Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-05
miscellaneous &eadiua.
THE BLUE LAWS OF CONNECTICUT.


These laws were called blue laws, from be-.
ing printed on blue paper. They were the
products of legislation of the early Congrega-
tionalists of New England. We give them
below from an exchange.
"The territory now comprised of the State
of Connecticut was formed originally of two
colonies-Connecticu and New Haven. The
colony of Connecticut was planted by emf
grants from Massachusetts, and Windsor,
1865. The other one, styled by its found
ers the Dominion of New Haven, was formed
by emigrants from England in 1888. The
two colonies were united in 1866. The stat.
utes copied below, from an ancient volume re.
lating to 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:
ENACTMENT.
The governor and magistrates convened in
general assembly, are the supreme power, un'
der God, of this independent dominion.
From the determination of the assembly no
appeal shall be made.
The governor is amenable to the voice Of
the people.
The assembly of the people shall not be dis
missed by the governor, but shall dismiss
ITSELF
Conspiracy against this dominion shall be
punishable with death.
Whosoever says there is power and juris:
diction above and over the dominion shall
suffer death and loss of property.
T,dno, ebol1 dofarrnino M oonfrovarav
without jury.
No one shall be 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 or dissenter from the establish.
ed worship of this dominion shall be allowed
to give vote for the election of magistrate
or any other officer.
No food or lodging shall be offered to an
Adamite or hereto.
II any person turns Quaker he shall be
banished, and not suffered to return on pain
of death.
No priest shall abide in the dominion. He
shall be banished and suffer death on his re-
turn.
Priests may be seized by any one without a
warrant.
No one shall cross river on Sabbath un-
less a regular authorized clergyman.
No one shall run or walk in his garden, or
elsewhere, except reverentially to and from
meeting.
No one shall travel, cook victuals, make
J.. hos hon ho
Sabbath day.
No woman shall kiss her children on the
Sabbath or fasting days.
The Sabbath shall begin at sunset on Sat.
urday.
To pick an ear of corn growing in neigh
boris garden shall be deemed theft.
When it appears that the accused has con-
federates and he refuses to disclose them, he
may be racked.
None shall buy or sell land without per-
mission of the selectmen.
A drunkard shall have master appointed
by the selectrnen, who are to bar him from
the liberty of buying and selling.
Whosoever publishes lie to the prejudice
of his neighbor, shall be set in the stocks, or
be whipped ten stripes.
No minister shall keep a school.
Man stealers shall suffer death.
Whosoever wears clothes trimmed with
gold, silver or bone lace above one shilling
per yard, shall be presented by the grand jur-
ors and selectmen shall tax the offender 1850.
A debtor in prison, swearing he has no
estate, shall be let out and sold to make satis'
faction.
Whosoever sets fire in the woods and it
burns house, shall suffer death; and per.
sons suspected of the crime shall be imprison'
ed without the benefit Of bail.
Whosoever brings cards or dice into this
dominion shall pay fine of ETA.
No one shall read common prayer books,
keep Christmas or set days, eat mince pies,
dance, play cards, or play on an instrument
of music except the drum, trumpet and jews
harp.
No gospel minister shall join people in mar
riage. The magistrate only shall join in mar.
riage, as he may do it with less scandal to
Christ's church.
When parents refuse their children con.
venient marriages, the magistrates shall de-
termine the point.
The selectmen, on finding children ignorant,
may take them away from their parents.
A man that strikes his wife shall pay fine
of 910.
A woman that strikes her husband shall be
punished as the law directs.
A wife shall be deemed good evidence
against her husband.
No man shall court maid in person or BY
letter without first obtaining consent of her
parents-e5 penalty for the first ofense, 91O
for the second, and for the third imprison-
ment during the pleasure of the court.
Married persons must live together or be
imprisoned.
Every male must have his hair cut round,
according to bis cap.
KINDL1NG A FIRE FOR CHRIsT.-The bless
ed Redeemer declared that He came to send
fire upon the earth, and He desired that it
might be speedily and universally kindled-
even the sacred FIRE of grateful love to Him
for the blessings of His cross, the daily bene.
fits of His providence. and the visitations of
His gracious Spirit. Nov, as of old, all day
He stretches out His hands for willing and
loving people to come to Him. But His visi'
BILE mouth has passed away from sight; nor
is His voice heard except through the instru-
mentality of His servants. They must be His
deputies, His mouthpieces, and His messen'
gers, or in general His message goes not forth.
He earnestly seeks for the salvation of souls.
and that the kindling word of the sacred
Cross should be as fire for million churches.
Those who feel His love will seek to return it
more and more by inviting others, both by
example and by conversion, to receive this
grace of Christ. The more souls are brought
to Him the more honor is rendered to Him,