Litchfield enquirer., 1842-06-30

can tell, upon Wnom the discipline has been
inflicted. 1t is enough for the people to
know, that man, remarkable only for his
hostility to the best interests of New Eng
land, has been elevated to that high trust,
and thai, in opposition to the wishes of a vast
majority of the electors in the State; and it
lie belieN ed. also, in opposition to the wishes
of q majority of own party.
The law providing that the sheriffs of the
several counties may be elected by plu-
rality Of votes, violates fundamental prin-
clple, as well as the established usages of
the State. Its operation may be to elect a
man without any one qualification, to this
important Office by small proportion of the
whole number of voters. Why is the salu-
tary principle, that a candidate for office
shall receive majority of the votes departed
from in this instance? No satisfactory rea-
sons were assigned by the advocates of the
measure, and we believe that none exist.
The report of the Committee on Banks,
with the accompanying bill for public act,
demands brief notice at our hands.
The report breathes throughout spirit of
bitter Observation-Disclosures vile SANDER
against several respectable gentlemen, in
the absence of all proof, and is without
single feature to redeem it from utter con-
tempt.
1t is much to the credit even of this Legis-,
latu re, that the report has never been &C
cepted in either House. 1t is not our inten-
ton to enter infinitely into the various pro-
visions of the bill itself. We would only
remark that they evince spirit of distrust,
and of hostility to these institutions, alike
illiberal and uncalled for.
II should be matter of State pride, that
amidst the shocks which credit has received,
and the ruin that has been spread every
where around us, our own banks have stood
firm. The commissioners in their report,
state that "they have no hesitation in saying
that the bill holders and depositors are at
present perfectly safe; that the currency
of the State is of the first order" Yet not
withstanding all this the arbitrary and OBJ
noxious section of the act of 1887 is recei-
we'd and re-enacted; clothing the commits
sioners with the most unlimited and despo-
tic powers, and placing millions of property
under their entire and undisputed control
as they are authorized upon the refusal of
any of the officers OF any bank to answer
such interrogations as are put to them, to
suspend the operations of that bank, until
the next session of the General Assembly.
Why, it may be asked, is the number of
commissioners increased? and why is the
poor Gepositor in the Savings Bank compel
led to bear the expense of an inquisition
condition of these institutions does not de-
mand! II
In connection with this subject. we may
mention the hasty and unconstitutional act
repeating the charter of the Mechanics
Bank for refusing to pay a tax, from the
payment of which, they were, by their char
ter, exempted.
We have already remarked that an en-
larged and an enlightened policy had been
adopted in relation to our Common Schools,
under the influence of which they were ra-
pidly advancing in responsibility and USE
fitness. Union schools have been formed,
and were forming under the most favorable
auspices, and information regarding the
condition Of our schools was every where
disseminated. All these improvements a
spirit of vandalism has Frustrated; and
while our sister states are carrying forward
the system which we had adopted, with the
most cheering hopes of success, Connecticut,
with her immense fund, has made q retro
grade movement. We sincerely hope that
every elector will read the report Of the
Committee on Education. Sure we are, that
no man can rise from its perusal without a
settled convicti0A that a portion. at least, of
the school fund may be benefcially expen-
dedupon the committee who have put forth
this extraordinary document, and who seem,
both in theory and practice, to eschew a
knowledge Of English grammer as deadly
evil.
We hope also that the Electors of this
Statew will carefully ponder the law entitled
IAN act relativesto students in Literary In
stitutions." We hesitate not to affirm that
this act was passed in the face of the Consti-
tuition. and in violation of its plain provi-
sions.@ BY this law, portion of our fellow
citizens are literally DISTINGUISHED, whose
only offence is that they are "obtaining en-
education" 1t would seem, that in the opin-
ion of this Legislature. ignorance is virtue
and intelligence crime. The only ground
on which the constitutionality OF this act
was defended, was that the Legislature had
right to declare, by law. what the fra
mers of the constitution meant by the term
the late Chief Justice Marshal and his asso-
ciates have been in supposing that it apper-
tanned to another branch of the government,
TO expound the meaning Of constitution.
The law regarding the sale of spirituous
liquors has fallen victim to the same rage
for Innovations. The power of deciding
whether the vending of this poison should
be licensed within their respective towns
has been taken from the people. 1t was not,
| it would seem. democratic enough 20 entrust
them with the power: and they are now
compelled to acQuleSce IN the eSta bllShment
of as many Of these dens Of iniquity as the
selfish and unprihcipled may choose to es-
tablish. There is hardly restriction in
name, and none in reality.
Our limits forbid that we should do more
than glance at the act repeating the Regis
try Law, and the refusal of the majority to
permit an amendment by which persons re-.
siding in, and coming from another State,
might be prevented from voting.
:. Our notice also must be very brief, of the
law regarding Imprisonment for debt. This