Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-06-19
5Hiscellamu.
From the Boston Globe.
FINl. 4 Dl .., -

lnt = biic LAWS
Some lies seem impossible to kill. No
matter how absurd or ridiculous they
may be, nor how thoroughly improbable
in time, place or circumstance, they seem
to be endowed with degree of vitality
that puts to shame the nine lives of
cat. ProclaimiDg the truth from the
housetop seems of no manner of use, and
sometimes one is almost compelled to be
lieve that il would be better to let a lie
run itself out than try to overtake it.
The curious blunder made by Mr.. Henry
Clausen, president of the National Brew
ers' Association, in his address before
that body, in this city, on Wednesday
last, in regard to the blue laws of Con-
necticut seems more curious coming
from one apparently SO well informed
upon other matters. AS forming one of
the NEST important premises upon which
his argument was based, is gives shaky
look to the whole fabric. In labored
attempt to show that the Anglo-Ameri-
can race and, by the by, Mr.. Clausen
is of Teutonic pedigree-are " from time
to time carried away by kind of fever,
the symptoms of which are religious hy-
pocrisy, aiming to exalt themselves above
their fellow men the speaker referred
to the legendary blue laws to sustain
his statements, asserting, after quoting
literally from them, that two hundred
years ago they formed portion of the
statutes of the State of Connecticut. 1t
is very probable that Mr.. Clausen is not
so thoroughly read in New England his
tory as many of his fellow men, but ev-
cry person of fair historical information
knows that no such code of laws ever
existed in America or anywhere else save
in the brains of their originator. They
originally appeared in a burlesque his
tory of Connecticut, written, some ninety
years ago, by the Rev. Samuel Andrew
Peters, born at Hebron in that State in
1885, and who died in New York city as
late as 1926. He preached for several
years in his native town, and also in
Hartford. When the revolutionary
troubles broke out, he made himself OBJ
noxious by his intenperate advocacy of
tory principles, denouncing the Ameri-
can cause from the pulpit and in private
in such terms that even his parishioners
turned against him, and closed the doors
of the church. He fled to England in
1771 and in 1871 published the work
alluded to, in London, as sort of re-
venge for his treatment at the hands OF
his countrymen. IL was never looked
upon in any other light than as bur-
lesque, until some thirty years ago, at
the beginning of the anti-slavery excite
ment, some southern orator in Congress,
at an extremity for an illustration of the
bigotry of the Yankees, quoted the laws
alluded to from Peters book. 1t then
became stock argument at once at the
South, where it even now does occasional
service. We trust that before Mr.. Clau-
sen is called upon again to speak upon
the question he will revise his historical
information, and that, furthermore, he
will render justice to New England peo-
pie, whom he accuses of" being possessed
with the fixed idea that it is their mission
to persecute, which they do by inaugur-
ating system of tyranny against all OPP
posing minds" 1t is just possible for
New England people to be honest in
their convictions, and yet differ from Mr..
Clausen.
care you fond of tongue, sir 2" " j
was always fond of tongue, madam, and