The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-10-21


lender to conceal and which the borrower, in the ng-
any ofhS necessity, i~ willing should DO conceJed
Does not consistency oriegisarion suggest the pro-
prety Of either repeating the law in question, au.
thor2ng its enforcement Ivy process suited 10 The
and Indispensable to give The law eiiect2 To do this
by the process snegeNed, would seem 10 he liable
TO no valid objection.
This is II subject Of much gonern importance'--
Tho manifest tendency Of the practice OF exncng I'M
awful interest IT, Ia the frat place. To beet a con-
tempt Of thu law, and sharpen ingenuity for It's ava.
SION, the general tendency Of which Is extremely per-
nicous, but, in the second pnce, and mninIy, u in
crease existing inequalities in tho condition o. the
people, to make The rich richer, mud the poor poor
rr,-lu leave the necesSious 10 become the victims
nj the temptation TO burrnw long credit, upon On
interest which seldom lhils to complete tler ruin
Notwithstanding the facilities og bank accommodate
tnns-u modp OF borrowing which heg.ts habits
Of promptness, and chGrshes sense OF honor highly
useful to the cOmmuniy-t il believed that the prac-
tjcn of leaning upon unlawful interest, prevails to nn
extent, and produces rnsuits, which may well claim
earnest consideration of the Legislature.
The subject Of Iicsace. 10: the sae Of ntozioalng
liquor, has cone 10 0cnupy 50 much OF the public al
t4Htun, a;d involves question OF such deep interest
tn the crmrnuaity, that csnaoi deem my daty dis.
CHARGED without inviting your attention TO IT,
itis . principle fundamental in government,
that il il instituted (1r the benefit, p'oee.
tim aud security Of tho people, The correctness
Of this principle, asserted in bill Of Shts will, Ui
coarso, hn conceded by all! Ia regard, therefore, 10
tto act Of the government in licensing tho trCic in
iuoyina;ing liquors, the great question woad seem 10
be- whether such traffic Is for the common benefit
isis qursun is, ut present, in effect, submitted TO thu
decision sc the courts in the aGver cpaies through
whom aloha, licenses can BE- granted, Th'rH seams,
h,weyar, hn prevailing sentiment that the power
Of consI should remain in tho coult but that it
Shuuh, in way, DO brought nearer TO The people.
In this s.ntimon, concGr. THIS peup!o The
Of power They know whether tha traits IN qucS.
ti,a is CT their bsHc.i', and fliy compeinnt to
decide the question for themselves, without The in
ter, eutjan Oftis judicial trbaups. II is submitted to
yop thHraiore whether 1t be not prarioRb'e to make
5H,fClory provision 10y law, inr sending tho
paa4iisa If licenses directly TO them, ind thus ave
thr c2rgt5 Rn legislature from fir;lef trouble this
sUblsct. Whether any. H"d 1agt provision shall be
mad ., yuHr - iSdun viii determine. Il va would a.
vail oaraalYes Of The hcnail ui experience, which is
alYaya useful 10 consult sc have m example in Mas
stchIsrtts, which ii nny be wise 10 consider. The
experiment of committing the whole sub jact - Coai-
ruissioners, appointed 10y the people IL the several
c0antes with authority to gr"Et Licences TO such e&-
tan. they may deem tho public good to requirn,
10 have given general sitisilcun IN that state
|hDuld this bV dasTGG appropriate mode oi giving
effect 10 The peoples isllos. Il would aid tho i'm
portnnt purpose Of rom wing thu elections Of Commits
,ioner1 in the several counties far as possible from
the disurbng influence Of party p0t cS to have them
holden Oh day de-, otod solely That object, und
Ia removed in point OF time, ffom every other oIsc-
tion the quo 0n tsoii Dug to DO separated Iom,
snd elevated above the party contests Of tho day.
There is another question connected with this sub
sct, which Seems to demand attention. II has hocn
decided BY the Supreme Court that Justices Of the
peace have not Jurisdiction Of Ocfcnes against the Ii
lava. County courts have, therefore, ,Xclu-
sve iarisdicon and tho result is, that, in Practice,
prosecutions for such offences instituted but once
in each yenr--grand jures being usually oitcner
Summoned, and States attornieS, believe, seldom,
IL ever, in such cases, fling iuforamtoas. Tho oh
vious difficulty Of reaching by such m annual pro-
cess. all tie violations OF tia license laws connected
with tho fact that the nlSnunl of the penalty IA but
tan dollars, wnud soem Gugges, the proprisly Of
either giving the Jurisdiction Justices o.. the pence,
Of making provision that they may bind over offend
with the witnesses, to the county cou', AZ often
Ss tho offences shall lie committed II we ara 10 have
laws on this bect they should DO enforced Every
good citizen must desire this, whatever may be lis
pinous on the question of temperance. Better, far
better, have laws than 10 permit thcn To stand
on tho statute book unexeoutad, since there ID thus
added to the prohibited yet permitted evil that other
great evil Of prae;c al denial Of a rghIfrl supreH!
acy OF law.
have boon furnished in advance, wiR copies of
the eighth annual reports Of tho Trustees AMI Super
iucndant OF the Vermont Asylum for tho Insane
Fro these reports il appears that daring the past
year. 232 patients have enjoyed tho benefits Of the
Asylum; that 90 have been admitted to it, and II dis
charged; and that l5S remain. OF the discharged
who had been insane not eeding six mon,hs,S9
per have recovered; while Of those whose insan
ity had beon Of longer Duration the proportion OF the
restored has been but 81 per ceut.--ahcwing, what
should he universally known, the grent importance Of
carly efforts TO for The insane the benefits ofihe
institution. Tho reports show that nvecrate cases.
supposed be beyond the reach of perfect may
be very greatly umeIiorated. Several touching
amples ofthssa given in the report oIhc Trustees
in which persons have, nlter arrangement of from
IL TO 60 years. been tsken in conditions Of horrible
wretchedness, from cages and calls, their chuns
knocked off, and within a few weeks from their en-
trance into the Asylum, have been persuaded to en-
10y the luxury of comfortable beds, and with safety
admitted to receive their food with knives and forks
at common table.
1 am happy 10 learn that since the last report, ad-
,ons to the buildings have been completed, az,
in the opinion OF the Trustees, to furnish Rccommo-
dations fully adequate to the wants Of tho State. It
appears also, that a reduction has been made tho
terms of admission, by of the means which ad
dtonu buildings have furnished for tho aGcommo-
dation of greater number of patients, without the
necessity Of increasing the number OF officers Of the
Asylum
1t is exceedingly fitting and important arrange
ment in tho institution, that facilities furnished for
the employment Of the inmates in the occupations
which they have been nccustomed-tha influence of
which, with appropriate amusement, upon their health
aud as means Of resoratiou to mental soundnoss, is
apparent. r, r...
II appears tina, The income, during the past year.