Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-07-27
Virginia "BIue LAVAL 1893.

The Boston Transcript of Friday contains the
following communications
We have all heard more or less OF the Blue
Laws" OF Connecticut and Of the "Black Code"
of the South. But did not know till the pres
ent war commenced that any such religio-legal
enactments had ever been made by the South
ern chlvalry Of the Ditch.land, as we have
understood by this term of "Blue Laws"
Some two years since, q soldier of the Potomac
army, on entering tine ourthouse in Warwick
county, Va, found the old records Of the court,
which he forthwith confscAted and sent to me
two pages, from which the following items are
copied.
The paper is quite thick, and measures 10 by
10 Inches. The Chirography is peculiar, and
there are twenty-six entries OF decisions
made by that court, under the date of October
81, 1868. This Ms. is interesting, not only
from It's remote antiquity, but also on account
OF the information which 1t gives us as to the
religious and legal manners of our Southern
neighbors two hundred years ago. Witness
the following:
"Mr. John Harlow, and Alice, his wife,
being by the grand inquest presented for alb
senting themselves from church, are, accord
ing TO the act, fined each of them ifty pounds
of tobacco, and the said Mr.. John Harlow
ordered forthwith to pay one hundred pounds
of tobacco TO the sheriff, otherwise the said
sheriff to levy by way OF Distress"
"Jane Harde, the wife of Henry Harde,
being presented for not tending church, is, ac-
cordng to act, fined tlfly pounds of tobacco,
| and the sheiif Is ordered TO collect the same
from her, and in case of non-payment, to dis
tress.n
"John Lewis, his wife this day refusing to
take the oath of allegiance, being ordered her,
10 committed into the sheriff's custody, to re-
main until she take the said oath, or until fur
ther ordered TO the cOntrary.n
john Lewis, his wife, for absenting herself
om,church, Is fined fifty pounds of tobacco, to
be collected by the sheriff from her husband
and unpon non-payment, the said sheriff TO
Distress"
Robert Reynolds, being prosecuted for ab-
senting himself from church, and summoned
by the sheriff, this court TO make his appearance,
and appearing not, is fined for both offences
one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco, to be
levied by the sheriff by way of dlstress, upon
his non-payment thereof"
George HarwOod, being prosecuted for hia
absentlng himself from church, is fined fifty
pounds of tobacco, to be levied by way of dis
tress by the sheriff upon his non.payment
thereof"
"Peter White and his wife, being presented
for common swearing, are nned fifty pounds
OF tobacco, both of them, to be collected by the
sheriff from the said White, and, upon non
payment Of the same, to Distress"
"Richard Ring, being presented as q com.
mon swearer, Is lined fity pounds Of tobacco
to @ levied by the sheriff, by way Of distress
upon his nOn.payment."
From all / can learn there was but onC
"church" In Virginia In 1868, and that was the
English, or what is now the Protestant Epis
copal, Church, and It was for non-attendanct
on this chuIch that the fine OF fifty pounds oi
tobacco was lpnlcted BY the Old Dominion two