Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-06-10
THE BLUE LAWS.

ten heard of the Connecticut blue
laws" have probably never had an
opportunity Of perusing that famous
code. The statutes copied below,
from an ancient volume relating to
the history of the American colo
MES, were enacted by the people of
the Dominion of New Haven"
The governor and magistrates con-
vened in general assembly, are the
supreme power under God, Of this in
dependent dominion.
From the lie erminatiOn of the as
sembly, no appeal shall be made.
The Governor Is amenable to the
voice of the people.
The Governor shall have single
vote In determining any question and
a casting vote, when tile assembly
shall be equally divided.
The assembly of the people shall
not be dismissed 10y the Governor but
shall dismiss itself.
The judges shall determine contro.
versies without a jury. nA
No quaker or dissenter from the es-
tablishel worship of this dominion,
shall he allowed to give vote for the
election of magistrates or any other
officer.
No food or lodging shall be offered
To quaker, Atlantic, or hereto.
If any person turn quaker, he shall
he banislied and not suffered to return
on pain of death.
No priest shall aide i'm the d0min
ion; he shall be hanished, and suffer
death ON his return.
Priests may be seized by any one
without u warrant.
No one shall cross river, hut with
an authorized ferryman.
No one shall run ON the Sabbath
day, or walk In his garden, or else
where, 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 children
on the Sabbath or fasting day.
The Sabbath shall begin Mt sunset
on Saturday.
To pick ain ear of corn growing In a
neighbours garden shall be deemed
theft.
A person accused Of trespass in the
night shall be judged guilty, unless
he clear himself by his oath.
When 1t appears that an accused
has c0nfe'leratcs, and he refuses tn
discover them, lie may be racked.
None shall buy or sell lands with
out permission of the selectmen.
A drunkard shall have a master APP
pointed by the selectmen, who are to
debar him from the liberty of buying
and selling.
Whoever shall publish lie, to the
prejudice of his neighbor, shall be set
in the stocks, or be whipped ten
stripes.
No minister shall keep school.
Every rateable person who refuses
to pay his proportions to support tho
minister OF the town or parish shall
he fined by the court 2l. and p
every quarter, until he or she pay the
rate to the minister.
Whoever wears clothes trimmed
with gold, silver or bone lace above 2.
per yard, shall be presented by the
grand jurors and the selectmen shall
tax the offender 300 l. estate.
A debtor i'm prison, swearing he has
no estate, shall be let out and sold to
make satisfaction.
whatsoever sets fire In the woods
and IL burns u house, shall suffer
death and persons suspected Of this
crime shall be imprisoned without
benefit of bail.
Whoever brings cards or dice into
this dominion, shall pay u fine Olive
pounds.
No one shall read common prayer
books, keep Christmas, or set days,
minced pies, dance, play cards, 81
play on any instrument of music, EN-
cept the drum, trumpet and jewsharp
When parents refuse their children
con venient marriages, the Magis-
trates shall determine the point.
The selectmen on finding children
ignorant, may take them away from
their parents and put them In better
hands, at the expense of theil
parents.
Adultery shall be punished Will
death.
A man that strikes his wife shall
lpay "A fine often pounds.
A woman that strikes her husband
shall be punished as the court directs
a wife shall be deemed good evi
dence against her husband.
No man shall court maid In per
son or by letter, without first obtain
ing consent of her parents: j /. penal
Ity for the first otteuse; 10i. forthe SEQ
ond and for the third, imprlso men
during the pleasure of the court.
Married persons must live togethe
or he imprisoned.
Every male shall have his hair Gu
round according To u cap.
[NoTE.-The above laws We're orig
, inally printed on blue paper, o.
which account they were called th
l." Blue Laws