, 1881-09-18
Past and Present Illinois LegisIa-
ton on This Subject,
And the Decisions Of the Courts on
Certain Points.
Protection Of Camp-Mcetings from the
Attacks OF Young Rowdies.
The Results Of Strict Enforcement Of
the Existing Laws.

pr1seN and often s1dheneG by the sights they
see. There appears to them to be Oil the par
OF the great majority none OF that Sunta,
observance to which they have been accus
toned. Many IF the shops are open-lloi
merely saloons, but barber-shops, meat
markets, grocery stores, and others, the
street-cars are thronged with people; num-
bers OF hacks are to be seen ut their aceus-
toned stands; the parks are filled with
pleasllre-seel1ers; during the summer
season there are unentling picnics
and the theatres, with hardly All ex-
ccptlon, are open, and rs we'll visited
OH Sunday night as Mt any week day per:
formance, and numbers OF the little street
businesses 20 Oil just about as usual. The
| wholesale stores are closet, and most of the
retail ones down town, but in many respects
it is impossible for these visitors to see the
difference between n Sabbath day and Il week
day. Seetng this, they are inclined to uues-
tion whether there are any laws upon the
statute-boolSs which enforce a Sunday OBJ
seryance.
| THERE ARE sCcJl 11AWs,
and the object of the present article is to
| state briefly in what respects in the past and
ut present, so far as legislation is concerned,
| Sunday is made to differ from the tter days
Of the week. While these laws exist, and
have for i long ii me done so, no effort las
been n1ade in Chicago to enforce them ex-
eept weakly rs regards theatrical perform
| anccs, and more urgently as regards the clos
ing of saloons. The controversy on that
point, however, it is unnecessary to refer to.
! It is all old and long-fonght battle. The
rigid enforcement of the Sunday laws has
been tried elsewhere at q comparatively re-
| cent periUd-in Cincinnati. and only few
days. ago at 1ndianapolis-andi it is under
stood that q move will be made within. 4
short time in this city to attempt to secure
an absolute enforcement of the provisions on
the subject in the State laws, which have
long slumbered iii forgetfulness.
THE FIRST LAW
| on the subject Of Sunday observance Is
found in Nathaniel Pope's revision il 1915
passed III 1so7, and is as follows:
s. II any person shall BE- found. reyeling,
fighting, or qnarreling, doing or performing
amy worldly employment or business. what
soever, on tue first day Of the week, COM
charity only eyecpted}, or shall use or pr.lc-
tice any unlawful game, sport. or diversion
whatsoever, or shall be found hunting, OF
shooting OH the said day, aud be convicted
for every such otfense forfeit and pay a sum
not exceeding s., nor less than 50 cents, to
be levied by distress; Or in case such person
being male shall refuse or neglect to pay
A11E 5&l1A auln, vi fsOpNo VI ClAkEEIo CIilNOt Qt
found whereof to levy the same by distress,
lie shall be committed to the charge OF
one Of the Supervisors of the Highways.
in the township wherein, the oflense
was committed, to be kept at hard labor for ,
that nothing herein contained shall be
construed to hinder Waternen fro1u land
ing their passengers, or ferryme1l from cal
f,yinG over tue water travellers. or persons
removing with their families. on tho first day
OF the week, conmonly called Sunday.'' =.
The stringency Of this law was due III great
part to the character OF the people. The
earlier settlers Of Illinois were divided into
three .classes: The first consisted of re-
ligious, Gotl-fearing people from the South,
who were strict in Sabbath observance; the
second of persons from New England, PENN
sylvania, and New York, equally so; and the
third Of the roueher, coarser set from the
their Sundays as l. day Of a1nusement-in
hunting, fishing; hoese,racing, or similar
sports. They did SO in Tennessee and Ken /
tucky when Peter Cartrigtt was preaching
these practices with them to Illinois. Grad
1lally these rOugher classes were elb0wed !
out Of the way. BY the act of 1910 the fine is
fixed ut 81 in every case, it beifh- deemed too !
same sentence, by an odd mistake, the word !
g reyeling" is made to read - ''rebel1ing.''
Two years later the fine was raised to So. |
Evidently Sabbatil-breaking must have been !
OIL LIE 1}1ETEaSf.
By the law Of 1907 any person swearing, or
guilty of other disorderly behavior before Il
congregation assembled for divine worship,
was liable to fine Of s., and this fine by tile
laws Of 1919 and 1871 was to be not less than
$; nor more than $40.
TIE PROVISION IN RELATION TO T1rpL1NG-
HOUSES
first appears in the revision Of 1927, and was
borrowed by Judge Lockwood from the laws
of Georgia. It provides that any one guilty I
of open lewdncss, etc, Or WHO shall keep
open any tippling-house OIL the Sabbath day !
or night, etc, should on conviction be fined
not exceeding sloo Or imprisoned not exceed
At that time the tippiing-house was not
what it now is. There were then no distinct
kept liquor, and the distinction between wet
and dry groceries had much more meaning
then than it possesses now No grocery had its
distinct bar, but man bought his drink over
the counter IL lie wanted to, though that was
customary only among the lowest gratle Of
lOungers. Liquor. was ir sucli universal use.
aud the settlements so scattered, that people
bought their liquor by the bottle or |
by the denijolln.
C.aaIp-MEETISes.
III 1920 the following provision, known as
the Calnp-lneetlng act, was enacted:
" Amy person who shall by menace, pro- |
fame swearing, vulgar language, or any Ills
orderly or immoral conduct interrupt and
citizens assembled together for the purpose
Of worshipmg Almighty God, or who shall
sell, or attempt to sell. or otherwise dispose
Ut, ardent spirits or liquors. or any articles
or collection Of people, within
DIE mile Of such place, unless the person SO
selling or tisposins Of s:litl spirituous liquors
or articles shall he regularly licensed to keep
a tavern or grocery, any person so offending
shall be deemed guilty of !. high lnistle-
nenn0r and ttno1, cnnyictinn shall he fined |