, 1874-08-01
4 CHANCE TO pUNfYH HERHTfCs.

Judge Poland'a law authorizing tho intiot- |
mont in tho District Of Columbia and tho arlost
and removal TO Washington City, Of any editor or
publlahor accused Of libel, Inns moro than an oral-
nary Boope. Iibols nro ordinarily trlcl under tho
laws Of the Staten where they ase published, but
the trial Of I'LL libos under Polanda act would be
governed by wliat is known as tho "common
Inv" Of the District Of Columbia. Congress-, in
1901. enactod TINT tho laws OF Maryland In force
at tho timo Of tho coaaion Of tho District {1801)
should bo in forco In that part Of tho DiBtrtct
coded by Maryland md tho laws Of Virginia At
tho sa,ne datc should DO IN force in TINT pars Of
tho District south Of the Potomac. Since thon
the Virginia part of tho District has bcoa ceded
back, aud what remalns Of the original ten m'leR
go,aro Ia to thia dny governed by the laws Of
Maryland as they stood In 1901. except 80 far as
modified by subsequent acts Of Congress. The
PERSONS indicted and arrcstod undor the Poland
Inv m,at be tried for libo]a uuder tho dofan't'on
Of tile old Maryland laws. Ono Of thoao la"a,
though long aince repeated In Maryland, and dat
lug back to Colonial days, but still in force In tue
Dist 1t Of Columbia, has boon hunted up by o
correspondent Of tho Now York Tribune, and
reads "a follows:
An act to punish blasphcmoua swearcrr, drlnkarAB.
and aahbntt-brcakcrs au for tepea!ug the awy hcre-
tofors made for tho Furnishing auch oilendcrs
asd si ais asies aaa eonen II III Lurd.ar ;essreor
ai fas guger and Loesr Aoases 0f A''tmafy a"d sas
That 1t any person anl orcaftor within this prov
inca Willingly. nallc!o'lslT. aud udvsu''ly by writing
vor Jesua chriat to bo thu Son Of ao Or sall deny
the Holy Trinity, tho Father, Son, ami Holy dhokt, Or
e aodLeaa ot any ot hs Three rersos or Tie unity
ceruing tho Holy Trinity or any Of the reraonH tcro.
of nnd ena be thereof convict by vorlIcs contua
sion, aha for tho Arst olense bo borcd through tho
tongue and ltd ego atcrng to tho Lord Proprietor,
TO 6e applied 10 tho use Of tho county wlsnro tho olrcke
shall 10 committed to 10 & icyie Oh tue otfeudsfs 5 =
tho said nns cannot DO cyed, the offender slll
suffer nix months' imprisonment without bail or main.
prise; aud that for tho aecond olouse the offender,
bang theroof convict AZ aore"aid al,all be
ttzed by burning in the ferohsad With tie letter y!
sna Ane ~ sSrnE to ths Lot hsops.ss r. to e
cannot 10 levied the offender shah suffer twslvs
| months' Imprisonment without bail o. malnps!so
and TINT for tin third otfense, tho offender ncng con
yict as aforesaid shall suffer doah without beneht o.
| clergy.
rrhore arc fourteen sections moro, bnt TINY refer
swearing, drinking, mud broaking tile ssbbash.]
II any pofaon, anywhere IN the United 8tatss
snail, by writing, dony that Christ is tho Son O.
God, or aony tho Holy Trinity, or tho aodhca'
Of oitnor Person Of the Trinity, or write pro-
fane}y Of either Of such peraons, and q copy oi
such papor ia found In tue District Of Columbia
then the person 30 writing may, under th
Poland law, be indicted. arrested, and tried ii
tho District Of Co1umbia, aud, If convicted, b
bored through tho tongue and. If tho offena
be repeated, be branded on tho forehead will
the lettor B anlfor third offonso bo hinged
THIS is tho stylo and character Of the Law Q
libel in force in tho District OF Columbia, t.
which 1awa tho. entire newspaper pross Of tn
United States have been made amonablo undo
the Poland Butlcr- Carpenter Conk1ing law 9
the last Bcssion. This Ia literally going back +
tho dark ages, and revival Of code whic
exists in no part Of the civilized world outsd
Of tho District Of Columbia.