The Hawaiian gazette., 1877-11-28
Connecticut Blue Laws.

IN the Gazette of November 18th we prom
Used our readers that we would, at the first
convenient opportunity, publish brief state
ment of the historical truth concerning the
so-called "Blue Laws of Connecticut" This
promise we now propose, so far as our lin
tied space will allow, to redeem. That null
titudes of respectable, and in the main intel
ligeut people, should still continue to believe
in the genuineness and authenticity of these
so called "laws,'' after their true origin and
history has been so often and so thoroughly
demonstrated, is a curious and striking illus
tration of the fact, that it is only necessary
that lie should be well told and stuck n. in
order to have it pass for truth with large
portion of the community, particularly if the
lie in question happens to chime in with their
preconceived notions and pander to their pet
prejndices and animosities.
Few calumnies have ever exhibited greater
vitality and powers of resuscitation than the
one we are now considering, and fer precisely
the reasons above indicated. The solid quail
ties of the genuine New Englander, both
LlCHlsii anu thS iiSiA 5ACHhN ~ ii''o
taken on public questions both political and
ethical, the frmness with which he adheres to
his convictions and the fearlessness and per
sistency with which he advocates them, have
all conspired to make him extremely obnoxi-
GUS to large classes of people, and this anti
pathy has been rather intensified than other
wise, by the very general and uniform success
he has achieved in all the walks of life For
the qualification of this animosity, this fiction
of the "blue laws affords weapon too con-
venient and useful to be lost. 1t would never
do to spoil so good story, merely for want of
facts. The consequence is that for nearly
hundred years, whenever New England peo-
pie, New England theology, or New England
ideas, principles or institutions of any kind
were TO be misrepresented and maligned, this
dead and buried SANDER has been dragged
from its dishonored grave, clad in the habili-
ments of the living and galvanized into such
a CHASTITY semblance of life, as might serve 10
brighten timid women and children and impose
successfully on all those who wanted 10 be
deceived There are multitudes of persons in
the world who would rather at any time be-
lieve lie at the expense of those they dislike,
in preference to accepting the truth, should
the same happen to be in their favor, Such
people have been rolling the I" Blue Laws of
Connecticut under their tongues as sweet
moral, for several successive generations.
The simple truth of the matter is, that
nearly if not quite all these claws" were
taken, not from the statute book of Connecti-
cut at all, but from work written by Con-
necticut Tory named Samuel Peters, and pub
lished in London in 1871 under the title of
I" A General History of Connecticut, from the
settlement under Geo. Fenwick Esq, to its
latest period Of amity with Great Britain,
including description of the country and
many curious and interesting anecdotes"
This Peters, who was native of Connecti-
cut and an Episcopalian clergyman, became
on the breaking out of the troubles between
the colonies and the Crown, most bitter and
malignant Tory, and in this way as well as by
being as is alleged disreputable character
in other respects, he made himself so exceed
ingly obnoxious to the great majority of the
community in which he lived, that he finally
found it expedient to leave, which lie accord
ingly did and went to England. Though we
believe he never suffered any personal vio-
lence, the pertilacity and offensiveness with
which he espoused and advocated the cause
Of the King against the colonies, made Con-
necticut, in the then excited state Of public
feeling, place too hot for him TO live in com
fortably. Overlooking with bitterness against
his countrymen and against the colony and
people of Connecticut in particular, he under
took at one and the same time to vent his spite
against his old neighbors and curry favor with
the Tory element in England, by publishing
his sO-called History of Connecticut;"
book which competent and trustworthy autho-
rites who have fully investigated the subject;
have pronounced to be as gross compound of
exagerations, misrepresentation and down
right falsehoods as was ever palmed off on
credulous public, under the guise of veritable
history; and this book, whose parentage and
purpose we have above given, is the prolific
source from which has been derived pretty
much all the stories about "Connecticut Blue
Laws" which have been in circulation ever
since. 1t will be remembered also, that this
bogus History Of Connecticut" is the book
from which the AdcertisT has recently pub
lished several characteristic extracts, and
which it invites its readers to accept an
authority" on the subject of which it treats.
1t may be however, reasonably asked if
there is no truth in any of these stories, and if
all the laws quoted in Peters book are pure
fabrications. This question we will endeavor
briefly but fairly to answer The early set
tiers of New England, Connecticut included,
were certainly men of stricter ideas than our
own, particularly in certain directions, and
this strictness naturally found expression in
their laws and ordinances. They were pro-
foundry though not always intelligently con-
scientious, austerely moral aud intensely re-
ligious For religions sake they had left
their native land and it was to build up free
commonwealth on what they believed to be
Bible principles and with religion for its chief
corner stone that they had banished them
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