THE STOCKS ONCE MORE by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 24, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 46.

THE STOCKS ONCE MORE.

By Editor

Another case of prosecution for Sunday labor has been tried in Sydney, N. S. W. This time it is a brother named Robert Shannon, who was arraigned in the Police Court for having worked at his "ordinary calling" on the first day of the week. After conviction under a British law of some 200 years' standing, the defendant was sentenced to pay a fine of 2s. 6d. (60 cents) or "be set publicly in the stocks for two hours." The prisoner declined to pay the fine, and a warrant was issued to levy on his goods. This, however, failed, and the authorities had no stocks prepared. It seems that the provincial government had not as yet contemplated the use of such antiquated means of punishing the exercise of freedom of conscience. The defendant presented in his own behalf a proclamation of Queen Victoria, issued in 1858, but the magistrate said he could only be guided by the law; he had nothing to do with proclamations. Following is the proclamation, as given in "Cassell's History of England":—

Firmly relying ourselves on the truth of Christianity, and acknowledging with gratitude the solace of religion, we disclaim alike the right and the desire to impress our convictions on any of our subjects. We declare it to be our royal will and pleasure that none be in any wise favored nor molested, or disquieted by reason of their religious faith or observance, but that all shall alike enjoy the equal and impartial protection of the law, and we strictly charge and enjoin all those who may be in authority under us that they abstain from all interference with the religious belief or worship of any of our subjects on pain of our highest displeasure.

In some way the matter was brought to the attention of the attorney general, and he found a pretext for recommending to the governor that the fine be remitted. The recommendation was based on the fact that the law requires a fine of double the amount imposed by the justice, and this, it was argued, rendered the sentence illegal. The governor granted the remission, and this ended the case. Commenting upon this case, the Melbourne Argus ironically remarks: "Let us have the stocks by all means, and then in time we shall get back to the good old days of the pillory, and by and by, who knows, we shall ascend to the pinnacle of the rack and the thumbscrew." But, irony as it is, that is the logic of State-enforced religion, which always "teaches for doctrine the commandments of men."