Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-03-30
COMMUNICATED.
she AbSurdiiieS of Law Makers.

'hS GA Law RaheFS.
The Intelligent man of the present day reads
the Blue Laws of Connecticut" enacted 10
1851, With no little amusement, and wonders
how representative men, even at that age,
could be so void of common sense as to make
laws so contrary to the clear dictates of reason
ard rropriety. Take the three following laws
or prohibitions under severe penalties:
NO one shall run on the Sabbath day, or
walk III lis garden, or elsewhere, except rcver
| emily to and from meeting.
IN one shall travel, cook vituals, make beds,
sweep house, cur hair, or shave On the Sabbath
day.
''No woman shall kiss her child 90 the Sab
ba! or fasting day.
Admitting the above code Of laws to be au-
theutic, which, for good reasous, is very doubt
| iul, as the New Haven colony 1.-THE reputed
authors of said Blue Laws was not settled
uut!! 1858, these could not have been laws aud
penalties imposed III 1857, they are no more
absurd aud amusing to the present reader thau
our present laws aud penalties viii DC u the
Intelligent reader fifty years hence. For IN.
stance, taSe IA SECTION OF the Interest Bil!'
just passed BY both houses vi the Geucral A.
aembIy Of Virginia.:
Sec l. Legal interest shall continue to be
at the rate Of six dollars upon one hurdrcd
dollars for year. and proportlonally ior a
greater or less SUN, or ior Il LONGER or Shorter
TIM; and no person upon any contract shall
take for the loan Or torbcarauce ot money or
other tl:jG above the value d such rate.
La the Year 1924, this section will be read
wi a. much wuudtrment and amusrucut IL
the Present age read the famous Blue Laws
that no wGuian shall kiss her child Oh the
Sabbath Or fasting days" or mo one shall cut
BAR OF shave OH the Sabbath day. laklug
in consideration the superior advantages The
law makers Of the present day, the advantages
Of universities. acatell.S, high schools, anu
steam and electricity To transmit knowledge
from every cIrner ot the globe, Is II not sur
prSing that body Of TWO or three hundr, u
neu, supposed to comprise the wisdom Ut the
State, would pass a las declaring that legal
Interest shall coutinuc to be at the rate OF SIX
dollars urou one hundred dollars fur u year.
Interest On money is precisely the same is
rent on houses and property. For Instance,
John Smith owns house worth $4,000 cash.
He ias an unlOubtyd light to ask and receive
500 or $500 rent for the same, bur IN case
Smith sci, his house for $4,000 cash, the Leg
isalure forbid. him receiving he same rent Tor
| his noucy that he received Tor his house. How
very kind and courteous for the General AS
sculbly Of State to Inform Mr.. Stulth that he
has brains ari bualucsS capacity enough to
take charge OF his lands, loI> and tcnrnients,
and he Is at liberty 10 rent, lease Or dispose OF
| them on auy tcrms he may see nj, but 1t he
has any cash for rent, they propose 10 manage
and control that part OF his affairs. \ uu may
kiss your wife aud child on a property basis,
bur on cash basis the General Assembly OF
| Virginia propose tn do the kissing or, IN other
words, we will allow YOU TO receive six kisses
ID one year from the wife AID each child, bur
10 more. \ law establishing the rate Of kisses
pcr annum is uSt as sensible "a Jaw estab-
fishing the rate Of interest Oh a dollar III money
No man is worthy Of being called a lnau wIo
taucly submits TO iufrlugeaucuts Oh his p"hti-
cal, tinaucial and social rights, 10 matter iroul
what power the infringement cnlnates Ana
what greater or more Infamous Infringement
c0ui! b. enacted and enforced than law dlc-
tating the amount of interest free and indie
pendent citizen shall receive for his money
The Congressional Globe published Tor
many years by Blair 4 Rves, contained the
iollowng scry brtei, but very truthful motto:
"The n0ri{ IS 90re,wei too much = Inc COON
,ry is cursed with TOO much law, TOO much
red tape" and humbuggery. Such laws as
|
tiers for building railroads, compulsory pilot
laws oyster laws, ana steamers ARMED with
caununS, muSkets and cutiasses to execute said
laws is disgrace to the State Of Nirg ula and
contrary to the spirit and teachings Of an intel
| llgcut aud progressive aye.
The following sentiment by William Cooper,
the most popular poet Of his generation, aud
the best of English aut hUrs, should DC the sen
timcut Of every free mau:
Its liberty alone that gives the flower
| or feeting life its lustrc aud perfume;
:, I'D We are weeds without It, All cOu>tralnt
Except what wisdom lays on evil men,
| l. evil hurts their faculties, lmpedcs
| Their progress in the road Of sclcncc, blind.
| The rytsjght of discovery, and bcscts
In those that suffer it sorlid mind,
| Bcsial. mcHgre intellect unfit
| 10 be the tenant OF man noble form.
u. II.