The Litchfield County post., 1827-08-09

lH the HFSC naU Deen assembled tile most qui-
ct. Each party went to sit on the benches
round the square, and the agents withdrew.
No sooner were those wretches freed from
all restraint, than witnessed the most melan-
chOIy spectacle. One would easily believe,
that.in the midst of such awful captivity, with
prospect So menacing before him, man must
necessarily give way to the pungency of his
sorrows! But, alas shall say it These
unfortunate people whose lives are to he diyi-
ded between slavery aud infamy, looked as If
they had been assembled on SOME joyful oc-
casion. Three only--yes, only three--ap-
peared to be sensible of the extent oF their
misery they were the only ones, / was told
who among the number had received some
education. The others, either gave loud ex-
pressiOns of a stupid joy, attacked each other
by lewd c"nundrums, or exercised their wits
in pleasantrles, at the expense Oftneir own sit
uatiOn.
On sudden, on the invitation of Boucher
( once a hack driver, and now condemned for
life, the first party got ready for promen-
ade at the signal given by this chieftain, they
all raised with difficulty their shackles. The
weight for each is 12 pounds, with the excep-
ton of Boucher, and Girard his mate, who
! are overloaded with at least % pounds each.
account Oftheir frequent escapes from iail
An old man among the rest, rose with diff
Guilty: "Come march up" exclaimed a
dost thou sleep already, old fellow thou art
! column moves on and go round it is soon fol-
loved by the second; then the third, which
| obeys reluctantly to the invitation of the two
Hrcf r NJ CT
Immediately they surrounded IA chest placed
in the midst of the square. 1t was there pro-
posed to play the slipper, a French play, in
which the forfeit is to receive on the face, or
elsewhere, a certain number of blows given
| with an old shoe,) when an old military man
agitating his cane over their heads, caused the
step, the Captain replied to my inquiry. at
is now thirty years since attend on this rab-
BILE. have led more than thirty thousand
souls to the gaIleys, and il is not easy to catch
an old hare like me. They had grouped
themselves there. dye see, to take away the
| files in that box, with which they would no
doubt, have acted upon their shackles. But
| here is my justice of the peace, Shaking his
stick and If they move in the least, it will
soon set them right again." The convicts
promptu on the subject of one of their own
numbers, whilst the rest repeated in chorus
| their sentiments on the harmlessness of the
galleys.
When they were tired to sing and walk,
they set again on their benches, where seve-
raj slept. About o'clock, an aged priest
presented himself, accompanied by two young
men they had come to assist those whom
their families had forsaken. All attentivcly
listened to the discourse, full of JUNCTION, Of
the old man. This venerable ecclesiastc con-
versed long time with Dubre, young man
of92, who committed theft to procure bread
for his mother, who was now thereby thrown
! into the utmost wretchedness. This unfortu-
nate young man, shedding torrent Of tears
muttered, with difficulty the following words !:
IL was at first placed in hospital, and was
| not to have gone. AS to myself, it matters
| little but, alas my poor mother oh, my
dear mother she will surely die ~ I was
moved unto tears. The good Priest told me
-" this child must, undoubtedly, have been
| very guilty, since the law has punished him.
How melancholy is the idea, however, that.
in few days, he will be as corrupt as the rest
Of the wretchcs with whom he will be asso-
ciated." had been under the impression that
Boucher and Girard would have met the cx-
hOrtatons ofthe holy man with sarcasms on
| ly. but was surprised to hear him with sort
of respect. The former candidly replied to
| his exhOrtatiOns, doubtless, sir have done
wrong, since am here; but, if possible,
shall endeavor to--but the worst is, that
1 am here for HtS." Twas told that these con-
victs had passed the night on straw placed in
the large passages.
The next morning, at o'clock, found
them as had left them, with the exception
that they seemed less lively. All ola sudden
however, they received news that caused
great mirth among them. This was certain
information that several additional convicts
had been taken down from the hospital to join
them to the party. The two first who ap-
peared, were, the one, man without educa-
ton the other, James Mign0n, who. having
first been made an Attorney at COrbeil. after
wards Assistant Judge, then Justice of the
Peace, in 1915, was finally condemned for
forgery on the 5th of April, 1891. His face
is deeply marked by the burrows sorrow has
contracted there. 1t will be recOllected that,
after his sentence, he addressed memorial
| to his son, in which were the following ex-
pressions: I" have erred, but have injured
- no one. / confess that committed the for
"gery. How many evils has this act. perhaps
| excusable in itself, drawn on my head
"was, in the month of November, 1920. de-
+" nOunced to justice, and this by whom
my heart is torn with sorrow. No sooner
| had been arrested than my Office has been