The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-04-11
THE SUNDAY LAW.

! THE SUNDAY LAW.
Rutland, as will be seen by our CORE
+. spondent today, has experienced a sud
l den and unexpected Observance o. III
old blue law Sunday act, compl in
= having been made of grocers, tobaccor
- lists and druggists and Others for keep
3 ing open. Saturday all were notitie,
: that they must not open Sunday Al
3 obeyed. The complaint was made b.
strict church going people, who sa.
that the livery stables and Sunday news
papers must be stopped next Sunday
This movement was inaugurated at Bur
lington by the discussion of Sunday
evening concert the week before and thu
Marble city not to be outdone by thu
Queen city OF the Green Mountain
Commonwealth followed suite. Th'
Free Press discusses the history OF ou'
Sunday law, as follows;
The first Sunday law on record in the
Commonwealth OF Vermont, passed by
the Legislature which met at Benntng'
ton in 1910, provided that no tradesmani
laborer or other persons should do or ex-
erciss any labor, busine or work OF any
kind whatsoever, works of necessity and
mercy excep'ei, on the Lords day, or
day of public fasting; or travel, unless
on military duty or business, or when
belated by some adversely and forced to
lodge in the woods-under penalty of a
fine not exceeding ten pounds. 1t also
provided that no person should go from
his or her place OF abode, unless to the
public worship of God, or on some work
Of necessity or mercy. under like pen
atty; or stay outside the meeting house
during the lime of worship, or profane
the time by playing or profanely talking,
under penalty OF a fine of three pounds.
Persons conversing in companies in the
street or elsewhere. for other than religl-
GUS purposes, on the evening next before
or next after the Lords day, were made
liable to a fine of not exceeding three
pounds or to sit in the stocks not ex-
ceeding two hours. Proclamation OF the
Lords day or disturbance OF any con
Hregation assembled for worship was
punishable by public whipping not to
exceed twenty stripes. 1t was the duty
Of the constable, grand juror and "ty-
thing man. to see that the law was Oh
served, and to restrain all persons from
unnecessary walking in the streets or
fields, swimming IN the walters. or FOL
lowing secular business or recreation II
the evening preceding the Lords day,or
on said day, or in the evening following,
The Sabbath thus practically included
evening, Sunday and Sunday
evening. This was u hundred and ter
years ago, when in this State, as in the
other New England Commonwealths
and in Pennsylvania, larceny was pun
ishable by thirty nine stripes; counter
feitiug by branding with the letter G and
having the right ear cut off burglary
by branding on the forehead with the
capital letter B and having an ear nailed
to post and cut off adultery by brand
ing CT the 'or head and by making
the offender of either sex wear a large |
latter A on the arm or back; and bias
phemywas punished by death!
In the twenty years following. the slaI
ute was cons deral ly modified in the
direction of less rigor; and was still fur
Their relaxed during the first half OF the
nineteenth century. Probably in defer
4nce to the practice then common il
New England of 'keeping Salur lay
night" and treating Sund ~ ,vening at
secular time, the res r!cti0ns of the Law
we're confined to the time between mid
night of Sa:ui day night and shutdown OF
Sunday, As the law stood IN 1850, any
person who exercised any secular bust
ness or labor works Of neceE S tv anC
charity excepted before shutdown OF
Sunday, or who travelled on the Sab
bath exc pit from necessity or charity
Dr who resoited to any inn or house OF
for amusement or recrea
lion, or used any games, sports or playt
after sunset of S turday TIL n,ihnigh
# Sunday was punisl able 10y fine not
exceeding two dollars. Public amuse
men were thus practically forbidden
10Th on Saturday and Sunday tvenines
10 well as during the hours Of dayIigh
IN Sunday. The law remained suhstaD-
tally in this shape till the revis on OF
$50 took place, In that revision thu
sunday law was condensed into the fol-
owing sections.
Section 1875. A person who between II O'Clock
saturday night and sunset on the following Sun.
lay exerciscs'any business or employment eE
eI such as works Of ne .ess'ty and charity or l.
present at any public assembly except soch Rs II
ED for social and religious worship and mora
or travel except from necessity or
Larity, or visit from house TO house except from
lOtives of humanity or charity, or for moral OF
elgiOus edtcaton, or holds or resorts to any
all or dance or uses or exercises any games,
ports or play or resorts to any tavern, inn or
Uuse Of entertainment for amusement or recrea.
on, shall be fined not more than two dollars.
Section 1915. person wio hunts, shoots or
ursues, takes or kills wild game or other birds :
r animals or discharges fire arms except in the
ust defense of person or property or in the per
OF military or police duty on Sunday
hall be fined ten dollar one half TO go to the per-
on who makes the compliant, and one half to
ne State.
These sections, which are the law OF
O-day, place no restrictions uIon secu
ar employment or recreations. except
ng only hunting and the discharge OF
re arms in the hours after sunset on
unday. All occupations or amust meul
re as lawful on Sunday evening as on
ny week day. As Sunday evening con-
erts or shows, for money, have been
ractically hitherto unknown in Yer
lont, perhaps the law was considered
efficient to meet all practical demands
Z public sentiment, or. as is more prob
BILE, the attention of the Legislature
nay not have been particularly direct
d to the fact that they we're opening on
unday evening to ciTcuses. minstrel
hows. OF any kind OF shows or amuse-
lent that would be lawful on a week
ay. 1t will, no doubt. be surprise to
1any persons to find that such is the
resent condition of the law. And il
i'll not be surprising il the statute
hould be so far changed, when the Legis-
,ture meets again, as to forbid public
hows or entertainments to which an ad.
Mission fee is charged, on Sunday even
1g as well as during the preceding
ours of the Lords day.