FEINBERG/WHITMAN        LITERARY FILE        Prose      "Sunday Restrictions," Brooklyn Evening Star, Oct 20, 1854.  Newspaper clipping
Box 31    Folder 21SUNDAY RESTRICTIONS
 
 Brooklyn Evening Star, October 20, 1854. 
 Reprinted in the CONSERVATOR, November, 1903, 
Vol. XIV, p. 135.SUNDAY RESTRICTIONS.

    The following document, now pending before the
body to whom it is addressed, will be read with
nearly as much interest by citizens of New York as
by those of Brooklyn and Williamsburgh, of which
latter two places, as consolidated, it gives a most
interesting resume, and general features and statistics.
It would be well for Brooklyn, or any other
great city, if men with such solid, generous and
truly American views, as these put forth here by
Walter Whitman, were indeed at the helm of the
municipality.

MEMORIAL IN BEHALF OF A FRESH MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, AND
   AGAINST SUNDAY RESTRICTIONS.
    To the Common Council and Mayor of the City of Brooklyn:—
With great respect, I present you the following considerations
on the subject of Sunday Restrictions and Municipal Policy;
and ask, in behalf of myself and many other citizens, the permanent
suspension of the clause against running the City Rail
cars every seventh day, and that all ordinances and movements
to compel, by arrests, imprisonments, and fines, the religious
observance of the Sabbath, be repealed and [desisted ?] from; and,
in general terms, that the government of Brooklyn take a more
expanded scale and more uniformity and spirit.
    The security, peace, and decorum of the City are in charge
of the authorities at all times, and are never to be indermitted
any day of the week or year. It is likewise proper that they
protect to every individual and religious congregation his or its
right to worship, reasonably free from any noise of molestation.
    The mere shutting off from the general body of the citizens
of the popular and cheap conveyance of the City Railroads, the
very day when experience proves they want it most, and the
obstinate direction of the whole executive and police force of
Brooklyn into a contest with the keepers of public houses, news
depots, cigar shops, bakeries, confectionery and eating saloons,
and other places, whether they shall open or close on Sunday,
are not in themselves matters of all engrossing importance.
The stopping of the Railcars causes much vexation and weariness
to many families, especially in any communication to and
from East Brooklyn, Williamsburgh, Greenpoint, Bushwick,
New Brooklyn, Bedford and Greenwood; and both stoppages
do no earthly good. But beneath this the blunder rises from
something deeper. These restrictions are part of a radical mistake
about the policy and lawful power of an American City
Government.
    No attempts of the sort can be so trivial, but they lead to the
discussion of principles. The true American doctrine is not
that the legislative assemblage of the City or State or Nation is
possessed of final wisdom and guardianship over the people,
and can entertain any proposition, and try it on just when and
how they like. The office of Alderman or Mayor or Legislator
is strictly the office of an agent. This agent is faithfully and
industriously to perform a few plainly written and specified
duties. He is not [to continually] to go meddling with the master's
personal affairs or morals. Such is the American doctrine,
and the doctrine of common sense.
    Shallow people, possessed with zeal for any particular cause,
make it a great merit to run to and from after special prohibitions
that shall fix the case, and [emasculate?] sin out of our houses and
streets. Alas, gentlemen, the civilized world has been overwhelmed 
with prohibitions for many hundred years. We do
not want prohibitions. What is always wanted, is a few strong
handed, big brained, practical, honest men, at the lead of
affairs.
    The true friends of the Sabbath and of [sin?] purifying and elevating
influences, and of the many excellent physical and other
reforms that mark the present age, are not necessarily those
who complacently put themselves forward, and seek to carry
the good through by penalties and stoppages, and arrests, and
fines. The true friends of elevation and reform are the friends
of the fullest rational liberty. For there is this vital and antiseptic
power in liberty, that it lends forever and ever to strengthen
what is good and erase what is bad.
    For the City or State to become the overseer and dry nurse
of a man, and coerce him, may further than before mentioned,
into how he must behave himself, and when and whither he
must travel, and by what conveyance, or what he shall be permitted
to use or dispose of on certain days of the week, and
what forced to disuse, would he to make a poor thing of a man.
In such matters, the American sign posts turn in the same direction
for all the [g???] of our governments. The citizen must
have room. He must learn to be muscular and self-possess;
to rely more on the restrictions of himself than and restrictions
of statute books, or city ordinances, or police. This
is the feeling that will make live men and superior women.
This will make a great, athlete, spirited city, of noble and
marked character, with a reputation for [health?] wherever railroads
run, and ships sail, and newspapers and books are read.
    The old landmarks of the law, established and needed to preserve
life, liberty and property, are always good, and never
denied by any body. Beyond them, what the people actually
wish of those they commission in office is, the direct performance
of a small number of distinct and incumbent duties,
which there is also no dispute. If those in office would do these
duties, and do them well, it would take up their entire time,
and give the public a satisfaction and pleasure they have never
yet experienced.
    I have [now?], gentlemen, with perfect respect, to remind you,
and through you to remind others, including those, whoever
they may be who desire to be your successors, or to hold any
office, prominent or subordinate, in the City Government, of
the stern demand, in all parts of this Republic, for a better,
purer, more generous and comprehensive administration of
the affairs of cities; a demand in which I, in common with the
quite entire body of my fellow citizens and fellow tax-payers
of Brooklyn, cordially join. We believe the mighty interests
of so many people and [of?] each life and wealth, should be far
less at the [sport?] or dictation of caucuses and cabals. We
would have nothing hoggish or exclusive. We wish to see municipal
legislation, not so much [???] by [???] [???] and [mind?]
or the absence of ideas and [aims?] .
    I would suggest to no locality a reconstruction too far off. I
do not think so highly of what is to be done at the Capitols of
Washington or Albany. Here, it is enough for us to attend to
Brooklyn. There is indeed nowhere any better scope for practically
exhibiting the full-sized American idea, than in a great,
free, proud, American City. Most of our cities are huge aggregates
of people, riches, and enterprise. The avenues, edifices
and furniture are splendid, but what it that to splendor
of character? To encourage the growth of trade and property
is commendable; but our politics might also encourage the
forming of men of superior demeanor, and less shuffling and
blowing.
    Marked as the size, numbers, elegance and respectability of
Brooklyn have become, a more lasting and solid glory of this
or any community must always be in persona, and might be
in municipal qualities. Out of those in ancient times, a few
free and haughty democracies of some of those old towns, not
one third of our size of population, rated themselves on equal
terms with powerful kingdoms, and are preserved in literature, 
and the admiration of the earth.
    The Consolidated City of Brooklyn will commence well. Its
start need not be clogged by anything embarrassing or lowering.
Its beauty of site, cleanliness and health, will never be
surpassed by any city, old or new. Its historical reminiscences
are more interesting than those on the Continent itself -- the
whole or any of them. Here was expended the keenest anguish
and the larger half of the blood, and death of American
Revolutions.
    The citizens and government may well accept the spirit of
its old days, and calculate our future on those large and patriotic
premises. Early visited by the [D????], our founders, who
here planted their wholesome physical, political and moral peculiarities --
soon interfused with Anglo-Saxon mind and tendency
to expansion -- cheerfully receiving all honest and industrious 
comers, and resolving them into the general American
type -- the two ancient, settlements of Brooklyn and Bushwick
have sped onward, counting less than a hundred and
fifty houses at the commencement of the present century, to
what they now are, and to advance still faster under a combined
impetus.
    Every thing about the new phases of these old towns, signifies
their unavoidable and harmonious progress, merged in one,
on the grandest scale. In the returns of inhabitants at the last 
authorized census, Brooklyn, Williamsburgh, Greenpoint and 
Bushwick together contained as many as either one of the of the three
States of California, Delaware, or Rhode Island, and considerably
more than either one of the first two. The young men are 
now walking among us, who will see consolidated Brooklyn a
vast community of a million souls, and not merely one of the 
leading cities of this republic, but one of the greatest on the
globe. It is time that its municipal character and views should
be big and progressive in proportion.
    With its population of 200,000 as consolidated -- with a stretch
of eight miles between its northwestern and southeastern ones --
with its majestic river, unsurpassed by any that flows -- its imposing 
heights, its shores, wharves, elevations, and the diversified 
surface of its eighteen roomy wards -- its popular schools
and scores upon scores of churches, many of them of the
grandest style of architecture and ornament -- its solemn, ample,
and appropriate cemeteries, confessedly the first either
in this country or abroad -- its massive National Dock, and
workshops and enginery for constructing the heaviest metaled 
government ships -- the Atlantic dock and wharves also
with their long gray range of storehouses, and their sheltered
artificial harbor -- the busy ship yards of the shores of Williamsburgh
and Greenpoint, employing many hundreds of American
mechanics, the choicest breed for the greatest city -- the numerous ferries running night and day -- Washington Park,  embracing 
the breastworks of Fort Green, and of the imperishable
soil, the token of our dismal battle ground -- the tracks of
railroads and their cars, and the interminable lines of conveniently
laid out and flagged streets, lit with gas at night -- the
hundreds and hundreds of First-class private dwellings, so rich
in their display and sumptuousness, the thousands upon thousands
of the comfortable homes of the free citizens and their
families, -- and the wide spread fields of the outer wards, with
our well ordered Public Institutions, Hospitals and Jails -- and
with the endless surroundings of the civilization of the nineteenth
century is a land undisturbed by war or any threatening
evil, Brooklyn may well be the choice and pride of her
sons and daughters, and of all who are identified with the
place in any public capacity.
    I can think of hardly any office of a great city like consolidated
Brooklyn, but what is a dignified and responsible office,
and no [????] [???] the narrowness of mere politicians or the hangers 
on of parties. Neither legislative, executive or judicial --
neither the duties of finance, police, law, fires, water, ferries,
health, record, assessments, streets, schools, hospitals, repairs,
lands and places, or what not, can ever be attended to by inferior 
men in any other than an inferior and mean manner. Especially
for the first citizen, or Mayor -- especially for Aldermen
-- especially for the Police, every member of that body, without
a single exception. Brooklyn ought to show well-developed
men, the best gentlemen, no cowards, hiways, sober, wide-awake
and civil proud of the town and devoted to it, and realizing
in it and in themselves the supreme merit of a high and
courteous independence. Every one should be possessed with
the eternal American ides of liberty, friendliness, amplitude,
and courage. It is nonsense to fancy such fine traits on a diffused
and conspicuous scale, as President or Governor, and be
without them for home consumption. The right sort of spirit
will exemplify them just as much here directly at our doors, or
the corners of the curbstones, or our City Hall.
    After all is said, however, the work of establishing and raising
the character of cities of course remains at last in their original
capacity with the people themselves. Strictly speaking,
when the proper time comes, it comes. Perhaps the citizens
have no right to complain of being hampered and cheated and
overtaxed and insulted; for they always hold the remedy in
their own hands, and can apply it whenever they like. I am
not the man to soft soap the people, any more than I do office-holders;
but this I say for them at all times that their very credulity
and repeated confidence in others are organic signs of
noble elements in the national character.
WALTER WHITMAN.IN NOMINATION IN
s for local City Officers, Legislature
rly completed. We will give them as
and if any names are omitted, it is not
ed the nominees to send in their names.
FOR MAYOR.
, Whig.
Reform, Temperance, and Hard.
, Tammany and Stuyvesant.
m, Temperance, Whig, and Know Nothing.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
Whig and Reform.
s, Hard Shell.
EE, Soft, Temperance and Know Nothing.
NER OF STREETS AND LAMPS.
lAN W. SCHAFFER, Whig.
US GEDNEY, Reform.
G. GLAZIER, Hard.
S GOODERSON, Soft.
E. ESLING, Know Nothing.
CITY JUDGE.
ry H. Stuart, Whig.
come R. Beebe, Reform.
lam H. Leonard, Hard Shell.
rose L. Pinney, Soft Shell.
lam Allen, Temperance.
SURROGATE.
W. Bradford, Whig and Reform.
Intyre, Know Nothing.
steed, Soft.
ady, Hard.
REGISTER.
J. Doane, Whig.
ge Ireland, Jr., Reform.
erman Brownell, Hard.
ry D. Johnson, Soft.
RECORDER.
mite, Whig and Know Nothing.
Tillou, Reform and Temperance
with, Jr., Hard and Soft.
NOR OF THE ALMS HOUSE.
R. Wood, Whig.
F. Tienan, Reform and Soft.
ret Gunther, Hard.
S. Taylor, Know Nothing.
CIVIL JUSTICE.
12th, 19th, and 27th Wards.
y W. Genet, Whig.
as Pearson, Hard and Soft.
D. Hoyt, Reform.
POLICE JUSTICE.
h, and 14th Wards, Second District.
h Bull, Whig.
new T. Deennan, Hard.
el W. Clark, Soft.
d Kusnee, Independent.
McGrath,  do.
th, and 22d Wards, Seventh District.
s W. Byrne, Whig.
il Connolly, Hard and Soft.
For 16th and 20th Wards.
lan McConkey, Soft Shell.
FOR CONGRESS.
14th, and 8th Wards, Third District.
H. Felton, Whig.
DeWitt Clinton, Hard.
iam Miner, soft.
iam Gradon, Independent.
trict, 4th, 6th, 10th and 14th Wards.
ord L. Maconner, Whig.
ael Walsh, Hard.
Kelly, Soft.
W. Bryce, Independent.
7th and 15th Wards, and Williamsburgh.
H. Andrews, Whig.
n R. Whitney, Whig and K.N.
lip Hamilton, Hard.
ahan J. Berry, Soft.
District, 11th, 15th and 17th Wards.
lee, Hard and Anti-Administration.
rad, Hard.
od Murphy, Soft.
anshall, Whig.
District 5th, 16th and 20th Wards.
Childs, Jr., Whig and K.N.
Kennedy, Hard and Soft.
t, 10th, 12th, 19th, 21st and 22d Wards.
C. Wakeman, Whig and K.N.
Curtis, Hard.
B Fellows, Soft.

--First District, 1st and 2d Wards.
hew C. Fordham, Whig.
d O'Keefe, Soft Shell.
ael Ryan, Hard Shell.
d District -- 3d and 6th Wards.
las Quackendocs, Hard.
ket B. Coleman, Whig.
Third District -- 4th Ward.
ick H. Maguire, Hard.
cs Hays,  do.
s J. Dougherty, Soft.
Fourth District -- rth Ward.
s. E. Smith, Whig.
an D. Nixon, Hard and Soft.
Fifth District -- 9th Ward.
uel J. McKinney, Whig.
win L. Smith, Soft.
Sixth District -- eth Ward.
eph H. Pratt, Whig.
B Atrim, Hard and Soft.
Seventh District -- 9th Ward.
muel Beeyoung, Whig.
drew Van Antwear, Hard.
wis P. Glover, Hard.
Eight District -- 10th Ward.
ron B. Rollins, Hard and Soft.
ter Morris, Soft.
Ninth District -- 11th Ward.
eodore Stuyvesant, Whig.
o H. Richards, Hard and Soft.
h District -- 12th, 19th and 22d Wards
mes J. Bevins, Whig.
enry Shaw, Hard.
cholas Seacrist, Hard and Soft.
hn H. Reed, Whig and Tem.
Eleventh District -- 13th Ward.
ob C Howard, Whig.
eph H. Petty, Whig and K.N.
rcus Pl Perris, Reformer.
ancis B O'Keefe, Hard and Soft.
Twelfth District -- 14th Ward.
rack V. Sigler, Whig.
cholas W. Mooney, Hard and Soft.
Thirteenth District -- 15th Ward.
chard M. Blackfair, Whig.
orge G. Genet, Hard.
enth District -- 16th and 20th Wards.
hn P. Cumming, Whig.
oman Monson, Soft.
os Munday, Hard and Soft.
Sixteenth District, 17th Ward.
G. Williams, Whig.
Isaac R. Varian, Hard.
Chs. H. Whalen, Soft.
enth Distric, 18th and 21st Wards.
Wh. H. Adams, Whig.
Daniel C. Povtz, Soft.

ALDERMEN -- First Ward.
lan W. Brown, Hard and Soft.
icholas Dimond, Hard.
obert S. Collins, Whig.
Third Ward.
Orison W. Blunt, Reform.
Samuel H. Moser, Whig.
Fifth Ward.
ry R. Hoffmire, Hard and Soft.
am M Biniger, Whig.
Seventh Ward.
Wm. M Tweed, Hard and Soft.
Wm D. Murphy, Reformer.
harles Fox. Whig.
Ninth Ward.
ley, Hard and Soft.
orries, Reform, Temperance and K.N.
erson, Whig.
Eleventh Ward.
James R. Steers, Hard and Soft.
George H. Raymond, Whig.
John Phillips, Hard.
Thirteenth Ward.
aniel P. Sammis, soft.
ohn Tilley, Hard.
David A. Forbes, Whig.
ohn H. Briggs, Soft and K.N.
ohn B. Ryerson, Independent.
Fifteen Ward.
saac O. Barkee, Whig.
William Chauncey, Reform.
Seventeenth Ward. 
James C. Bessel, Hard.
Thos. Riely, Hard and Soft.
Nathan C. Ely, Whig.
Benj. T. Pinkney, do.
Nineteenth Ward.
Anson Herrick, Hard and Soft.
Wm T. Jennings, Whig.
Chas. H. Wheeler, Hard.
Twenty-first Ward.


front do.
NEW
Asa Fowler, of this
Settlers for Governor.
the law business with
DEFEAT OF THE
    The Ministry of this
are no apprehensions
Treaty.
F
    Maxwell's majority
and fifty.
   The proposition of
been defeated.
TELEGR
The Cotton Market
have been light midd
    Floor has further a
[Ohbe?] Coffee study
[???]
    Rice very scarce suc
    Freights to Liverpoo
91/2 [???]
    Cotton rules quiet
bales at [????] prices --
DESTRU
    The city of Cleveland
morning.
    The property destro
England [???], and 
ing the block on which
a square of building b
    Among the sufferers
guss & Co., do. King
and Treat & Edwards
from dealers, Stillwell
Crawford, for warders
    The lose by this dis
ble portion of which

The Sixth Camp of
in this city on Wedn
ly of minor natives.
    John Stickney, a
rested on a compla
agent, who charged
Office at Lyens, in
Master. After an e
dant was discharged
    James A. Abbott
term of the U.S. Con
property in teh Exxex
    Count Tasistro, of
in the city to-day.
    Mr. Nelson, U.S.
for the South.
    It is supposed the
their candidate for C
Appleton, described.
    A letter from Euro
is not a doubt but w
James McHenry, wi
    In the Liverpool C
a [????]buoyant feeli
1-[???] on middling

DEMOCRATIC CONV
AN
    The Essex County
Hall, this afternoon,
[?????] time was ag
The "Daily Adverti
the arrest of Mr. Qui
expression of Ameri
prison of the Austri
[????], Esq., U.S. C
and demanded his re
walt upon the an
he had nothing what
without gaining his
should communicat
U.S. Squadron, the
    It is stated that [??]
alarming extent all

NON
    Up to the present
with 4 days later n
ance; [????] is now h
expected.

POLITICAL
NEVER CO
unquestionable rig
the characters an
the right and the
tions, freely; and
In admitting this,
for an office or
was a thotough in
and, if possible,
It is not sufficient
the charges are no
tion in a public jo
community, proof su
much injury to
sometimes throug
hearing on both
which the ground
    Editors are bu
judgment and pre
man holds the con
ture, or make h
    Now, Mr. Edito
a friend of mine,
object of attack, w
lude to the Hon.
city as a candidate
by a part of the
far as the Dispatc
been directed by
acted unnder a ser
entire misapprob
from ex parte sta
eal enemies. He
integrity of purp
opinion will rec
ion of a man it
Mr. Wood has n
tribunal, nor in
ion in his behalf.
all the abuse wh
could invent, ful
worst enemies w
been done him,
him could be re
    This triumph
Mayor is looked
doubt, If it sho
discharge the du
itself by which h
honest man -- no
vigor, of admi
those who have
means as that o
and responsibl
would have be
tion in public
performed -- som
produced, show
that he possess
man, including
pene. If he ac
be one of the fin
quite sure that
you confess tha
an early and
which have app
to his integrity.
    I became acc
were schoolboy
late James She
umbia Colleg,
years old, dis
overcoming ob
of an object, p
"I'll try" was
pediments and
presented no b
eye, and bound
and ten to on
character have
pendent, self r
what the world
pursues the ev
upon his object
    Reader, go
or fear. Go
shadowy futur
provided like
    Below I give
Wood. The
merits of Mr.
dates now in t
of our adopted
By giving this
you, will exhib
didates, and o
    AM