Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-12-12

Blythe wise fathers Of the Town,
after long sitting, have hatched out a
law against chldrcn's amusemen,s the
following are the provisions OF the law {:
SECTION |. That 10 person shall
play AT bail. foot bal, or throw stones,
or other missiles in or upon any Of the
streets, highways, squares, lanes, alleys,
or wharves within the compact part oil
The said town.
Sect. 2. That no person shall slide
on any sled or other machine, or in any
vehicle whatever, for amusement, III
any Of said streets, highways, squares,
lanes or alleys.
SEC. g. That every person convic-
ted ofa violation of the provisions Of
this Ordinance, shall forfeit and pay a
sum not less than one doiidr, nor more
than fee dollars. TO be recovered on
complaint as by law in such case pro-
vided.
SrC. 4. That all former Laws and
Ordinances Of The Town on the subjects
OF this ordinance and inconsistent here
with, are hereby repealed.
Sec. 5. This Ordinance shall take
effect from and after the 10th day OF
DecembeS instant.
1t is right and proper to have laws
for the regulation of the Town, and TO
prevent those disturbances ofthe peace,
and to abate those nuisances which are
really offensive to the citizens but
when men who claim TO be sensible, sit
down and cogtate for a long time to
devise means to prevent children from
pursuing amusemenis and sports, which
are perfectly innocent, and which have
existed in all communities, from the
earliest history Of time, 1T is altogether
too prcposterous to be permitted TO be
passed over in silence. There is sense
and reason in all things, and we must
confess that the Town Council have in
tcr!ered with matter which is alto
gcthcr too small for delibcrative body
to NEEDLE with. These sports Of chill
dren are perfectly harmless and inlurc
no one, and they should be permitted TO
enjoy them, to their hearts content. An
effort to prevent these smells too much
of the old Blue-laws ofConnecticut, anG
looks quite like the ridiculous exercise
Of little brief authority. Nextwe shall
Pre- baby have formidable ordinance
requiring all the good people Of New
port to go 10 bed at 9 o'clock in the ev-
ening and investing the terrible Police
to take up and lock up all who may be
found in the streets after that late hour.
Should it be attempted to enforce this
law against chidren's innocent amusG-
ments, we trust that the ireemen will
direct the Council TO repeal the law.
By this law all sleighs, also, are pro-
hibited from running in our streets. Tho
language of the law is. that no person
shall slide on any sled or other machine,
or in any vehicle whatever, for amuse-
mcnt, in any Of the Streets" &c. Sleighs
are rehictes, and they slide along on the
snow, and people ride IN them, for a.
musemeat; consequently, by this wise
act, our citizens are deprived of this
privilege, should we have snow during
the winter, and the opportunity thus ai-
iorded to enjoy little rational amuse-
ment. 1t strikes us that this is drawing
the strings rather tighter than what the
/ good people Of Newport will submit to.
They are law-loying and law-observ-
ing people, generally, but when the
screws are put upon them too severely,
if we understand anything of their char
actcr, and we think that we do, they
will bolt most roundiy. When TIE snow
comes and the sleighs are in motion,
we should like no better fun than 10 see
the fathers and their Police. in the
streets, running after the sleighs, and
attempting to stop the fiery steeds which
draw them. Uncle Sylvester although
a strong man, would find it rather tough
work 10 stop ono otthcse chargers, when
under full head way,-and hold HIM in
/ durance vile.