Norwich bulletin., 1911-09-01
Facts Which Should Be Considered

Mr.. Editor: The letter written by
Reason" that appeared in The Bulle-
tin of the 18th ought to be answered
by someone. If you will allow me a
little space | will state some facts
that your readers ought to know and
that Reason" ought to consider.
Religion is an essential element in
the constitution of man. Nations are
distinguished as much by their re-
ligious systems as by anything else.
The Turk is a Mohammedan, the East
Indian is a Brahman, the Chinaman IS
Confucian. Germany, England and
the United States of America are
Christian. The distinction Is reeog-
nized the world around. Occasionally
we find man who will not aeknoW-
ledge such a distinction. That we ara
Christian is demonstrated by the fol-
lowing facts: The Bible, the Christian S
Revelation, is used when the president
of the national government is lnaugu-
rated, the sessions of the national
congress, the legislatures of the states
and the sessions of the courts are
opened with prayer by Christian men.
Our legal and social ideals are Chris
tan.
Laws governing the observance of
Sunday have. been enacted for hun
dreds of years. The law of the Ro-
man empire in the early part of the
fourth century read as follows: "On
the t6DSEdU1e udt -O1 lI1S gun 4Cl GIL
MAJ istrates and people residing in the
city rest, and let all workshops be
closed Constantine closed the courts
on Sunday. Theedoseus in 3S6 A. D.
published a decree suspending the
theatrical shows and circus races on
Sunday In England the observance
of the day has been enjoined by stat
ute from the earliest times. The
American colonists enacted laws re-
lating to the day, and every state in
| the union has stsseutes governing
conduct on Sunday.
Reason quotes from the national
and state constitutions to sustain his
position. We do not know who "Rea-
{ SON. is If he is lawyer, he must
know that constitutional and STATUTORY
law is interpreted by an authorizae
| tribunal. Whatever our private opin-
! ion of it's significance, the interpreta
! ton of the courts must stand. No pri-
vate citizen can render decision that
| will be recognized in the courts, ane
when there is conflict between the pri-
vate opinion and the court the first
named must give way. Reason says:
| 1T is clearly evident, to us, that the
enactment of any Sunday law. restrict
| ing the liberties of the people on thai
| day. or making anything unlawful or
Sunday that would be lawful on any
ether day, is contrary not only to the
spirit and intention but the letter OF
| States and the constitution of Con-
necticut. and must be doubly uncon-
Institutional"
| In Lawyers Reports Annotated Book
| XVII may be found the following
! The Christian religion and the sane
| tity of Sunday as a holy day is part 81
the Fundamental law of the United
| States. The sanctity of Sunday is al
inseparable part of Christianity SEE
Nebraska Reports Peoples V. Ruggles
! s Johns. 290. Am. Dec. 1886: Camp
bell V. International Life Assurance
Soc. Bosu. 29s; Com. V. Jeandelle
3 Phila.. 509 Davis V. Fish, g. Greene
| 406
In Granger V. Gruhb, Phil. $50
may be found the following: TT has
been decided over and over again tina
Christianity is a part Of the common
law of the land and upon this also
rests, in part. the decisions in sup
/ port of laws intended to maintain ane
defend the Christian Sabbath
! w S MACINTIRE.
Hartford. Conn, Aug. so. 1911