The farmers on the banks of the Connecticut river are the richest in the
Eastern States. The majestic growth of the timber certified that the
soil is generally good, although the crops were off the ground. They
grow here a large quantity of what is called the broom corn: the stalk
and leaves are similar to the maize or Indian corn, but, instead of the
ear, it throws out, at top and on the sides, spiky plumes on which seed
is carried. These plumes are cut off, and furnish the brooms and whisks
of the country; it is said to be a very profitable crop. At
Brattleboro' we stopped at an inn kept by one of the State
representatives, and, as may be supposed, had very bad fare in
consequence, the man being above his business. We changed horses at
Bloody Brook, so termed in consequence of a massacre of the settlers by
the Indians. But there are twenty Bloody Brooks in America, all records
of similar catastrophes.
Whether the Blue laws of Connecticut are supposed to be still in force I
know not, but I could not discover that they had ever been repealed. At
present there is no theatre in Connecticut, nor does anybody venture to
propose one. The proprietors of one of the equestrian studs made their
appearance at the confines of the State, and intimated that they wished
to perform, but were given to understand that their horses would be
confiscated if they entered the State. The consequence is that
Connecticut is the dullest, most disagreeable State in the Union; and,
if I am to believe the Americans themselves, so far from the morals of
the community being kept uncontaminated by this rigour, the very reverse
is the case--especially as respects the college students, who are in the
secret practice of more vice than is to be found in any other
establishment of the kind in the Union. But even if I had not been so
informed by creditable people, I should have decided in my own mind that
such was the case. Human nature is everywhere the same.
It may be interesting to make a few extracts from a copy of the records
and of the Blue laws which I have in my possession, as it will show that
if these laws were still in force how hard they would now bear upon the
American community. In the extracts from the records which follow I
have altered a word or two, so as to render them fitter for perusal, but
the sense remains the same:
"(13.) If any childe or children above sixteene yeares old, and of
suffitient understanding, shall curse or smite their naturall father or
mother, hee or they shall bee _put to death_; unless it can be
sufficiently testified that the parents have been very unchristianly
negligent in the education of such children, or so provoke them by
extreme and cruell correction that they have been forced thereunto to
preserve themselves from death, maiming.--Exo., xxi., 17. Levit., xx.
Ex., xxi., 15.
"(14.) If any man have a stubborne and rebellious sonne of sufficient
yeares and understanding, viz., sixteene yeares of age, which will not
obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and that when
they have chastened him will not hearken unto them, then may his father
and mother, being his naturall parents, lay hold on him, and bring him
to the magistrates assembled in courte, and testifie unto them that
their sonne is stubborne and rebellious, and will not obey theire voice
and chastisement, but lives in sundry notorious crimes--such a sonne
shall bee _put to death_.--Deut., xxi, 20, 21.
"(_Lyinge_.) That every person of the age of discretion, which is
accounted fourteene yeares, who shall wittingly and willingly make, or
publish, any lye which may be pernicious to the publique weal, or
tending to the dammage or injury of any perticular person, to deceive
and abuse the people with false news or reportes, and the same duly
prooved in any courte, or before any one magistrate, who hath hereby
power granted to heare and determine all offences against this lawe,
such person shall bee fyned--for the first offence, ten shillings, or if
the party bee unable to pay the same, then to be sett in the stocks so
long as the said courte or magistrate shall appointe, in some open
place, not exceeding three houres; for the second offence in that kinde,
whereof any shall bee legally convicted, the summe of twenty shillings,
or be whipped uppon the naked body, not exceeding twenty stripes; and
for the third offence that way, forty shillings, or if the party be
unable to pay, then to be whipped with more stripes, not exceeding
thirtye; and if yet any shall offend in like kinde, and be legally
convicted thereof, such person, male or female, shall bee fyned ten
shillings at a time more than formerly, or if the party so offending bee
unable to pay, then to be whipped with five or six stripes more then
formerly, not exceeding forty at any time.
"(_Ministers' Meintenance_.)--Whereas the most considerable persons in
the land came into these partes of America, that they might enjoye
Christe in his ordinances without disturbance; and whereas, amongst many
other pretious meanes, the ordinances have beene, and are, dispensed
amongst us, with much purity and power, they tooke it into their serious
consideration, that a due meintenance, according to God, might bee
provided and settled, both for the present and future, for the
encouragement of the ministers' work therein; and doe order, that those
who are taught in the word, in the severall plantations, bee called
together, that every man voluntarily sett downe what he is willing to
allow to that end and use; and if any man refuse to pay a meete
proportion, that then hee bee rated by authority in some just and equal
way; and if after this, any man withhold or delay due payment, the
civill power to be exercised as in other just debts.
"(_Profane Swearing_.)--That if any person within this jurisdiction
shall sweare rashly and vainely, either by the holy name of God, or any
other oath, and shall sinfully and wickedly curse any, hee shall
forfeitt to the common treasure, for every such severe offence, ten
shillings: and it shall be in the power of any magistrate, by warrant to
the constable, to call such persons before him, and uppon just proofe to
pass a sentence, and levye the said penalty, according to the usual
order of justice; and if such persons bee not able, or shall utterly
refuse to pay the aforesaid fyne, hee shall bee committed to the stocks,
there to continue, not exceeding three hours, and not less than one
houre.
"(_Tobacko_.)--That no person under the age of twenty-one years, nor any
other that hath not already accustomed himselfe to the use therof, shall
take any tobacko, untill hee hath brought a certificate under the hands
of some who are approved for knowledge and skill in phisick, that it is
usefull for him, and allso that he hath received a lycense from the
courte, for the same.
"_It is ordered_--That no man within this colonye, shall take any
tobacko publiquely, in the streett, highwayes or any barne, yardes, or
uppon training dayes, in any open places, under the penalty of sixpence
for each offence against this order," etcetera, etcetera.