The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-08-26
From the Boston Transcript.

much feeling
From the Boston Transcript.
The Peace and Dignity OF the Common
weaIth.-No. xxx.
Where is the grand jury of Essex? Perad-
venture they are hunting, or upon journey,
and it may be necessary to call louder.
In the close of the preceding article re-
ferred to story related in the Salem Register
of July 10, and partly copied into the Boston
Journal of the following day, in relation to
one Parker Pillsbury, a prominent leader and
speaker among the abolitonists and the highly
valued friend and colleague of Francis Jack
son, Garrison, and Theodore Parker. The
story was 50 utterly disgraceful to this Pills
bury, as man having any pretensons to COM
mon decency. SO revolving and atrocious as wan
ton and unfeeling insult TO the whole commu-
nifty, and, witbal, an act of such papable and
outrageous blasphemy, for which. under the
statute of this Commonwealth, the offender is
punishable by fine or Imprisonment in the
State prison or the county jail-that cherish
ed hope, Notwithstanding had noticed some
of the public antics of this abolition harlequin
upon other occasions, as joint performer with
Mistress Mott and Theodore Parker, at the
anti-Sabbath farce enacted in this clty-that
the tale must be overcharged; and | therefore
referred to it as open for explanation, notwlth-
standing the high responsibility Of the editors
who had given it place in their columns.
The more reflected upon this story the
more improbable it seemed to me that any man
but a mailman would openly, and upon the
Sabbath, and in church, perpetrate an act 50
very foolish, that for an instant one forgets its
impiety in its absurdity, but so impious, so
abominably blasphemous that one is shocked
at the sacrlegious audacity of the vile per-
former. The act, withal, is so revolving to the
common sensibilities even of those who profess
no religion whatever, and so grossly, and pur-
posely, and unfeelingly insulting to the whole
religious community, that am not at all sur
prised at the increduity with which the story
was received by a majority of those whose at
tention was called to the articles i'll the Salem
Register and the Boston Journal.
1t is not expedient to employ the powers ofthe
law for petty occasions, nor to invite the grand
jury to consider every example OF free and abu-
sive talking on religious subjects, though STRICT
ly speaking the case may chance to come with
in the definition of blasphemy- But the law
was made for some good purpose, and has been
retained through all the notifications and revi-
sions of the statute law.
The experiment has been fairly, and fully,
and fruitlessly tried, again and again, In diff
ferent countries, to get along without some sort
of religion. Religion has been found, after
every trial, absolutely essential to the mainte
nance of the peace and dignity of common
wealth. For the present argument, speak OF
religion merely as secular thing, and in refer
ence to the peace of the community and the
continuance of our civil institutions. If it be
essential for these objects, and no reasonable
person will deny this postuate, it is entitled to
respect; and the legislative arm has encircled
it with reverental regard.
No particular modification of religious be-
lief, but religion, in the broadcast sense of that
word, is protected by our law. BlasPhemy is
defined by our statute. 1t may be committed
''by cursing or contumelously reproaching the
hoiy ,cord of God contained in the Holy Scrip
lures, or opposing them TO contempt or ridicute."
Our law interferes not at all with the opinions
of men. The infdel may go up into his garnet,
or down into his cellar, and disbelieve till his
heart aches. He may ascend to his very house
top and openly proclaim his infdelity-the law
will not interfere All this differs very widely
from deliberate and nsolent attack upon the
Holy Scriptures, "erposing them to contempt
or ridicule."
There is pretty obvious difference between
quiet disapprobation of my style of architec-
turc, and a practical expression of displeasure,
by an open assault upon my domicl, and break
ing my windo MS. There is a difference also
between an avowal Of infdelty and gross and
disgusting attack upon the Christian religion,
hurting the missiles of ridicule and contem Jt
against the Holy Scriptures. The one chiefly
concerns the unbeliever himself; the other is
public insult--a british and unfeeling ndignity
to the community-an audacious and impudent
defiance of the law Let no impostor pretend
to confound his deliberate and provoking bias
phemy with freedom Of opinion and the right
.fid liberty Of speech
Abner Kneeand was indicted, convicted, and
imprisoned for blasphemy in this city. The
chief matter set forth in the indictment was a
republication by him, in his paper, called the
Investigator of one of Voltaire's indecent filings
at the Christian religion. There were some
worthy people who, before conviction, thought
the prosecution injudicious A very great ma
jorify of rejecting persons thought otherwise.
The majesty of the law was vlndicated-the
venerable Abner pursued his lucubrations for
three months in the common Jail. The punish
nent was extremely light, as it was compe-
tent for the Judge to have sent him for two
years to the State prison.
am very confident that the effect of this
discipline as eminenty useful, and that it af-
forded a sautary check to that audacious spiri,
of jacobinica inidelity which, under the infiu-
ence of that old renegade-for Kneeland had
been a minister of the Gospel-was stalking
forth in this community at monday. The in.
hdels, themselves, in opposition to this opln-
ion, have exclaimed, like urchins that have
been thrashed, that il did riot hart them. W.
must be permitted to disbelieve the statements
of men who are themselves unbelievers. They
| have said that the prosecution helped thel
cause prodgiously -their cause! They have
asserted that it gave them notoriely-certainly
it did, the notoriety of the gibbet-the notore-
| ty which is given TO dangerous pitlall il
the way, by guide-bUard erected by authori-
ty. They averred that il increased their num-
bers. believe the very contrary of all this to
be the truth. If this prosecution was such a
good thing for these infidels, they would, most
naturally, have coveted another Surely the
happest way of obtaining repetition of this
blessing would be to persuade mankind that the
effect of prosecution was TO stay their pro
gress-not TO increase their numbers. When