Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-07-10

4
Watertown in 1725, and, in the councils
of church, town and General Court. en-
deavored to aid in laying the foundation
of civil and religious liberty in Massa-
chusetts, he little thought the city Of
Boston would celebrate the two hun
dred and fiftieth anniversary of his set
Element by arresting, fning, and impris-
oning one Of his descendants in Charles
street jail for preaching the Gospel and
reading the Bible on Boston Commons.
"Gentlemen of the Legislature! Guar
dians of the honor not only of the city
of Boston, but of this ancient common
wealth of Massachusetts,, seven out of
every eleven of the inhabitants of Bos-
toh are of foreign birth or of foreign
parentage, and many of them come from
lands where the preaching of the Gospel
and the reading of the bible has not
always been as free as it is In New
England. Shall such men be allowed
to control the policy of our government
and shape it in such directions as these?
During 63 days in 1885, the govern
ment of Boston issued 2579 permits to
sell liquor and only two permits to preach
the Gospel; and these two permits were
issued only by the consent of the whole
sale and retail rum seller who was
chairman of the Common Committee.
During the four years ending Sep
tember 80, 1894, it is publicly stated
that while 972 cases of persons convicted
of selling liquor illegally, who had ap-
pealed to the the Superior Court, were
finally disposed of, only nineteen YER
diets of guilty were secured, and 729
cases were placed on file or mol pros'd
1t therefore seems easy to get Ii
cense to sell rum, and if the sale is con-
Quoted Illegally not one in twenty of
those convicted who appeal are ever
sentenced; but it is hard to get a per-
nit to preach the Gospel, and if a man
breaches without permit, conviction is
certain, sentence inevitable, and punish
ment sure.
Gentlemen, there are certain pages in
the History of Boston to which no cit
izen refers withpridc. The helseRhip-
ping, fning, imprisoning and hanging of
Baptists, Quakers and, the like, are not
agreeable memories. Time has moder-
ated the severity of those ancient laws,
but yet in the year 1886 Boston fines
ministers for preaching the Gospel and
reading the Bible to orderly crowds on
Boston Common, because they are un-
able to first obtain the permission of
foreign born wholesale and retail rum
seller to do so; while at the same time
the city authorities license Buffalo Bill
to exhibit Indian pow-wows, Pawnee war
dances and the like for money on the
Lords Day, in defiance of good order
and State law; and [, taxpayer of Bos-
ton, am not only taxed topay for Sunday
band concerts, where sixty couples have
been seen dancing at once on Boston
Common on Sunday afternoon. but am
also fined for reading the Bible there to
crowds of those who are eager to hear it.
rs it not time for you, Gentlemen of
the Legislature of Massachusetts, to
wipe off such blots from the fair fame
eff the city Of Boston, and spare her and
her children the flrthor repetition of
such disgrace?
"All of which is respectfully submit
ted by H. L. HASTINGS.
Dated at cell No. 10, Charles street
Jail, Boston, Mass, March 26, A. d.
1886.
God saue the Commonwealth Of Mas
SachuSettS."
Mr. Hastings further says that Of Z
alleged violations of the municipal or
dinance forbidding speaking on the
Common during the past four years, 4
including myself, were punished by fine
or imprisonment.-N. Y. Voice.