The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-05-23


THE CONNECTlCIT Blue LAWS.
Not the Connccucut blue laws-thOugl
thew are ALWAYS SO Callcd-but the colony o.
dominion of New Haven. Connecticut wa!
one COLONY New Haven another. We have
cyemplifed this matter on former occasions
! but people especially out of this statc) still
| have the same old confused notion that it was
all one thing. A correspondent, thinking TO
offer something "new," asks US tC publish the
original blue laws" 1t is not bad idea
but we have done 50. But it was some years
ago, and thousands who read the Times to-day
probably never saw these interesting enact
ments, which really, to one who Is not in
formed of the actual state Of things in New
England two and a quarter centuries ago,
transcend all belief. a backward glance TO
our earlier history Is useful, just to show the
intolerance, superstition and tyraunlcal big
otry that prevailed IN those times, and the
immense progress that has been made, Doubt
less some antiquarian, not Sixty years hence,
will be fishing up facts OF to-day, Just as they
now prevail in Connecticut and other parts
of New England to show the lack OF our
hberality and light as compared with that of
1925. SO we will comply with our cores
pondcnt's desire, and publish or republish
these notorious Jaws OF the New Haven col
Ony:
"The territory now comprised in the State
of Connecticut was formerly two colonies,
Connecticut and New Haven. The colony
of Connecticut was planted by cmgrants
from Massachusetts at Windsor, in 1888,
and Hartford and Wethersiield, 1856. The
other colony styled by its founders the do
minion of New Haven, was founded by emil
grants from England, in 1888. The two were
united in 1863. The statutes copied below,
from an ancient volume relating to the his
tory of the American colonies, were enacted
by the people of the dominion of New Ha-
ven and being printed on blue paper came
to be known as the blue laws:
The Governor and magistrates convened in
General Assembly, are the supreme power,
under God, of this Independent dominion.
From the determination of the Assembly
no appeal shall be made.
The Governor is amendable to the voice of
the people.
The Assembly of the people shall not be
dismissed by the Governor, but shall dismiss
itself
Conspiracy against the dominion shall be
punished with death.
Whosoevcr says there is power and juris-
diction above and over the dominion shall
Whoever attempts To change or Ovcrturn
the dominion shall suffer death.
The Judges shall determine 10 controvcr-
sizes without jury.
No one shall be a freeman or give vote
unless he be converted and member of one
of the churches allowed in the dominion.
Each freeman shall swear by the blessed
God to bear true allegiance to this dominion
and that Jesus is the only king.
No Quaker, no disscntcr from the estab
liShcd worship of this dominion, shall be al
lowed to give "A vote for the elccting of mayis
trateS CT any other officer,
No food or lodgings shall be offered to
Quaker, Atlantic or hereto.
If any person turns Quaker he shall be
banishcd, and not suffered To return but on
pain of death.
No priest shall abide in the dominion; he
shall be banishcd and suffer death on his re
turn.
Priests MAJ be slczed by any one without
a warrant.
No one to cross a river but an authorized
clergyman.
\ o one shall run on the Sabbath day or wail
in his garden, or elsewhere, except, rcvercnt
~, to and from meeting.
No one shall travel, cook vicuals, make
| beds, sweep houses, cut hair or shave on th'
| Sabbath day
No one shall kiss her children on Sabba'l
or fasting day.
The Sabbath shall begin at sunset on Saiur
day.
To pick an ear of corn growing in neigh
boris garden shall be deemed a theft.
A person accused of trespass in the nigh
shall be judged guilty, unless he clears him
self by his oath.
3 81. Al. 4
federates, and he refuses TO discover them Ia
may be racked
None shall buy or sell lands without pei
mission of the selectmen.
\ drunkard shall have master appointc,
by the selectmen, who are to bar him iron
the liberty of buying or selling.
. Whoever publishes lie to the prejudice q
his nclghbor shall be set in the stocks q
I, whipped ten stripes.
y No minister shall keep school.
= Every ratable person VINO refuses his pr,
= portion to support the minister of the tow
or parish shall be fined by the court Is 4,
), every quarter, until he or she shall pay III
e rate To the minister.
r Men Stcalcrs shall suffer death.
u Whoever wears clothes trimmed with COL
H. silver or bone lace above Is per yard shall
ir presented by the grand jurors, and the Srlc'
men shall tax the offender 600 estate.
a debtor IN prison, swearing he has no :
tate, shall be let ont and sold 10 make sat
faction.
Whoever sets fire in the woods, and il bur
., a house. shall suffer death, and persons -
pected of this crime shall be imprisoned wit
Ic out benefit of bail
Al Whosoevcr brings cards or dice into Ill
p d)main, shall pay u fine of 50.
III No one shall read common PRAYER. boob
keep Christmas or sci days, cat mince pi
dance, play cards or play on any instrumc
~ of music, except the drum, trumpet or Jew
so harp.
1t No gospel minister shall Join people
D. marriage. Tha magistrate only shall jo