Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-21
KISSING THE BIBLE.

| KISSING THE BiBbEs
| The Maryland Legislature recently
| passed an act which changes the form
| OF the legal oath in that State and aboi-
| lshes the ancient practice OF kissing the
Bible. or even placing the hand upon It,
| In fact there is nothing I'm the new law
which requires the use OF the Scriptures
| The clause referring to the manner OF
administering oaths, provides that IL
shall be by requiring the person making
| the same to hold up his hand in token OF
his recognition OF the solemnity OF the
| net, except in those cases wherein TINS
| form is not practicable, or when 1t shah
| appear that some other mode Is more
| binding upon the conscience or the
| swearer." The reservations are made 10
| meet those cases where the person Is
| paralyzed and also 10 satisfy n clause
| of the BIZ of Rights, which says, the
manner OF administering an oath or
affirmation to any person ought to be
such as those of the religious persuasion,
profession, or denomination of which ne
is a member generally esteem the most
effectual confhr by the attestaton
Of the Divine
The new Law the Maryland
Legislature su3s,-,~ the significant
words. I'm the presence Of Almighty
God" for the old form, $50 help you,
God"
The abolition of the time-honored GUS
tom In Maryland was the result of con-
tinuous efforts, which had their origin
several years ago. Aside from the relig-
ious scruples which entered into the mat
ter. 1t was urged that the practice OF
kissing the Book might be fruitful
source of danger to the public health as
infectious diseases might readily be dis
semnated by this practice. All kinds
and classes figure in our courts, and In
administering oaths the same Bible IS
generally used without discrimination. IL
the germ theories OF scientists are cor
rect, 1t can readily be seen that our tri-
bunals might, in some instances, become
veritable Pandora's boxes, that scatter
evil in all directions.
In Virginia the oath administered still
adheres 10 the old form-that the evidence
about to be given shall be the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
so help you, Cod AS the object is to
bind the conscience Of the witness, the
precise form ought to be that which he
holds binding, and which has the sanction
of the usage of the country TO which he
belongs. An eminent authority says: "A
Jew is sworn upon the Pentateuch, and
with his hat on. and Mahometan upon
the Koran, whilst a Christian, or one who
does not indicate preference for another
form, is sworn upon the Gospels" In fact,
our courts, while still following ancient
custom in the main, pay strict regard to
conscientious scruples, and there is a
statute allowing witnesses, ETC., who OBJ
ject to taking the usual oath, to make a
solemn affirmation. This is usually done
by holding up the right hand in token
of the invocation Of the Deity.
Perhaps it is not amiss in this connec-
ton to say that just at present the law
journals throughout the Union are uniting
in a great effort TO suppress the crime
Of perjury, which prevails to an alarming
extent even among the intelligent
classes. The president Of the New
York. Bar Association. in a recent
address, said: ut has come to such
a pass that men standing high
in the community apparently think
nothing of swearing falsely to pleadings,
in order to delay and defeat justice.
In addition to swearing falsely
TO afIidavits and pleadngs, many men
have no regard at all for the sanctity of
an oath administered in a court of JUS
tice. To such men this actual defeat of
justice, if it be to their pecuniary benefit,
is viewed with complacency, even though
effected by perjury
The punishment prescribed by the Vir-
ginia statutes, save in cases of felony,
strikes us as being inadequate TO check
the evil and the Virginia Law Register a
few months since commented on this
matter.
In a recent sensational case the de-
PENDANT was found guilty of false testi-
mony in a divorce suit, which involved
a respectable family. The jury gave him
one minute in Jail, and assessed a fine of
s. against him! And, perhaps, his men
dacity was the cause of wrecking a home.
low