The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-26

religion" in which measures are taken,
80 far as they can be by legal enactmerts,
to secure TO the several towns an sable,
learned and orthodox ministry" and "to
"prevent the growth of atheism, irreligion
land prophaueness. Following this is
one for the "rasing and increase Of dogs"
how such law would, to-day, please the
licentlate mind for its "wise as well as hui
msne provisions !"
50 long as we are making a recsntation
of our heterodox ideas that the world is
growing better as 1t lie growing older, this
early Massachusetts "dog law" deserves
more than a passing notice. The law
starts out with preamble setting forth
that the "Tryal lately made of Raugeing
land Securing the Woods on the Frontiers,
"with Hounds and other Dogs used to
Hunting" has proved of great service
and that "for Encouragement therefore to
Raise and Train up great number of
Dogs, to be improved" 1t is enacted that
such persons living on the frontiers as
shall take, keep and raise up any Whelp
" of the breed of the Hounds, and have
=" them at all times in readiness to attend
" the Hunt Sergeant, or others improved
" in that Service, when they shall Come to
"such Town, and require the same, shall
" be allowed and paid out of the Publick
" Treasury the Sum of Five Shtl1ings Per
d" Annu1l, in consideration for their care
and charge, for the raising and keeping
" of every such dog"
1t may initiate against the theory that
the world is growing worse, rather than
better, as it g ows old, but truth and can
dor compes us 10 say that this law of our
puritan fathers remained In force only three
years. Goodness, however, did not entire
ly die with the puritan. We have high au-
thority for the statement that cleanliness is
next to goodness, and so we may venture
to assert that Catching niggers" is next to
catching Indians, and, as a necessary In.
ference from this, that when goodness de-
parted out of New Eogland, after being
dormant for time, it had resurrection
among our southern brethren who were &C.
clstomed to pass laws and the statutes OF
the several southern etates from about 1926
to 1860 are full of misunderstanding
bounties upon those who should "keep anC
raise up any Whelp Of the breed of The
Hounds, and have them at ali times in
read ness TO attend the Hunt-Sergeant
"or others improved in that service'-anC
ministers of the gospel in plt nty were
found to defend snd advocate the keeping
and raising of "whelps" for the "catchinl
I" of nggers" as means OF "christianzini
Africa"
With the war of the rebellion, the issu
ing of the emancipation proclamation, tn,
passage of the thirteenth amendment, an(
the restoration of the Union, the use o
dogs for "catchng niggers" ard "chris
tianizing Africa" unfortunately ceased
: and gross darkness settled over the land
: So gross was this darkness, that legislature
we're found that imposed tax on dogs, re
quired their owner to pay license TO
them, en- vored to p. otect sheep ant
o.her domestic animals from their raw
ages, and decreed general aud indecrim
: inate sla1s liter agail st unlice Ised ant
uncollared dogs. fortunately, however
America is not entirtly given over t
wickedness, and goodness h - OF who'll.
= departed from Vermont. A minister of tn
/. gospel has risen up in our md who pre-
tests against the dog tax, copn's the do
among bis most "faithful friends" and ha
taken to breed o and exhibiting whelp
and pups. There is hope yet for Vernon,
e A little leaven leaveneth ne whole lu p. B
hopeful, oh, Vermonters, the state is not er
| titely given over to wickedness.