Mexico weekly ledger., 1883-11-08
THE BLUE LAWS.
Ba.ersft's Hlstsrysa U.ats4 ssatss.

THE BLUE LAWS.
Baaersft's Histssy ~ tAe Unstsd Statss.
When Clark, lie pure and tolerant
Baptist Of Rhode Island, one Of the
happy few who have connectsd their
name with the liberty and happiness
Of . commonwealth, began o preach
to a small audience at Linn, be was
seized by the civil officers. Being
compelled to attend worship with the
congregation OF the town, he express
ed his aversion By harmless indeeo-
rum, which would have been without
excuse had his presence been yolun-
tary. He and his companions were
tried and condemned 70 pay . nne Of
twenty TO thirty pounds ($l00 70
$i2O), and Holmes, Who refused To-
pay his 1ne, was whipped unmerci-
fully. Since . particular form Of
worship had become part Of the civil
establishment, irreligion was now pun,
'ishsd as . civil ofense. Treason
against civil government was treason
against Chris. To deny any book
Of the Old or New Testament to be
the written and infallible word OF God
was punishable with fine or by stripes,
and, in case OF obstinacy, by exile or
death. Absence from the ministry Of
the word was punishable by fine.
By degrees, the establishment began
to subvers the fundsmenth principles
Of independence. Remonstrance Vas
useless. It mingled ambition with
religion, and gave false direction to
legislation.
But If the Baptists were feared as
processing doctrines tending to dis
organize society. how much more
reason was there to dread such ennis
saries Of the Quakers as appeared in
New England? It was in the month
of July 1866, that two Quakers, Mary
Fisher and Ann Austin, arrived on
the road before Boston. There was
as yet no statute against Quakers; ;
but on the general law against heresy,
their trunks were searched and their
books burned by the hangman.
Though no token could be found on
them, but the token Of innocence,
their persons were examined In search
Of signs Of witchcraft, and, after Eve
weeks Of close confinement, they we're
thrust out of the dominion. Eight
others were, during the year, sent
back to England. Yet, next year,
though a special law now prohibited
the introduction Of Quakers, Mary
Dyar, an Antinomian exile, and Ann
Burden came into the colony. The
former was claimed by her husband
and taken to Rhode Island; the latter
was sent to England. A&oman who
came all the way from London to
warn the magistrates against perse-
cution, was whipped with heavy
stripes. Some who had been BAN
ished came back q second time; they
were imprisoned, whipped and once
more sent away under penalty Of fur
ther punishment II they returned.
A fine was imposed upon such as
should entertain any Of the accursed
sect, and Quaker after the firs. COW
vinction was to lose an ear, after the
second another, and after the third
to have the tongue bored with hot
iron. A penalty Of ten shillings was
imposed on every person for being
present at Quaker meeting. The
general court finally banished the
Quakers on pain OF death. For the
security Of the flock, said Norton.
we pen up the wolf ; but 3 door Of
escape is purposely left open, where
by he may depart at his pleasure.
Vain legislation and frivolous apol-
ogy! The soul, by its freedom and
immortality preserves its convictions
or its frenzies even amidst the threat
Of death. 1t has been attempted to
excuse the atrocity Of such law, be-
cause the Quakers avowed principles
that seemed subversive Of social or
der. Any government might on the
the same grounds, find in its unrea-
sonable fears, excuses for cruelty.
The argument justifes the expulsion
of the Moors from Spain, Of the
Huguenots from France, and forms q
complete apology for Laud, who was
honest in his bigotry, persecuting the
Puritans with the same good faith,
with which he recorded his dreams.
The fears Of one class Of men are mot
the measures Of the rights Of others.
It is said, also, that the Quakers them.
selves rushed on the sword and were
suicides. Ii it were so, the men who
held the swords were accessories to
the crime.
Perry Hack Llne-Tlme Table Chang.
ed September 10th.
Mexico, Perry and New London
stage line leaves Perry for Mexico ev.
cry Monday, Wednesday and Friday,
promptly at Z .. M, arriving at Mex