Critics pointed out that Stowe had never been to the South, but her novel became a bestseller in the North (banned in the South) and the most effective bit of propaganda to come out of the abolitionist movement. It galvanized many who had been sitting on the sidelines.
blue law. 1. any puritanical law that forbids certain practices, especially drinking or working on Sunday, dancing, etc.
Definition of Police Discretion. The phrase the thin blue line is often associated with the police. It means that police in their blue uniforms often act as a line between lawfulness and illegal acts. A 'thin blue line' also exists with police discretion.