Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-11-05
NO. Ii.
CompEsDIUM OF THE AncIEsr
BLUE LAWS.

! We present to our readersa compenu 81
/ those curious old laws which our New Eng
( land fathers rejolced in century or two
ago: :.
The governor and magistrates, convened
in general assembly, are the supreme pow.
er under God, of Independent dominion
From the determination of the assembly 10
appeal shall be made. !.
Who ever says there Is a power and ia.
risdction above and over the dominion shall
suffer death and the loss of property.
Conspirators, attempting to change or over
turn this dominion, shall suffer death.
The Judge shall determine controversy
without jury. !.
No one shall be freeman or give vote
unless he be converted, and a member ia
full communion with one of the churches q.
lowed in this dominion.
No man shall hold an Office who is not
found in the faithful discharge of bis duty.
to his dominion. and who ever gives vote
to such person ihall pay fine of twenty.
shillings for the first offence; and for the
second he shall be disfranchised.
Each freeman shall swear by the blessing
of God to bear true alleglence to this domin-
ion, and that Jesus is the only King.
No Quaker or dissenter from worship ofthe
established dominion shall be allowed to
give vote for the election of Magistrate or
any officer.
No food or lodging shall be offered Qua
ker, Adamite or other Hereto;
If a person turns Quaker he shall be ban-
ished and not suffered to return on the pain
of death.
No priest shall abide in this dominion;
he shall be banished and suffer death on his
return. f ff
Priests may be seized by any one withs-
out warrant. .5........
No one shall cross ferry but with an al.
thorized ferryman.
No one shall run on the Sabbath day, or
walk in the garden or elsewhere, except
reverently to and from meeting.
No one shall travel, cook victuals, make.
beds, sweep house, cut hair, or shave on
the Sabbath day.
No woman shall kiss her child on the Sab
bath day.
To pick an ear of corn growing in
neighbor's garden, shall be deemed theft.
A person accused with trespass in the
night shall be Judged guilty unless he clear
himself by oath.
When it appears that an accused has con;
fedcrates and refuses to discover them, he
may be racked.
Whoever publishes lie to the prejudice
of his neighbor, shall sit in the stocks to be
whipped fifteen stripes. 10
NJ ,,,,nscfar sboll fa,rh orbCol
Whoever brings cards or dice into this
dominion shall pay fine of five pounds.
Whoever wears clothes trimmed with
gold. silver or long lace, above two shillings
by the yard, shall be presented by the grand {
jurors, and the selectmen shall tax the Of.
fender at three hundred pounds estate.
A debtor in prison swearing he has no
estate shall be let out, and sold to make sat-
isfaction. sss4
Whoever sets FIRE in the woods and
burns house; shall suffer death; and per-
sons suspected of this crime shall be impris.
oned without the benefit of bail.
No one shall read common prayer. keep
Christmas, or Saints day, make mince piesi
play cards, or play on any instrument Of
music, except the drum, trumpet, or jews
harp. 81.
No gospel minister shall join people in
marriage the magistrate only shall join
people in marriage; as they may do it with
less scandal to Christ's church.
When parents refuse their children con-
venient marriage the magistrate shall deterf
mine the point.
Fornication shall be punished by compell-
ing marriage as the court directs.
A WIrTY TRUTH The celebrated DR.
johnson said that in epigrams truth was gen.
orally sacrificed to point; but We insert be-
low case in which truth adds poin! to the.
sentiment. At celebration of the 4th Of
July, in Paris, by number Of Americans,
the following was one Of the toasts given Of
the banquet:
"IHe Cartr,dgr.box, The Bdilo!-5or. and
the Band-bor The external, the internal,
and the eternal preservation Of Republican,
ISM"
This (says contemporary is the best
toasts ever drunk on the Fourth OF July, IN
America or Europe. 1t is worthy Of being
placed at the head Of Lord Bacon's apo
thegms. The true spirit of philosophy, pat
riotism, and beauty pervade the whole sem
timent, in every word and idea. The cart
ridge-box, in the hands of brave men, may
be the defence Of republicanism from ''ex-
ternal' enemies; and the ballot-box kept
pure, may preserre republicanism from al!
internal enemies, the Secessionists and
Abolitionists not excepted. But ''the band
box'' is the eternal preservative" OF repub-
licanism, and, it may be added, of every
thing else worth preserving:
A True Observation-Disclosures Hamil.
ton was once applied to as counsel By 9
man having the guardianship Of several or
phans, who would, on coming of age, suc-
ceed to large and valuable estate, Of
which there was material defect in the IL
tie deeds known only to their guardian,
who wanted to get the estate vested in him.
self. Hamilton noted down the faithless
executors statement, and then said to him.
Settle with these unhappy infants honora-
bly, to the last cent, or will hunt you from
your skin like hare" The advice was
strictly followed, and the man who gave it
was an ornament to the bar and the age he
! lived in.-Somhern Press.
GoINc 1T SrRoNG.-A facetious gentle.
man travelling in the interior Of the State,
on arriving at his lodging place in the even:
ing, was met by the ostler, whom he thus
( andra rad-0R Rov ovfy;colo that o,,s drssy>.4