The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-10-21

Fur1f9z Vafher. Took Code from ne
sale Law "a They Knew "a.
Blue laws are no joke, though often
an object OF irony or derision. the Lou
isyille Times says They were drawn
up BY puritan pioneers race Of
stern and innexible men. who. IN their
excess OF religious enthusiasm, adopt
Cd sanctimonious names and went
straight 20 the old Mosaic law Of holy
writ for their code. In fact. each sec
ton Of the capital laws has its Bible
text appended grewsome combina-
ton OF sermon and death warrant.
The original blue laws were those OF
the New Haven Conn colony. At
first more or less unwritten, OF Al
least imprinted. but systematized and
printed by Governor Eaton in 1855.
They were enyeloped In blue-colored
paper. whence the popular land sub
seQuently unpopular) name.
The Plymouth and Massachusetts,
colonies also had their blue laws, cal
culated TO send a chill through every
human vein. Even New York. Mary
land. Virginia and South carolina-in
fact. all the English colonial settle
mcnts in seventeenth century America
had laws. orders and resolutions Of
more or less pronounced indigo tinge.
But the true blue code was that
which terrorized early Connecticut
The first batch Of blue laws. known
A. the Capital Laws Of Connecticut.
and purporting to punish. according
70 the penalties prescribed in the Old
Testament, those offenses forbidden
therein, was enacted IN April. 1871
The texts OF scripture on which they
were based were added to each law.
as dicta probantia. showing the divine
authority by which they were defend
cd. They are singular specimens Of
Jurisprudence.
For instance. xstehcraft is one Of
the first offenses taken up. II Is en-
acted that ~ man or woman be a
witch. or hath consulted with a IA
miliar spirit. they shall be put 10
death" Exodus xii. IS Leviticus
II. 22.) And III any man steal q
man OF mankind or selleth him. or he
be found In his hand. he shall be put
10 death" EXODUS XXI. 49,
mo one shall run on the Sabbath
day. or walk in his garden OF else
where. except reverently to and from
meeting.
mo one shall travel. cook vicfuals.
make beds. sweep house, cut hair or
shave on the Sabbath day
NO woman shall kiss her child on
the Sabbath OF fasting day.
The Sabbath shall begin al sunset
on Saturday.
II any man shall kiss his wife or
wife kiss her husband on the Lords
day, the party in fault shall be pun
ished at the discretion OF the Court Of
Magistrates"
Tradition says a gentleman Of New
Haven. after an absence OF some
months. reached home on the Sabbath.
and, meeting his wife al his door.
kissed her with an appetite. and for
his temerity IN violating this Law the
next day was arraigned before TIE
court and fined for 50 palpable
breach OF the law on the Lords day.
No one shall read common PRAYER.
keep Christmas or saints days. make
minced pies. dance. play cards or
play on any instrument Of music. ex-
oept the drum. trumpet or jewsharp.
whoever wears clothes trimmed
with gold. silver or bone lace above
2 shIllings By the yard. shall be pre-
sented by the grand jurors. and the
selectment shall tax the offender at
$500 estate
There was an ancient law in Massa-
chusetts that ladies' dresses should be
made so long as to hide their shoe
buckles.
Il ought to be apparent from the /
foregoing that there is even more logic |
han chance in the clubbing OF these
statutes Blue Laws" The term
blue was specifically applied to the
upright, downright uncompromising |
I'D Scotch covenanters in contradis-
.lnction to the royal red.
sBlue-dlsmal. depressed. despon-
lent hypochondriacal~ Is an up-to-
-. Ss,.fo,.~r daanffion