Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-02-20
MISCELL A US.

Restrictiv Laws Of the Olden Times.
We were reading recently; history of
Connecticut, from its first settlement under
George Fendwick, down to the Revolu-
ton. The volume was originally pub
lished in London, in 1881 and repi inted
in New Haven in 1929. and we found some
curious enactments therein. Here are
some o: the laws:
"Whoever wears clothes trimmed with
gold, silver, or bone lace above two shil.
ling by the yard, shall be presented by the
grand Jurors. and the select men shall tax
the offender at $500 estate"
"a debtor, in prison, swearing he hath
no estate, shall be let out and sold to max e
satisfaction"
''No one shall read the books Of Com.
mon Prayer. keep Christmas or Saints
Gay. make minced pies, dance, play cards,
or play any instrument of music except
the drum, trumpet and Jews harp"
"The Sabbath day shall begin at sunset
on Saturday,
mo woman shall kiss her children on
the Sabbath or fasting day"
mo one shall run on the Sabbath day,
or walk in his garden or elsewhere, except
reverently to and from meeting"
mo one to cross the river, but with an
authorised ferry man,
"No food or lodging shall be offer
ed to an Adamite, Quaker, or other here
tic"
EVERY man shall have his heir cut
round according to cap, ETC., etc"
We find the following account Of a
punishment inflicted tor entertaining here
tics on one Deacon Porter, whom Cotton
Mather says, was very guilty, and that he
had fair. legal, and candid trial, and was
convicted on good and scriptural evidence !:
"Deacon Potter, says Mather, was hang
ed for heresy and apostacy which consisted
in showing hospitality to strangers, who
came to his house in the night, among
whom were Quakers, Annibaptists, and
Adan,ites." His wife betrayed him for
hiding the spies and sending them away
in peace. There was also political Of
fence, the remedy for which is
"No man shall hold office who is not
sound in the faith and faithful to his do
minion; and whosoever gives vote to
such person, shall pay fine of one
pound; for second offence he shall be
dlSIrahcnlSed.
The Rev. Geo. Whitfield, in one of his
sermons gives the people Of Connecticut
the following character:
"They are the wisest Of any upon the
continent, the best friends and the worst
enemies: they are hair-braired bigots on
all sides, and they may be compared TO
horse and mule, without bit and bridle.-
IN other colonies have paid for my food
and lodging, but never could spend one
penny in fruitful Connecticut whose
banks flow with milk and honey. and
whose sons and daughters never fail to
feed and refresh the weary traveller with
out money and without price. On Sat.
urday evening the people look sour and
sad; and on the Sabbath they appear to
have lost their dearest friends. and are al
most speechless and walk softly.
ga Quaker preacher once told them,
with much truth, that they worshipped
the Sabbath and not the God Of the Sab
bath. These hospitable people, without
charity, condemned the Quaker as a bias
phemer of the holy Sabbath, fined, tarred
and fethered HIM, put rope around hi'
neck. and plunged him into sea-but hi
escaped With his life, though he was abou
seventy years of age"