New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-02

FORGOTTEN ACT OF 1923 WHICH Is now MAKING
A SENSATION IL WASHINGTON.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlRUNEl


lBY TELEGRAPH To TRlBUNEl
WASHINGTON, July LIN the absence of At
torney- General Devens. Solicitor-GeneraI Phillips
has given an opinion. in the capacity of Acting
Attorney General, which is making something of a
sensation here. The Sunday HcdH made the lowest
bid for printing the tax list Mr.. Phillips opinion
is to the effect that old Maryland law of 1873 is
still in force, and prohibits bodily labor in the Dis
trict of Columbia on Sunday. He therefore holds
that Sunday newspaper is illegal publication,
and that as printing tax list is effect a service
on delinquent tax payers such list cannot lawfully
be published in a Sunday paper. The contract was
therefore given out to the next lowest bidder The
paper thus ruled out prints the obsolete statute in
full for the general amusement and editcaon of the
town. 1t is a. stringent rs the old Connecticut blue
laws and probably has not been enforced for over a
century The first and second sections follows:
An act to punish blasphemerS. swctrers. drunkaris
and srbbd reakers aud Tor epeulhs inc laws mere
tofore n1d' for the punishment OF such fl' nders
BE enacted by the Right Honorable" tie Lord ProPri
etOr bv and with the advice and of his Lord
shps Governor and the upper aud lower Houses NJ As
semby AM the authority al tue same, that n any per-
son shall hereafter. WITHIN this province Willingly MA
cIoIIsy aud advisedly, by writing speaking, bias
to be the ON of God, snail deny the Holy
Trinity, the Father. son and Holy GloSt, or tue
thc unity Of tho godhcad, snail utter any profane
words conccnnS TIE Holy Trinity or any persons there
s Tor the first oifen-e, be bored ihrongn tie tnsuc
and fued twenty pounds erng to the Lord Proprietor
snail Ice committed, to be levied on the oheud
er's body, goods and chattss, lands or tene-
,n,.uts and IN case the sail fine cannot be levied
IA offender suffer six months Imprisonment without
bail mainprise; and tha Of the SECOND oHeisT ne
81 gnaized by burning III the forehead with the letter
b." aud fined Iorty pounds strillns ~ lne i'ora IT,
cas- the same cannot be levied the offender snail suffer
t,eye months hmprsO NJ without ban or m tinpilse
bp nj q II
vIce aforesaid stall suffer death without the benefit
" be it further enacted. that every person
that sna hereafter proaney swear or curse in the pres
rc. ~ any magistrate minister the cOnmIssaTy gen
eraI secretary sheriff, cOrOnrr provincial or county
clerk ye.trymau churchwarden, or constable, or DC
convicted thereof before any magistrate DY the oath Of
ono lyyil Witness or tae parry, snail for
the first oath curse, be hncd two slihgs ana sN-
INC current nuucy and or every oath alter
he dis live shillngs like money 10 be applied to the
The sections relied upon by Acting Attomey-Gen-
eral as prohibiting the publication of the tax list IN
the Sunday papers is the following:
And be il enacted. that person whatsoever shall
wors or do any Labor the Lords day commonly called
sundav aud that pers' II having chdien servants,
or slaves, shall command, or Willingly OF uhWllI-
ingly suffer any of them to do any manner OF
VIII or labor on the Lords Day works OF ueces-
slty and charity AWAY eAcep,cg' n =, s mf se i H
rds day 10y cunning, fishing towing hunting, or ul-
lawful pastimes recrcaiiohS; aud tdt every person
this act aud thereof convicted by
the oath OF sufficient witness, or confession Oh Tue
parry before slihic md- 49, III o,,iioJ is
bred hounds Of tobacco. to be levied and applied as
Aforesaid
The act imposes special duty and penalty upon
clergymen, and provides that it shall be read four
times year. viz, on some Sunday in March, in
June, in September and in December by every min
ister within this province, in their respective parish
churches. between divine service and sermon, on
pain of FORGETTING 1000 pounds OF tobacco for every
OMISSION one-haf to the lord proprietor for the use
aforesaid and the other half TO him that will sue Tor
the same. to be recovered by acton of debt, bill,
plant or information, wherein no essoin, projections
or wager of law be allowed"