford de Redcliffe ' s faults of temper , he has been made obnoxious principally by his overweening devotion to a purely English policy , which he has opposed to many rival influences at Constantinople . It is easy to understand whose object it is to preserve a mystery which comprises our Ambassador . Lord Stratford de Kedcofff is williug to take his trial , and the public , sullenly suspicious , desires to hear him . What will Ministers do ?

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      it is notorious , is indeed almost avowed in the manners of many people , that they attach no grave meaning to religion—the Working classes , who have less motive for " keeping up appearances , " are filled with repugnance at that organised insincerity . Their feeling is not the less bitter since the conforming classes are also

      the classes that " look down" upon the workers . Many an intelligent and independent working man retorts the supercilious manner of the churchwarden class "with at least equal contempt . Such working men , then , associate with the professions , manners , and customs of " respectable" religionists a kind of settled insincerity , which they heartily despise .

      the success of their mission to carry it on in the right spirit , and to give their address the right aim . They will not make the working classes of this country religious by speaking in a tone that begs the question , and that demands submission upon presumption . Neither to cant nor arrogance will the working classes yield , though they will open their hearts largely and generously if th « address is directed to their hearts ; they will give attention if an appeal is made to their

      understanding . A public meeting was convened on Monday evening by ' * The Sunday Rest Association , " and about seven hundred persons assembled in a- large room in Kentish Town . Lord Shaftesbury took the chair , and called upon a religious minister present to open the proceedings with prayer . Many working men loudly protested against this preliminary , their objection causing great scandal and wonder to Lord Shaftesbury , who said ie he was a , t a loss" to account for the senseless noise and

      uproar with which his proposition was received . " " Being on the most friendly terms with the working men , it was with no little chagrin and surprise , " he said , " that he should : there be met not only with indignity , but witH something like insult . " He seemed quite ^ ' : unable to understand when those who resisted the proposal deprecated that construction of their conduct . A distinct motion

      was made and seconded , that tlie business proceed ; vvitliout prayer ; Lord Shaftesbury declared that in all his experience he had never heard such a resolution , and he declined to put it . There was greater 'Uproar ; he abandoned the chair , another chairman was chosen , and the proceedings went forward Tfith perfect order . Resolutions were passed in favour of opening the British Museum , the National Gallery , Marlborough House , and . similar institutions , on Sunday afternoon . A motion of the same kind was all but

      carried at a meeting called by the Lord's ^ day Society in Chelsea , There is , in fact , a strong feeling amongst the working classes against any compulsory interference with their fireedom of the Sabbath , and in favour of giving them access to places where the understanding and the taste can be improved , instead of driving them to places where the understanding , taste , conscience , and life itself are imperilled . We do not , however , at present intend to reopen the Sunday question . The Sabbatical agitators will oblige Us to do that presently , but just now we have other work in hand .

      We have to deal more particularly with the unpleasant incident at Lord Shaftesbury ' s meeting , We are not exactly surprised at his surprise , although if he understood his own position a little better all wonderment would cease . It is very bad to prescribe without knowing the state of the patient ; and those who are so anxious for the soul of the working class ought to know exactly the condition of ttat soul . Tho fact is , that sceptical opinions pf the strongest kind not .. only exist amongst the

      working class , but are shared to a very wide extent / A still larger number of the working class feel that absolute indifference which makes them dislike even , to discuss , fthey care less about the question of religion than the Atheist cares , for he will argue it ; tjjwt a larger number hold it to be not worth * SBgjg . ^ out at oil . Amongst this sceptical or lUOuterent class arc some of the most intelligent * TOL ° f *? w Prder , It ia notorious that we do ^ TO ? ^ oir PpMonj but it w oul d be a very fopuah dishonesty if we were to deny the aoiuty and thq conscientiousness of that num-! a ££ ^ l ^? S ota who entertain such TSZSa S 5 fC ^ H <**> b aWe them fre - qtrtmtljr cctttfow * to tcB ^ ua ^ rdilMiweB—while

      speak in accents like those by which James Caikd lias compelled attention from Priace Peer , and people , and has delivered accents that have been equally eloquent from the pulpit of the Scottish church , of the English church , or of the Unitarian chapel ; for the sermon of Catbd , published by royal command , has been preached from established pulpits , and from every Unitarian pulpit in the country . If the

      museum and the gallefy can call the multitude from the tavern , rouse their dormant instincts 3 elevate their tastes , it is quite possible that a genuine minister of religion , unaided by the constable , might draw people from museum and gallery to the church . But this is a mission not to be performed by a canting arrogance that begs the question against the working classes , and presumes the judgment which they are invited to pronounce .

      Independently of this class feeling , which is strong among many , the working class have a very reasonable dislike to the obtrusion of religious observance at public meetings . The assemblage convened in the school-room at Kentish Town was gathered for the particular purpose of discussing a point in religious polity . It may be said that religious observance was represented on the one side , free opinion on the other . Now , Lord Shaftesbtjry ' s request to begin the proceedings with

      prayer implied an attempt to beg the question in favour of religion . It was presumed by the orthodox side ^ that , at least in that ceremony , the great body of the meeting must submit to a religious form . Logically , the allowance of that form Woidd have given an advantage on the side of the religionist as against the free opinionist , and the working men have quite sufficient logical faculty to make a stand against any such begging of the questions which they were convened to discuss and

      decide . Many , therefore , who would not be disposed to decide the question against religion would resent that endeavour to steal a march upon the sense of the meeting . It may be true , and we believe it is , that no work can prosper which is not carried on under the blessing of God ; it may be true that no man enjoys his full strength Tinless he is a conscious instrument in the same work ; but religious observance is desecrated , not exalted , when it is made a means of contention , and is flaunted in the face of those who return the

      arrogance with scoffing . Appropriate as prayer is to begin the proceedings , when those who are agreed upon the spirit and form of prayer are alone assembled , the intrusion of the form amongst people prepared to dispute the very principles upon , which it rests , is nothing more lefty than impertinence . It is generally admitted now that laws only follow the manners and cxistoms of the people . The Sabbatarians would do well to consider

      this truth . According to their own statement , it is in districts inhabited by the working classes of the metropolis the custom to trade on Sunday . We may regret that custom , and we do so ; but we can only put it down corapulsorily at the expense of religion . Religion is not to be produced by statute or coerced by the constable ' s staff or the bayonet . It is the result only of instinct , confirmed by conviction and feeling ; and no statute can awaken instinct , produce conviction , or rouse feeling . It is not through Parliament that the

      working classes are to be driven away from Sunday trade and Sunday unrest . If those who profess to speak in the name of divine power really have a " mission" they will not need appeals to Acta of Parliament . Their endeavour should be to remove every such false reliance , —to abolish all species of compulsion , —to leave the city and the field equally open , —to let the Museum and tho Gallery of Art be as free as the public-house or the church , and to trust entirel y in the voice of religion speaking to the instincts of mankind . If they did so , they might perhaps learn to

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      , ife i ,. , THE LE ADER . [ No . 308 , Saturday

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      The Princess Mathilde has quarrelled with , the cuto" of Saiiat Philippe du Roule , M Auzoua , for having denied her the honours due to her rank wheu b 1 i < 3 came to " assist at" divine service . The euro" has been removed to another parish , but his former parishioners have petitioned for his return . Sueh are the relations of tho Church and the Empire . Mr . Costa ' s oratorio " Eli" was performed livst evening for the first time in London by the Sacrod Harmonic Society at Exeter Hall in the proscuco of her Majesty and Prince Albert and a densely -crowded audience . Mr . Costa , experienced an enthusiastic reception , and the performance was a . triumph .

      Farm Servants in Sickness . —In a case hoard at the Wiughara . Petty Sessions , Mr . Rico , M . P ., one of the magistrates , said farm servants should distinctly understand that , during the time they are disabled by illneap front * working , their masters aro bound to keep them . —South Eastern Qamtte . Thb MANonissTEB . Stiuke . —The strike of wpinnors at Manchoster , which has now lasted nearly thirteen weeks , has not yet been 'brought to a close . There was a meeting of about 3 Q 0 only on Wednesday night , at which great dissatisfaction was exproftsod "by tho meeting with the oommittoo managing tho strike , aud n motion was mndo for its dissolution . Much confusion and recrimination followed , and the mooting wan ultimately dissolved by tho platform lig hts being oxtinKubhsjcl befovo a vote could bo takoti .

      Ol'PQSmON TO THH NlfiW POL . IOE BlLI . —At IV UlOOting of the town council of Loeds , on Wednesday , \ lderman Shaw said that the Polioo bill of Sir Goorgo ¦ Grey contains so much . of tho appearance of its prodooesaor t 3 iat ho thought it would be undesirable to hoc it adopted by tho lqgialaturo . A petition was subaequG » tly adopted in ohjootion to Bomo of the clauHOB of tho bill .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 16, 1856, page 158, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2128/page/14/