Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-07-26
OLD BLUE LAWS
OF NEW JERSEY
Ancient Statutes Which Are Now
Being Urged for Their
Enforcement.

DlOIlOUO a(N IA ouAAAAI0a
and the agitation which has been
started for the enforcement of all
statutes prohibiting other traffic on
Sundays, many persons have asked
about the provisions of what are
commonly called the blue Laws"
These laws were embraced in the
original vice and immortality act of
colonial times, which even prohibited
a man from kissing his wife on Sun
days.
The last revision of this old act
was made by the New Jersey legisla-
ture of 1874, when some of the Sc
yerest provisions of the Blue Laws
were eliminated, but the revised act
is so severe that quotations from its
sections will give people an idea OF
what the original Puritan law was.
The act as revised in 1874 is the law
today, with the exception OF the only
amendment made to the old act,
which was done by the legislature OF
| 1898. In this amendment, which
was signed by Governor Werts, h
law was modified in some features, SO
that milk could be sold on Sunday
and people can ride or drive in We
hicles on Sunday for their amuse-
ment. Here are the main features
of section l of the revised vice and
immortality act of 1874:
1. "That no travelling, worldly en-
ployment or business, ordinary or
seryile labor or work either upon
land or water works of necessity
and charity excepted), nor shooting,
fishing (not including fishing with
seine or net, which is hereafter pro-
vided for, racing, or f~requenting OF
tippling houses, or any interludes or
plays, dancing, singing, fiddling or
other music for the sake of merri-
ment, nor any playing at pool-ball,
ives, nine-pins, bowls, long bullets
or quoting, nor any other kind of
playing, sports, pastimes or diver
sions, shall be done, performed, used
or practiced, by any person or per-
sons within this state, on the Chris
tian Sabbath, or first day of the week,
commonly called Sunday.
"And that no person shall buy,
show forth, or expose to sale, any
wares, meat, fish, goods or chattels,
upon the first day of the week, COM
monty called Sunday, or sell or bar
ter the same"
1t is also provided in the act that
mo wagner, carter, drayman, drov-
err, butcher, or any of his or their
servants, shall ply or travel with his
or their wagons, carts or drays, or
shall load or unload any goods,
wares, merchandise or product, nor
drive either cattle sheep or swine, in
any part of this state, on the first day
of the week, commonly called Sun
day." :,
The act further reads that sit shall
not be lawful for any person or per-
sons to erect, place or have any
booth, stall, tent, carriage, boat or
vessel, or other place, for the purpose
or use of selling, giving or otherwise
disposing of any kind of articles of
traffic, spirituous liquids, wine, por-
ter, beer, cider, or any other fer
mented, mixed or strong drink Tex
lcepting as hereinafter excepted) !,
within three miles of any place of re-
legious worship in this state during
the time of holding any meeting for
religious worship at such place."
A decision of the New Jersey courts
in the case of Rogers VS.. Brown
reads: The prohibition to sell is not
confined to the sale of spirituous liq-
uors. but forbids the sale of any
article, or traffic, within three miles
of the place of such meeting during
the time of worship, subject to the
exceptions contained in the next Sec
tion of the act"
The exceptions are in section IL,
which reads. THAT nothing in this
act contained shall be taken or con-
strued SO as to effect any licensed
tavernkeeper, in his or her usual
place of residence, specified in his or
her license, nor shall it be taken or
construed as to affect any merchant,
or other person, in the usual and
lawful transactions of his, her or
their ordinary, concerns n bust
ness in their usual place of doing
such business; neither shall 1T be so
taken or construed as to affect any
persons attending any religious
meeting, oil their property, nor shall
it be taken, construed, or understood,
as to affect any person or persons
who shall have a permit in writing
from the person or persons having
ment of any such meeting, to sell
bread or other necessary articles of
food to any man OIL beast"
Though money fines are imposed
for violations of different sections of
LIC ~ dClp imp . oloO DlO-
vided for if fines are not paid. But
any person found selling or exposing
for sale, or giving away, within three
miles of a house of worship, at any
time a religious meeting. is being
held in such place, rum, wine, beer,
etc., or any goods, shall forfeit all
the goods in the place, and all the
goods may be sold within ten days
for the benefit of the poor. Any two
citizens can arrest violators of the
law. But If a person shall, after one
warning, stop selling he shall be let
go. But he f~orfeits all goods seized
1t found selling again.
Here is the amendment to the old
revised law as passed by the legis-
lature in 1888, which, it will be no.
ted, modiies the act SO newspapers
and milk can be sold on Sunday, and
persons may ride and drive vehicles
on that day:
THAT from and after the passage
of this act 1t shall not be lawful for
any person or corporation, on the
Christian Sabbath or first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday, to
print, publish. and sell newspapers,
to sell and deliver milk, or to walk,