Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-20

year, and the town pays SIS for his sup
port, when he would have jumped at the
chance to discharge his liability through
his only rcsourcc-lobor. If justice was
done to the first individual, has not great
Injustice been done to the sccond-injus-
ticc to his family, and to the community!
You receive the rich mans money as an
atoncmcnt for his misdemeanor, but inn
prison the poor man because he has it not,
and refuse to receive his labor. Can
any thing be more unjust! Any thing
more oppressive The section in ques-
ton proposed to remedy this inequality
to put the poor culprit on an equal footing
with the rich one. 1t was virtually say
ing that a man should be punished for
his crimes, but not for his condition; that
the poor mans labor should be as good
as the richman's money. Snch is the
practical common sense view of the sub
ject, and in this light Gen. Harrison voted
to retain the section. But we need not
argue the question. The principle is re-
cognizcd and practiced upon throughout
the civilized world. Three fourths of
the States of this Union have adopted it,
and it STANDS RECORDED UPON
OUR STATUTE ROCK FOR THE
LAST FIFTY YEARS. W. copy
the LIST section of our law relating to in
ferior crimes, passed 1897, and continued
in force to the present time.
FINES, FORFETTURES AND PENALTIES-1797.
SEC. |. That any person who shall he fined
for the lreach of any penal law, or for any other
offence, shall forthwith pay such fine, together with
costs of prosecution, or give good and sufficient
security for the same; or shall by order of the
court, or ustlce ofthe Peace, Eefore whom trial
shall he had, he imprisoned, or BOUND OUT and
kEPTlN SERVICE, until the same be paid.
This is identically the same power
, conferred in the section for which Gen.
1 Harrison voted. Among the men who
+ enacted this law, we notice the names OF
t Tichernor, Tarbox, Tyler, Chittcnden,
Robinson, Galusha, DIN, &c. names ia
mlliar to the people of this state, and not
usually associated with the idea of op-
9 preston. Two of these, Tichenor and
Galusha, have been conspicuously before
people as candidates for office, In warm
political times, and yet, we are not aware
that this act was ever imputed to them a.
F. a crime. But Winslow was not, on the
stage in those days! Then again the Law
relative to paupers, embraces the same
II principle, but applies it to a much broae
n er class of cases:
C SECT. 13.-That any justice of the peace
II on complaint made in writing, may commit to tn
house OF correction, any vagran', lewd, idle o
V dlsorderly person or persons going about leg
glng, or carrying and exhibiting shows; person
using any subtle craft, Juggling, or unlawful ga
hiNs, VI IIuN > VI I"lSoIN pICltIuIllS ~ nav
j. knowledge in physiognomy, or ~paImistry Q
persons pretending that they tell dcsiinicS or for
tunes, or discover by any spells or magick ar
If where lost or stolen goods may lie found com
mon plper>, tiddlcr>, rnnaways, stubborn servant.
common drunkardS, common neight-walker>, pill
fererS, persons wanton and lascivlou> in speecl
,c conduct or lchavlour, common railers or brawler
lie such as neglect their calling and employment
Jr mi,>rend what they earn, and such as do not pre-
1t vide for themselves or the support OF their iamllc
II, who shall lie duly convicted Of any Of the offence
or disorders aforesaid ; and in such house OF cor
tn rectlon to e detained, a term not exceeding thrt
months, as the SAID Justice shall direct. And
r. case there be no house of correction or work
IN house, in any such town the said justice shaI
Dr. by warrant under his hand, order such person
of persons to lie delivered over TO some overSeer
" the same town TO BE EMPLOYED IN LA
he BOuR, not exceeding three months, as aforcsai
e; and by said oversecr of the poor TO BE HIRE
Isl OUT, FOR THE BEST WAGES THAT CA
he BE PROCURED: the proceeds of which, to
lie applied TO the use Of the poor of such town.
III. ,r Here it will be seen that a justice oftt
nd peace is empowcredto sell, for the benz
he fit of the poor, any piper, fiddler, rail'
" or common b%rawler, persons who mi'
as spend their time," &c. &c. for a term n
VS. exceeding three months. The same pr,
ty. vision is again embodied in the law
- 1917, relative to Migrants, and we knO
if not in how many other chapters of o
MS statute book; but we need 60 no furth'
for We have cited enough to show that t
vas principle is as old legislation IN this stat
- and that it had been thirty years a part
Ike our statute before Gen. Harrison was gu
the ty of the objectionable sin of voting for
me in Ohio! The Editor of the Sentinel W
led born under these laws he has witness