Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1829-08-27


Judge Daggett and request of him, for publication, a
copy of his Charge delivered them at their present
session. ERASTUS LYMAN,
Forenoon of the Grand Jury
Litchfeld Sup. CT. August term, 1899.
Genetemen-I have received your note of the Goth
inst requesting copy Ofmy charge to the Grand Ju-
ry at the present term, by Erastus Lyman, Esquire
your foreman. By conversng with him, understand
that your wishes confined to that portion of my
charge which related 10 inemperance. comply with
your request in furnishing copy OF the remarks for
publication. am, respectfully,
Your obedt serv't,
DAVID DAGGETT.
To the GyaRd jury conreaed at august term
efthe Sup. Court LitcI.6etd Co., 1890 5
Extract from the Charge of Judge Daggeu to the
Grand Jury Of Ltchfeld county, at the august term
ofths Superior Court, 1899.
-"Should it appear that any of the offences after
which you may be inquiring, were committed under
the influence of ntoxication, this will he no excuse,
nor any extenuaton Of the crime. This is a settled
principle OF law; and ID is eminenty fit that it should
be adhered to with infexbility. When reason,
given to man to guide him in duty, to promote
his welfare here, and to secure happiness in future
world is taken away by the visitation of God, he is
not the subject of punishment, and sjusy entitled TO
all our sympathy; but when, by the base practice of
intemperance, he destroys it, he is bold offender
gains his Creator and is responsible not only him
ior gross abuse Of his goodness but society
for the evil which he perpetrates.
Having mentioned this vice, so prevalent and SO
pernicous, may he added that it becomes every
minister Of justice 10 lift up his voice against crime
degrading man, and productive of such destruc-
tive evils. lfit be not equal in arociy to other
crimes, by itself considered yet when viewed the
parent of almost every other evil. what vice rises
higher in the scale of offences? What vice sinks the
victim Of il lower? 1t spreads desolaon every where
it withers the best hopes Of mutitudes Of parents
and destroys domestic peace-it fills our alms-houses,
our penitentiaries, our jas and our New-gates and
what is Of far more tremendous import, it is rapidly
filling the world Of perdition. How strange-how
humliatng the fact, that Great Britain and the Uni
ted States, nations signalized for the learn.
ing, morality, and religion Of their inhabitants than
any Others should be distinguished also for this detes-
table vice !!
Itbelongs not to the place, the OCCASION to sug-
gest the means of pr eveniion Of this mighty evil or
remedies against its extended ravages / must how
ever be permitted to say that parents, masters and
guardians, magistrates and ministers OF religion, and
all lovers Of their country, would unite in placing dram
shops and tppling houses level with the haunts
of countereers the repositories Of stolen goods and
the retreats Of theves-if over the doors Of every
house furnished for the popose ofpractising
public opinion would fix its seal Of Reproduction by in
scrihing-."THE WAY TO HELL LEADING
DOWN TO THE CHAMBERS OF DEATH" we
might expect that these prolific ofruin would
soon be annihilatcd, and this great evil, in part ut
least, cease to disgrace our fair land.'
Case Of WGtkins-The National Intelligenccr Of
the 18th says that on the previous day the Court deli
vered its opinion the motion Of Watkins counsel,
in arrest ofjudgment, aud for trials. "The OBJ
jectons to the indictments, aud the in arrest,
were ovcruied, and the defendant was ordered he
brought into court to receive his sentence" lie
accordingly soon after brought in by the Marshal,
when Judge Cranch pronounced the following
tence:
In ahe indictment for $50 dollars Fined $780, and be
imprisoned for three calendar months from This l4th
day Of August, 1898, inclusive.
In the 800 dollar case Fined $500 and be imprisoned
for three calendar months next following the iermi
nation Of his imprisonment under the sentence ID
the preceding case.
In the 1900 dollar case: Fined 80 600 and I've i'm.
prisoned for three calendar months uext following
the termination of his Imprisonment under the sen
tencc in the next preceding case Tor $500.
The prisoner then TO Jail; and the
Court was adjourned sine de- after most labOrious
term of more Than three months.
It is said that the persons most instrumental in pre-
ferring charges against Dr. Watkins, and have taken
the active interest 10 his Conviction will imme-
datey petition the President Tor the remission Of that
part Of the sentence least which respects his mprs
onment. We doubt whether he will listen to it-fhe
had been convicted under the rules and articles Of
war" then indeed would his case not have been SO
hopeless.
Libel sEit.-Our readers will probably recoect that
but short time since it was announced that Andrew
Coyle chief clerk 10 the post Office department. had
been displaced to make room for a more clamorons
partisan. That common lbeller, the United States
telegraph, almost as a matter Of course, week or
two ago brought charge Of delinquency against him.
Mr.. C. tarough the National Journal, replies, and
closes his brief remarks thus :-"To prove either my
own delinquency, or the baseness of that SANDER
which has been invented against me, have this day
appealed tribunal Of Justice upon whose decision
am willing to rest the preservation Of my character
andthe interests Of those who are dependent upon It,.