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:-- "_June 25th._--[_Tuesday._]--The stoppage of business on the Sunday reduced yesterday morning's arrival in London by about 80,000 letters, increasing the mid-day arrival by about 18,000, and this morning's by about 16,000--causing, therefore, a diminution of about 47,000 letters in London alone." Mr. Locke's motion, which came on on July 9th,[78] was set aside in favour of an amendment moved by Lord John Russell, and carried by a large majority, praying Her Majesty to cause an inquiry to be made whether the amount of Sunday labour in the Post Office might not be reduced without completely putting an end to the collection and delivery of letters, &c., on Sundays.[79]