Litchfield enquirer., 1838-08-30

EOutOS oCCOuuIS nave UCCM TCCelVcQ DY ING
New-York Commercial Advertiser, to the
9th instant, relating TO the sentence Of sixteen
State prisoners. Their punishment is death.
-Four are Americans, and twelve Canadians.
Of the others who were tried, two, William
Yerks and VIM. s. Wilson, were acquitted.
The writer says, was surprised to find
SO many of the prisoners very young men
some of them mere boys-and two or three
looked more deserving the ordinary chastise-
ment of a parent, than the heavy penalty
about to be adjudged them. Two or three
were handsome, and with n few exceptions,
nothing unfavorable could be drawn frum
their appearance"
One of them, named Miller, had been n
student at law, at MaysEille, ChatauqOe CO.
He addressed the Court in a solemn manner.
and in speech of some length. He took
the ground that the law under which he was
sentenced was unconstitutional until it recei-
we'd the sanction of the Sovereign. He de-
clared that he did not feel that he deserved
death for the offence he stood convicted Of
he had caused the death of no one, nor did
he come into the country to subvert its form
of government. He declared that he did
not expect his address to make any change
in the determination of his fate. Al the con-
clusion of his remarks, he was ordered, with
the rest, to be hanged on the 25th of August.
A Prairie on Fire.-The thick sward of the
prairie presents considerable mass of fuel,
and offers barrier to the progress of the
fame not easily surmounted. The fire ad-
vanccs slowly and with power. The heat is
intense. The flames often extend across a
wide prairie, and advance in long line. No
sight can be more sublime, than to behold Mt
night a stream offire several miles in breadth,
advancing across these plains, leaving be-
hind it black cloud of smoke, and throwing
before it vivid glare which lights up the
whole landscape with the brilliancy Of noon
day. A roaring and cracking sound is heard
like the rushing of hurricane. The fame,
which in general rises to the height of about
twenty feet, is seen darting upward in spires,
precisely as the waves dash against each 9TH
er, and as the spray flies up into the air |;
and the whole appearance IS often that of a
boiling and flaming sea, violently agitated.
The progress of the fire is SO slow, and the
heat so great, that every combustible materi-
al in its course is consumed. The root of
the prairie grass alone, by some peculiar
adaptation of nature, is spared for of most
other vegetables not only Is the stem de-
stroyed, but the vital principle extinguished.
Woe to the farmer, whose ripe cornfields ex-
tend into the prnirie, and who has carelessly
suffered the tall grass to grow in contact
with his fences. The whole labor of the
year is swept away in few hours. But
such accidents are comparatively unfrequent.
as the preventive is very simple and easily
applied. A narrow strip Of bare ground pre-
vents the fire from extending TO the space be-
yond it. A beaten road, of the width Of a
aSnnln V1yon fpnoE 0Rp Sfc
The treading of domestic animals around the
Enclosures of the farmer affords often suffi-
cient protection, by destroying the fuel in
their vicinity and in other cases few fur
rows are drawn round the field with the
plough, or the wild grassvi is closely moved
down on the outside of the fence.
Judge Halle Notes on the West.
The Knoacing SqnGto.-Actions by young
ladies for breach Of promise, we had thought
to be one Of the projections of British civili-
cation. But what spot in the world is not
civilized In half a dozen years more the
manners of mankind, from Chilli to Constan-
tinople, will be as smooth as bowling green.
In Illinois lately, young Indian fair. or
brown one of some distinction in the woods,
made her complaint to an old chief of the
faithlessness Of her betrothed. The squaw
asserted that she had no sooner made up her
mind to the marriage, than the young chief
turned on his heel, and chose to marry some
body else. The case was brought before
the heads Of the tribe. The matter was re-
garded as. touching the public honor, and the
old warriors held grand Council on the sub
ject As amongst the Indians there are as
vet no professed lawyers, justice is not quite
so tardy as in moro accomplished countries,
and the case was pleaded by the squaw her
self. It consisted of statements Of the frc-
quent visits Of the young warrior to the wig
wan; of his smoking considerable guam
tity of her fathers tobacco, and eating their
venison whenever he could get it those at
tentions to himself being connected with fire.
quent attentions to the lady. the statement
being corroborated by several punches OF
feathers, yards of WEIGH Flannel, three fox
tails, and scalp. The lover was then cal
led on. He denied the charge Of the aftec-
tons altogether. With an air which could
not be exceeded by the air Of man OF fash
ion, he said. though it was true he had visit
ed her fathers wigwam, he had done it only
when he had nothing else to do, when the
beavers were not to be found, or the Buffa-
loes were gone. The feathers and fiannels,
he acknowledged that he had given them,
but had given them merely as matters OF
common ciyility. AS he concluded his speech,
the squaw gave a loud scream, and tainted
in the arms of her mother. The old chiefs
proceeded to judgemnt, and whether guided
by the justice Of the case, or touched with
the sufferiDgs Of the squaw, brought in YER
dict of damages, sentenced the offender 10
give the broken hearted fair one-a yellow
feather, a brooch that was then dangling
from bis nose, and dozen beaver skins
The sentence was no sooner pronounced than
the squaw recovered from her swoon, sprnng
on her feet, clapping her hands with Joy, and
crying out. snow am rady to court again.
II is said there is no rule without an ex.
ception. Inever knew respectable person
that did not behave with decency in place