The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-02-12
CIVIL LAW Us. PROFANITY.
Extract from an Address by Law.
yer NJ. X. Shaffner Before the
Moral Reform Association.


Moral Reform Association.
Profanity is a newly discovered
art of speech, for we find tina
both the Divine and civil law have
pronounced against it in the early
ages. 1t is apparently the only
sin, or transgreSsion of the law
that brings to the user neither
profit nor comfort. 1t can not be
asserted that it is used as an es
cape valve for temper alone, for
we find it used in some cases tc
attempt to make expressions
more emphatic, while, in all cases
it is used simply because the
moral tone of the user has fallen
so low that his language would
not be a true expression of him.
self without it's use-for "the
fountain never rises higher than
| it's source"
The traveller might imagine
that it was vice only participated
in rural districts, for one might
be in London the great metropo-
lis of the world, or in New York,
or Philadelphia, for weeks or
months, and not hear a profane
word used; but we believe it is a
thing common to all places, and
is only kept from the lips of many
by education and the enforcement
of the law.
Christianity is a part of the
common law; and, while profanity
is punishable as a nuisance at
common law, we find that as early
as 100, in our state, a province
law was enacted against BIAS
phemy, in the following language:
IF any person shall wilfully, pre-
meditatedly blaspheme, or speak
loosely and profanely of Almighty
God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit
or the Scripture of Truth, such
person on conviction thereof, sh I'll
be sentenced to pay a fine not
exceeding ten pounds, fifty dol
lars and undergo an imprison.
ment not exceeding three months
OF either at the discretion of the
court" This law appears to have
served the purpose until March 81
1860, when it was made a law by
the legislature of our state,
changing only the penalty from
ten pounds to one hundred dol
lars, with three months imprison'
inent at the discretion of the
court.
The law, therefore, appears tc
look upon blasphemy and profan,
ity as twin brothers; but as
have been requested to speak
more particularly of the law as
applicable to the latter, can not
make it more forcible nor pre-
sent it more clearly than by Civ
ing you the text of the Act.
Before passing to the Act, |
want to be distinctly understood
that profane swearing and ours.
ing, in boisterous tone of voice,
and in the presence and hearing
of citizens, passing and repass.
ing on the public streets and
highways of the commonwealth,
is an indictable offence at com.
mon law.
The Act of Assembly more par.
ticularly directed against profan.
ity was passsd April %, 1894,
and the Second section is as fol.
lows
eff any person of the age of
sixteen years or upwards shall
profanely curse or swear by the
uame of God, Christ Jesus, or
the Holy Ghost, every person SC
offending, being thereof convict,
ed, shall forfeit and pay the sum
Of siXty.seven cents for every
such profane curse or oath; and
I in case he or she shall refuse OF
neglect to pay the said forfeiture
or goods and chatels can not be
found, whereof to levy the same
oy distress, he or she shall be
committed to the house of COZ
rection of the proper county, no,
exceeding twenty-four hours, fol
every such offence of which such
[ person shall be convicted and
whosoever of the age of sixteen
years or upward, shall curse or