The House of Commons on Wednesday affirmed the im- portant
principle that, as regards Sunday closing of public-
houses, each county shall give its own decision. At least, it passed the second reading of a Bill shutting all such houses on Sunday in the county of Durham expressly on the ground that the people of the county wished it, and that of the twelve Members whom they send up, eleven supported it, only one opposed, and he refused to vote the other way. The only good speech against the Bill was Mr. Peter Taylor's, who attacked its principle, objected to moral -tyranny as nearly as bad as immoral tyranny, and said legis- lators were now prostrate before benevolent men, who made benevolent mistakes. There is truth of a kind in his objection, but it is impossible to prove that a people has not a right to put down a social nuisance, if it pleases. The people of Durham any that drinking on Sunday, when men have their pockets full, spoils their only day of rest, and the evidence is that it does. Then why not stop drinking, as, for the same reason, we stop trading? As to stopping it piece-meal and by districts, that -is convenient, because there are other places which, like London, would not endure the restriction. There ought, however, to be a general Act, for this reason,—that if Durham repents, her people cannot get rid of the special Act of Parliament.
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