Aug. 6, 1814.

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BOSTON JUNE 1.—­At the meeting on Monday last, the town of Boston evinced its good sense by voting to postpone the choice of Tythingmen till the first Monday of March next.  We venture to assert, that in no district in the universe, of the extent and population of Massachusetts, is the Sabbath more decently and sincerely observed.

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Law against keeping barber’s shops open on Sunday morning in Salem in 1804:—­

SUNDAY LAW IN SALEM—­BARBERS’ SHOPS 80 YEARS AGO.

Correspondence of the Salem Gazette.

BOSTON, Aug. 5.

About 1804 your Selectmen ordered that after a given date no barber’s shop should be kept open on Sunday morning.  There was no appeal from their mandate.  The fatal last Sunday arrived; the customers of the esteemed Benj.  Blanchard, whose shop was at the upper part of Essex street, opposite the Endicott and Cabot mansions, came as usual to have their hair tied; it was the epoch of queues, and it was necessary to their aspect in church that their back hair should be artistically bound with ribbon and their heads nicely pomatumed, even though, like Bonaparte, they shaved their own beards.  This last Sunday it was observable that each gentleman, in his turn, after being barbered, instead of hurrying off as usual, resumed his seat.  As the second bell began to ring, the last customer was accomplished, and the whole company rose from their chairs, filed out into Essex street, formed a line in front of Mr. Blanchard’s shop, and gave three rousing cheers; then, like Burns’s “Twa Dogs, each took off his several way,” some to Dr. Barnard’s North Church, some to Dr. Hopkins’s, Dr. Bolles’s, or Dr. Prince’s First Church.

Salem Gazette, August, 1885.

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The Middlesex Sabbath Association meet in November, 1815, but find nothing to do.  No Sabbath-breakers reported, probably.

SABBATH ASSOCIATION.

WHEREAS the Association in the county of Middlesex, for aiding in carrying into effect the Laws of this Commonwealth against the violation of the Sabbath, met at Concord in November last,—­and finding nothing which required further proceedings at that time, thought fit to adjourn.  This is to give notice, that the meeting of said Association stands adjourned, to meet at Concord, at the former place of meeting, in Hamilton’s Hotel, on the first WEDNESDAY in February next, at ten o’clock A.M.

     A general attendance is requested.

CHARLES STEARNS, Per Order.

     Lincoln, January 11, 1816.

Columbian Centinel.

The following notice from the “Columbian Centinel” shows that rapid driving on the Lord’s Day was forbidden in Boston as lately as 1817:—­

POLICE OFFICE.