Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/218

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190
Colonial Courts
[1753

to the King broken, Property invaded, and reputation sullied, are so multiplied that the List is a Satyre on our Species, and [I] wish I ccu'd be excus'd from enumerating the many Ways by w'ch human Nature has been degraded, but I am compell'd to display the Cataloge before you, and some of the Articles I hope you will be able effectually to wipe out. You are, Gent., to punish all who dare Blaspheam Almighty God, a Crime which seems to include a Capacity for all others, for what may not be dreaded from the Wretch who reviles infinite Goodness, ridicules consumate Wisdom, and defies unbounded Power, as a lower Species of this Offence. You are to take Notice of the contemptuous Violation of the Sabbath, w'ch is an Outrage on every Christian ; and of the horrid Oaths and Imprecations, w'ch wou'd make a Mahomitan tremble.

Perjury in Judicial Concerns is a dreadful Complicat'n of Guilt, it's a daring Insult on the Deity, and the most scandalous, as well as dangerous Invasion of the Property of Others.

Drunkenness, also, however Venial and trifling in comon Estimation, is to be class [ed] Among the Offences w'ch are more imediately comitted against the Majesty of Heaven, as it debases His Image, and abuses His Bounty. You are next to present all the Species of Treason and misprison of Treason, w'ch are Offences comitted against His most Sacred Majesty, under w ch is included : — Counterfeiting the Coin, or bringing false Coin into the Colony, or counterfeiting forcing Coin that are current here, and uttering seditious Words against His Majesty's Person and Gov't. The Crimes that relate to our Fellow Subjects are — Murder, Burglary, robbing on the High-Way, Stealing, or receiving stolen Goods, riots, routs, or unlawful Assemblies, Assaults, or in general, all Gaming, Bribary, Extortion, keeping disorderly Houses, Cheats, Nuisances and Neglect to repair the High-Ways and Bridges. Such, Gent, is a List of Crimes you are to present, w'ch, yet, is far from including all possible Methods, by w'ch ingenious Wickedness may deviate from the rules of Society. For that there is a constant Succession of new Vices, or at least new Modes of Vice, for the Evasion of Legal Punishment, is the constant Experience of every Legislature, as appears from the perpetual enaction of new Laws. When therefore on Y'r Enquiries, you shall perceive any of these malignant Plants spring up, Y'r Duty to Y'r God, Your King, Y'r Country and Y'r Selves, requires that you exert all Your Power for their imediate Destruction.

Great indeed is this Task, Gent., but the Order of our happy Consti-