“June 7th.—Mr. Forster [M.P. for Berwick] called to consult me as to his endeavouring to re-open the Sunday question. I advised him to do nothing without previously consulting the Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
“June 8th.—Lord John Russell, in reply to Mr. Forster, stated that he would not support any motion for the reversal of the resolution of the House on the subject of Sunday duties.”
I scarcely need say that I heartily concurred in his lordship’s decision. If the public really desired, at the sacrifice of its own convenience, to confer so great a boon on the Post Office as that implied by the terms of the resolution, it would have been very ungracious in Government to intercept the concession. If otherwise, it was but just that the responsibility of error should rest on the House of Commons, which had interfered in the matter. Accordingly, when, a few days later, Mr. Forster wrote to ask for assistance with reference to a bill which he proposed to introduce to legalize the conveyance of letters on Sunday by private hand—a measure, of the abstract justice of which no one can doubt—I thought it better to decline taking any part in opposition to the decision of the House. Mr. Forster persevered, but his motion was negatived without a division.
As Her Majesty,[77] following of course the advice of her Ministers, formally announced to the House that its wishes would be complied with, notice was forthwith issued from the Chief Office, totally forbidding delivery, and notifying that, though letters might be deposited in the receiving boxes as usual, they would remain “unsorted and untouched until the Monday.” It was added, that postmasters contravening these orders would be “most severely punished.”
It is remarkable that whereas the late hubbub had been all raised against the Sunday transmission of letters through London, Lord Ashley’s motion contained no reference whatever to this innovation; and though in the public notice just mentioned it was distinctly announced that such transmission would be continued, the announcement produced no revival of the outcry, and the innovation gradually came to be regarded as part of the natural course of proceeding.
It did not fare so well with the innovation adopted at the request of the House of Commons:—
“June 21st.—Last night there was a further discussion in the House of Commons as to the Sunday duties, on an attempt by Mr. Locke to get a window delivery. It is evident that the reaction has commenced.”
“June 22nd.—Last night Lord Brougham raised the question as to the legality of stopping the Post Office business on the Sunday; and many of the daily and weekly papers of this morning are loud in their condemnation of the measure.”
Public inconvenience was, of course, to be estimated in some degree by the effect of the change on the amount of correspondence; the change, it should be observed, first took effect on Sunday, June 23rd:—