Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-03
BLUE LA"'S' GENESIS
AMUSING READING
rus, Passed in England in 10 8,
Was Printed on Blue
Paper.

The .gblue Laws existod in the early
colonies, long before they were ever
orintel II is said that some were so
drastic they they were never reduced 10
nr,nt The General Court Of New
Haven Colony IN 1855 ordained that
.one verv iudicious and godly man
should be appointed to form a code of
the laws Tor New Haven Colony.
Gov.rnor Eaton was selected for the task,
and his compilation was finally printed
in Pope's head ally, London. 1856;
Recausa thcy were printed ON or bound
IN blue paper. they were called "blue
laws
Only two copies arc SAID 10 be oxtant
in America Connecticut, Maryland,
south Carolina. New Work and other
colonies had "hlue laws somewhat Of
he same general character. Reading
them m the light ol modern thought,
they gave cold chill when we remember
hat they were enacted by those who fled
from persecution in England and who
proceeded Ia prosecute the Quakers IN
their m:ds, and people were condemned
and executed as witches the charge bo-
sng familiarity with Satan
alt was provided that every woman
Quaker who shall presume 10 come INTO
this jurisdiction shall be severely whipped
and kept Mt the House Of Correction
At work
And for a third ofTcnse their tongues
wcrr bored through with a hot iron
ard later they were banishcd under pen
alty of death. There is ono record for
convi-tior of William Robinson. Ste
venson and MARY Dyer TO be sentenced
to death as Quakcrs IN curious entry
as follows
Whereas. Mary Dyer is condmncd
bv tho General Coust T. br executed for
her offcrsc on PETITION of William Dyer.
her son. Il Is ordered that the said Mary
DIVER shall have liberty for IS hours
after this date 10 depart uut OF tins
jurisdiction. after winch time, being
found therein. she IS forthwith 20 be
executed ard In tho meantime that she
be kept close prisoner until her son or
e,mc other person he ready a. carry hcr
AWAY within the aforesaid time And
u Is further ordered that she should be
carried 10 the place " execution and
therr to stand upon the gallows with
rore around her neck until the rest be
executed and then to return to the
PRISON and remain aS aforesaid. (IhIs
Is irom a Massachusetts, record Of octn-
Der is. 1859
There Is another curious MaSsachu-
setts record of October 6. 1860, show
ing the manner 81 proceeding against
women Quslers IL is directed
THAT she be apprchcndcd hy the con-
stable az the town wherein she be taken,
he stripped from the iddlr dOwuwarSts.
and tied to 3 carts tail and whipped
through the town, and from thence lm-
nedlatrIy conveyed to the constable Of
the next town towards the border Of our
3 sr4A zhnl n
and ~ on from constable 20 constable
until they be conveyed throughout Of
The oute1nost towns of our iurisdic-
t,on' CThe order further provides IN
anv caar Of return thst branding Of the
letter "R" on the left shoulder bc done
and aEsin whipped IN the same manner,
and on subsequent return, for hanish
rnent on pain of death, according 20 the
law of 1861
Ianuarv. 1852. 'It is nou enacted
nv public corscut Of the frrcmcn Of this
society oi New Plymouth that Il now or
hereafter snv nc elected 70 the office al
Governor and would not stand 70 the
election 1r hold and execute the Office for
this wear. that he he amcrced of -
pounds sterling fine
Ritchie and Nicc should note the
marked contrasts in those days ol pro-
vidine fine Of - pounds for refusal "a
accept the Office of Governor. after he
ing elected SIS compared with the large
campa!gu fund raised these days TO Sc
cure the offce.
/; was also provided that in case the
same Ders1n &c reelected Governor. q
second year IN the event that he had
served The preceding year and declined
20 serve the succeeding year, he might be
let OF without fre.
july |. 1888 "No man shall keep
more swine than can be kept 20 lie
ordinarily about their own houses. and
If they drive them from home. To drive
and keep them in slch places where no
detrimert may come to any thereby
II is also provided that three pieces
shot of distinctly one after another shall
be an alarm. and. two pieces 80 give
warning Of some hous, oa frc
1851 !, IS ordered 10y the Court that
there shall DC . guard oi II musletecrs
20 attend the person o! the Governor on
the Lord s Day and al other times when
It shall bc required.
loss tAftcr an interesting prearn-
ble. at Is therefore enacted by the
Court that Il any shall make any notion
of marriage 10 any man daughter or
maid servant, not having frst obtained
leave and consent oi the parents or mas
ter 70 do : ?, SHALL ne DuuSIncd either bv
fine or corporal punishment, or both. at
the discretion Of the Bench. and accord
ing 10 the nature OF the offense
Wages fixed BY statute. 1T is en-
acted by the court that 3 laboreT shall
have l2d. day and his dyett board
or lSd q day without dyett, and not
above. throughout the Government.
1859. Whosoevcr shall profane.
swear or curse by the name Of God. or
any oi His titles. attributes word or
works upon proof thereof made by sdf-
Scent testimony or confession oi the
party, he shall pay for every such de-
fallt, I'D or be set in the stocks. SO
that II exceed not three hours or pat in
PRISON. according 70 the nature and quail
ity OF the person.
1910 II any person take tobacco