Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-25

This Is the peculiarlty OF the ruritau chhfaCtet,
that they were bold nen, avowing Their princi
more shame on their descendants who seek to
misrepresent them They were grand race OF
men, stern stroag of Sill determined in purpose.
willing 10 20 to the gallows for their principles.
aud equally willing to hang other men Tor their
principles This was their boast and pride. They
were race of plain spoken men. Why do their
sons not see their real nobility instead OF seeking
to invest them with character they would in
dignaBtly disavowf
Nowhere else in the records Of tyranny do we
find the doctrines and the practices so clearly
displayed on the statute books of people.
Usually the law has been general one. com
mandiug this and forbidding that form of worship
or belief, requiring conformity and Furnishing non
conformity.
In Massachusetts, the published statute was in
geniously vorded to make known shades of re
quired OF prohibited faith. and 20 fix the grades
and styles Of punishment for disobedience What
would the Unitarians. and Parkerites, and Trans
cendentalists of the radical school do to-day if
Massachusetts had not repealed the statutes of
the Puritans which enumerate creeds and dog
mas, and recite each separate book of Holy
Scripture. requiring faith in all of them. under
penalties Of the severest kind?
Perhaps we cannot give better Illustration OF
the sierra character, Of the Puaitan law than by
citing one Of the FIRST statutes which thew en-
acted after emerging from the cabin Of the May
flower" Young America will not be pleased
with this specimen of the eternal principles OF
liberty which the New England Society pro-
poses to use as their corner stone"
eff a man have stubborn rebellous son OF
sufficient years Of understanding, viz: sixteen
years of age. which will not obey the will Of his
father, or the voice of his mother and that when
they had ehastened him will not hearken unto
them, then shall his father and mother. being his
natural parents lay hold on him and bring him
to the magistrates assembled in court, and testify
unto them that their son is stubborn and rebel
lious and will not obey their voice and chastise
ment. but lives in sundry aud notorious crimes:
such son shall be put to DEATH. November.
1916 glt-fa,4
There was in fact almost no such thing as
liberty of the person in the Puritan province.
Early after emerging from the cabin of the
Mayfower," they enacted laws making the col
ony sort of close corporation, forbidding exit
without leave of the magistrates. They also re
fused entrance to, or banished, those whom they
thought dangerous heretcs In June, 1881, the
following law was made:
'It is ordered that = no person what
soever shall travel out of this patent either by
sea or land, without leave from the Governor
Deputy Governor, or some other assistant, under
such penalty as the court shall think meet to in
lict" fs-isrt bHe
When man is asked to define elderly" the
most common answer is, "the right TO 60 and
come, and move about as please" This is u
poor definition. but it is the idea of liberty which
most men have. Purtans looked with disfavor
on this sort of liberty. In 1862 this law was
enacted:
"This court being sensible of the increase of
profaneness and righteousness by reason of the
vagrant and vagabond life of sundry persons, as
well inhabitants as foreigners, that wander from
their families, relations, and dwelling places,
from town to town, thereby drawing away chill
dren, servants, and other persons. both younger
and elder, from their lawful callings aud employ
ments, and hardening the hearts of one snother
against all subsection to the rules OF Gods Holy
| Word, and the established laws of this colony,
all of which to prevent. this court doth hereby
order and enact:
That all such persons wherever they NAV be
found in any place Of this jurisdiction. be appre-
hended by the constable of the said place, with or
| without further warrant, and brought before the
next magistrate, who if upon examination he
shall find them to be such as do not give good
and satisfactory account of such their wandering
up and down, shall proceed with and against
them as rogues and vagabonds and cause them
/ to be corporaly punished, and sent from consta-
BILE to constable until they come to the place of
their abode, &c"
/ 1t would be impossible for us, within our space,
to give half of the laws of the Puritans restrain
| ing the liberty of the person. Some Of their
enactments were good Others bad In 1885
they passed law furnishing by fine and impris-
orment such persons "as may take liberty to
Cypress and wrong their neighbors by taking ex
cessive wages for their work or unreasonable
prices for such merchandses or other necessary
commodities as shall pass from man to man. -
/ We fancy that New York and Boston prisons
would be full if that statute were now enforced
/ Aud what would Young New York and young
Boston, male and female, say to the following
law. made in May. 1917
Whereas God hath committed the care and
power into the hands of parents for the disposiHe
of their children in marriage, that il is against
rule to seek to draw away the affections of young
maidens. under pretence OF purpose of marriage
before their parents have given way and allow
auce in that respect; and whereas il is common
practice, in divers places, for young men irregu-
| larly and dsorderly 10 watch all advantages foi
their evil purposes to nsinuate into the affections
of young maidens. by coming to them in places
and seasons unknown to their parents, for such
ends. whereby much evil hath grown up amongs
US. TO the dishonor of God and damage OF parties
for the prevention whereof in time TO come il i
further ordered:
THAT whatsoever person shall hencefprth en-
deavor directly or indirectly to draw away the
affection of any maid in this jurisdiction, under
pretenee of marriage, before he hath obtained
liberty and allowance from her parents or gov
! errors. or in absence of such. of the neIres
magistrate. shall forfeit for the first offence fiv,
pounds; for the second towards the party. ter
pounds, and be bound to forbear any further at
tempt and proceedings in that unlawful design
without or against the allowance aforesaid; anC
for the third offence. upon Information, &c
he shall be committed to prison. and upoI
hearing and conviction by the next court. shall
be adjudged TO continue in prison until the Cour
of Assistants shall see fit to release him."
We have cited these specimen statutes Il
show that there was in reality personal libert,
in he Puritan commonwealth The subjects
male and female, were under strict surveilIanc,
in domestic and public m tters alike. Many o
their rules on the subject of personal rights wer
good We are not condemning them. We arr
but showing what they were. and exhibiting t
the people the style of liberty which the New
England Society propose TO re establish in tn
whole country.
The liberty of the press is defended AS a con
stituent element Of public liberty by all educate,
nations Except by Americsn radicals.) But tn
press was not free among the Puritans. In 1862
this law was made:
"For preventing the irregularities and abus
to tie authorities of this country hy the printinl
press, it is ordered that henceGorth copy shall
be printed but by the allowance first had and OBJ
tanned under the band of Captain Daniel Gookil
and Mr. Jonathan Mitchell. until this court <hal
take further order therein"
In 1864. they again ordered as follows:
For preventing OF irregularities and abuses o
the authority of the country by the printing press
il is ordered by this court, aud the muthorit
thereof. that there shall be no printing press al
Lowell in any town within this jurisdiction. but il
Cambridge" &c. One law vert on to appoin
three censors of that press. and provided forfeit
ure of press and sbility ever again to follog
h. al.