their servants shall travel on the Lord's day, (except from necessity and charity.)" Passed, 1808.

In the revision of the laws of this State, 1821, Sec. 1st, we read, "Nor shall any traveler, drover, wagoner, or teamster travel on said day, except from necessity and charity ;" and "it shall be the duty of the citizens of this State to attend the public worship of God, on the Lord's day; and that no person or persons shall do any secular business, work, or labor, [on that day] (works of necessity and mercy excepted.)"

But since Sunday mails have been established, the duty of certain citizens seems to be entirely disregarded; as may be seen in the compilation of laws ordered by the General Assembly of this State, in 1835, Sec. 7th. "No proprietor or proprietors, or driver of any coach, wagon, or sleigh, or other carriage, belonging to, or employed in any line of stages, or extra carriage; or proprietor or driver of any hackney coach, coachee, or chaise, sleigh, or other pleasure carriage, shall suffer or allow any person or persons to travel, except from necessity or charity, in such carriage on the Lord's day, on penalty of twenty dollars for every offence: Provided, that this act shall not extend to the owners or drivers of carriages employed for carrying the United States' mail through this State on the Lord's day."

What would the inhabitants of this State, from its earliest settlement down to 1810, have thought of such an exception? The bare suggesting of it would have called down upon its author the pity and indignation of ninety-nine-hundredths of all who then lived in the land of the Pilgrims. Once the good people of this State would not wink at the sin she now cherishes in her bosom. And who among her sons has inquired, why do ye so?

NEW YORK.

"That there shall be no

"Sec. 1st. Be it enacted by," &c. traveling, servile laboring, or working, (works of necessity and charity excepted,) * * or any unlawful exercises or pastimes by any person or persons within this State, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday." Passed, 1813.

Provision is made for those who uniformly keep the last day

of the week as a Sabbath; as is also the case in many of the other States; and for any person removing his family or household furniture, if such removal be not commenced on such day. But we find no provision for the Postmaster who changes and delivers the mail on that day.

NEW JERSEY.

"Sec. 1st. Be it enacted by," &c. "That no traveling, worldly employment or business, ordinary or servile labor or work, either upon land or water, (works of necessity and charity excepted,) ** shall be done or performed by any person or persons within this State, on the Christian Sabbath, or first day of the week, commonly called Sunday." Passed, 1798.

No stages are allowed to be driven through this State on said day, except such as have the mail, and in cases of "necessity or mercy" clearly proved: and no wagoner, carter, drayman, drover, 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, or merchandise, or produce, or drive cattle, sheep, or swine, in any part of this State, on the first day of the week."

In this and the two immediately preceding States, provision is made for the carrying of mails on the Lord's day, and in this State for the Postmaster to labor on Sunday.

PENNSYLVANIA.

"Sec. 1st. If any person shall do or perform any worldly employment whatsoever on the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, (works of necessity and charity only excepted,)" &c.; then follows the penalty. Passed, 1794.

DELAWARE.

"That if any person or per

"Sec. 1st. Be it enacted by," &c. sons within this State, * * shall do or perform any worldly employment, labor, or business whatsoever, upon the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, (works of necessity and charity only excepted,)" &c. ; then comes the penalty.

“Sec. 2d. And be it further enacted, That if any carrier, ped

dler, wagoner, or any driver of a traveling stage, wagon, or coachee, carter, butcher, or drover, with his horse, pack, wagon, stage, coachee, cart, or drove, shall travel or drive upon the Lord's day," &c.; then comes the penalty. Passed, 1795.

MARYLAND.

"No person whatsoever shall work or do any bodily labor on the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday; and no person having children, servants, or slaves, shall command, or wittingly or willingly suffer any of them to do any manner of work or labor on the Lord's day, (works of necessity and charity always excepted.)" Passed, 1723.

VIRGINIA.

"Sec. 5th. If any person, on the Sabbath day, shall himself be found laboring at his own, or any other trade or calling, or shall employ his apprentices, servants, or slaves, in labor, or other business, except it be in the ordinary household offices of daily necessity, or other works of necessity or charity;" then comes the penalty. Passed, 1792.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

The same as in Maryland and Virginia.

NORTH CAROLINA.

"An act for the more effectual suppression of vice and immo

rality.

"That all and every per

"Sec. 1st. Be it enacted by," &c. son or persons whatsoever shall, on the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, carefully apply themselves to the duties of religion and piety; and that no tradesman, artificer, planter, laborer, or other person whatsoever, shall, upon land or water, do or exercise any labor, business, or work of their ordinary calling (works of necessity and charity only excepted,) on the Lord's day, or any part thereof," &c.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

"Whereas there is nothing more acceptable to God than the

true and sincere service and worship of him, according to his holy will, and that the holy keeping of the Lord's day is a principal part of the true service of God, which in many places of this province is so much profaned and neglected by disorderly persons;—1st, Be it therefore enacted," &c. "That all and every person whatsoever, shall, on every Lord's day, apply themselves to the observation of the same, by exercising themselves thereon in the duties of piety and true religion, publicly and privately; and having no reasonable or lawful excuse, on every Lord's day shall resort to their parish church, or some other parish church, or some meeting, or assembly of religious worship," &c.

Sec. 2d forbids the worldly labor, business or work of all "tradesmen, artificers, workmen, laborer, or any other person, [on the Lord's day,] (works of necessity and charity only excepted.)"

Sec. 4th enjoins, "That no drover, wagoner, butcher, higler, they or any of their servants, or any other traveler or person whatsoever, shall travel on the Lord's day by land or water," except to and from a place of religious worship, and to visit the sick, &c.

Sec. 8th prohibi ts the working of slaves or servants on Sunday. Passed, 1712.

GEORGIA.

The preamble is nearly verbatim as the last above written. Sec. 1st requires all persons to attend public worship.

Sec. 2d forbids, in language similar to the above, all labor "(except works of necessity and charity,)" on the Lord's day. Traveling and the working of slaves are also prohibited on that day. Passed, 1803.

FLORIDA.

Apprentices, servants, or slaves, are not allowed to labor or be employed in business on Sunday, "(works of necessity and charity excepted.)" Passed, 1828.

ALABAMA.

"Sec. 1st. No worldly business or employment, ordinary or servile work, (works of necessity and charity excepted,) * * shall be done or performed by any person or persons within this territory on the Christian Sabbath," &c.

"Sec. 2d. No wagoner, carter, drayman, drover, butcher, or any of his slaves or servants, shall ply or travel" ** load or unload, or drive cattle in any part of this territory on Sunday. Passed, 1803.

MISSISSIPPI.

Sec. 2d enjoins, "That no wagoner, carter, drayman, drover, butcher, or any of his slaves or servants, shall ply or travel with his wagon, cart, or dray," load or unload, or drive cattle, sheep, or swine, &c., on Sunday.

Sec. 4th. All labor, by any person, either free or bond, "(except works of necessity or charity,)" is forbidden in this State on Sunday. Passed, 1822.

LOUISIANA.

No law has been found in regard to the observance of the Sabbath in this State.

ARKANSAS.

"Resolved, by the General Assembly of the Territory of Arkansas, That the several justices of the peace, and other civil officers of this territory, in their respective districts, be requested to take special notice of and bring to justice, all offenders of the laws of this territory providing for keeping holy the Sabbath day."

The laws prohibiting Sabbath desecration referred to have not been found, but the above is evidence that such do exist.

TENNESSEE.

"Sec. 1st. Be it enacted," &c. "That if any merchant, artificer, tradesman, farmer, or any other person, shall be guilty of