The daily gazette., 1881-02-15
WILMINGTON. DEL. TUESDAY. FEBRUARY Is 1881
For the Gazette.
BLASPHEMY vs.. FREE SPEECH.
OWL AND RELIGIOUS LIBER.

For the Gazette.
BLASPHEMY VS.. FREE SPEECH.
OWL AND RELIGIOUS LIBER.
TY.
II we want to be happy we must be
vtrtuous, and to maintain our civil and
religious liberty we must obey our laws.
What is 1t to blashpheme7 To speak OF
the Supreme being in terms of impious
irreverence. Therefore there Is no law
In our statute books more Just than the
one which provides o punishment for
blasphemy, especially, in State where
10 one is looked upon rs good and vir-
tuous. except the one that loves God, or
has desire OF that kind. Our Chief
Justice then ought to be thanked by
every lover Of pure religion and good
morals for the pIompt notice In his
charge to the Grand jury on the. openi ng
Of the court on Monday last, OF that
itinerant Infidel who had boon here leo.
turing and bIasphtming the God we
worship, and rec -ive all our blessi ngs
from. Who would have thought that
there was man SO far stepped In sin
Ms 10 hold up to ridicule that great ques-
tion, "What must 4 do to be saved"
with the answer also.
All lovers OF free speech. seligious,
civil and political liberty ought TO say
countenance or audience; treat him as
one OF the baser sort" But am sorry to
say some persons of respectability went
to hear this man who for the sake Of
money Ia trying 10 break down all
that Is good and holy and deceive the
young with hts poisonous doctri ues -
These men ought TO be ashan ed Of them
selves for giving Bob their presence
There are somo OF these infidePs satellites
who live here and say, "away with the
old law that Furnishes blasphemy: let us
have free speech" These men arc 10
be pitied, for the don't know what they
say.
have now reached the point when q
few thoughts on our liberty would not
be amiss.
First. The people OF th ese United States
enjoy the most liberty Of any people on
earth. But we must not forget that il is
righteousness that exalteth all nations"
Then let us take heed lest we fall. To
fall Is to lose our liberty and there are
many ways by VIII cd il may be done,
but no surer way than its abuse. Free
speech Is ono Of the liberties wo enjoy
that Is to express our thoughts in words
or give ones ideas oh any subject. But
Is IL not strange that Aome want the law
pnnishing blasphemy repealed so as to
allow there intides 10 use any kind of
WoruS, tDaL tnolr wicked ana dopraVod
hearts can conceive of. This law that
our fathers have bequeathed to us for
the protection Of fee speech--and let IL
said to the credit OF the people of Della
ware, II never has been called up but
once before in my recollection, and our
Chief Justice would.not have had TO take
notice OF II in tho oDeninR OF our
new Court House IL thus infidel
had stayed away. will say in
conclusion, that religious. and civil
and religious liberty are twin SISTERS
Therefore, while we enforce the laws
laws that make us tree and happy, we
must also enforce those that restrict
which keep every one in his proper
place. be lieye we will have free
speech longer by Furnishing bias
phemy and profanity for both OF these
are Its abuse. Our laws with our people
are our sovereignty; we are governed
by them, and as they are In our hands
to make and unm AXE, I will say there
ig none better than the one that pSasshes
profanity and blasphemy. A. T.