Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-05-03

LnlnK as 40, ana therefore reel as
sured of their charity. Let me say to
you that the foundation basis of the
Sunday law in its constitutional char
acter are safe, and whether | can be
able to demonstrate that fact or not is
wholly immaterial. When the time
comes to settle the question before the
proper tribunal, be assured my friends,
and friends of the Sunday law, that
your cause is safe !
When asked what the law is, all that
lawyer can do is to refer to his books.
The law of which complaint is made,
as found in the Code OF Tennessee, is
as follows:
"Sec. 1923. If any merchant, ar
tifcer, tradesman, farmer or any other
person shall be guilty of doing or ex>
ercising any of the common avocations
of life, or of causing or permitting the
same to be done by his children or ser.
wants, acts of real necessity or charity
excepted, on Sunday, he shall, on due
conviction thereof, before any justice
of the peace of the county, forfeit and
pay three dollars one-half to the per,
son who will sue for the same, the other
half for the use of the county.
"Sec. 1924. Any person who shall
hunt, fish, or play at any game ofsport,
or be drunk on Sunday, as aforesaid,
shall be subject to the same proceed.
ings, and liable to the same penalties
as those who work on the Sabbath.
"Sec. 1851. No licensed grocer or
other person in this State shall retail
spirituous liquors on Sunday. The
punishment of this ofense shall be
fine and imprisonment at the discre-
ton of the court"
You see, it was unnecessary to add
that last section, as it would be inclu>
ded in the first, except for the purpose
of making different punishment.
Our law then simply declares that on
Sunday there shall be a cessation from
the duties and labor of the ordinary
avocations of life, except in cases of
necessity and charity, and every one
who violates that law, except in re-
failing spurious liquors, is subject to a
fine of three dollars. Not very bur.
densome law. Not a law that mani.
tests vindictiveness or malignity in its
spirit. If licensed grocer shall re.
tail spirituous liquors on Sunday, the
punishment is fine and Imprisonment
at the discretion of the court. There
are provisions as to those who disturb
public worship, but they apply equally
to those who disturb any other public
asSemblages, and to days of the week
as well as Sunday. Then the court;
can not be in session or issue their pro
cesses on Sunday. The spirit, the gist
Of the whole law is simply what I have
stated-cessation from work and thC
question is, Does that violate the fun
damental spirit of free government
8 Does that set at defiance the spirit o
free institutions =?
g The Constitution of the United
States, which has been invoked, ha
but two provisions supposed to bear OF
this question, and / take it for grantee
) no lawyer will admit they even toucl
the subject.
Constitution of the United States
. Article / of Amendments. Congress
shall make no law respecting an estat
ment Of religion or prohibiting the FIRE
6 exercise thereof"
Art. IA of Amendments, x
, "No State shall make or enforce an
i. law which shall abridge the privilege
or immunities of the United States
nor shall any State deprive any perso
e of life, liberty or property without du
process of law, nor to deny any perso
f within its jurisdiction the equal protet
/ ton of its laws"
i, The State of Tennessee declares tina
4 all power is inherent in the people, an
4 all free governments are founded o
!. their authority and instituted for thei
8 "peace, safety and happiness, an objet
!. before which individual rights of life
i liberty or property shall, if necessary
4 all 90 down. The man who come
n "