Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-05-14

alLva labor mtkut uG butGAaACAGA - W.
the presumed products Of productive tarIn
rn;,b, he interdicted at the South. Every ar
| ticie of the growth or manufacture OF TINS
S,a,e might be interdicted in every other Stale
IN The Union. Nor can the right Of sale be
limited 70 the importer, for If il were so' the
States could substantially annihilate the rev.
enne of the Federal Government and all ioE.
o;0n aud domestic commerce. II is idle and
80 than idle 10 suppose that the supremacy
| Of the mower of Congress, expressly conferred
nv The Constitution, can be crippled by Stale
| laws or that an act Of the State IN colhl'O'
with hatinstrument, should be permitted TO re-
main upon the statute book.
If there be any act, which Is wrong IN itseIi
and which rises to the magnitude OF an Oh,
fence against the public, lett be denounced
and punished as crime. Whetner tne act Oh
selling intoxicating drinks to habitual incbrl-
ates-the act ofkeeping disorderly house or
sbop. the resort Of the vicious for the purpose
of excessive indulgence-the act OF keeping
store or shop in which the incorporate, or MI
nors. or apprentices are supplied with the IN
toxicating draught, and other acts OF like
character, which may be specifically defined,
| he NOT erevious offences against the good order
and happiness of society, richly deserving t2
be visited with the terrors Of criminal law IN
the estimation of the whole community, is sub
mitted to your careful and deliberate consider
alton.
The education of youth, in free state, Is
ever subject of momentous interest. Here
we lay the foundations Of that improved soc:-
ETY., supposed to exist, and Of that free govern
ment and all its kindred institutions, which
rest upon mans capacity for self-government.
Without disparaging the higher seminaries Of
learning, would especially commend to your
attention the Common Schools, in which
the people are generally taught and which
are more particularly under their immediate
superintendent. If these are placed in the
highest practicable condition, the higher in
situations will be sure to be provided for. If
there be any pecuniarv sacrifice necessary to
introduce any we'll attested improvement. as
to save these schools from tagging behind the
age, let it be made with that generous self
sacrificing devotion, which becomes an educa-
ted community. But in all our legislation. let
US never lose sight Of the fundamental pria.
ciple, which with certain exceptions we have
ever acted upon, that these common schools
should be under thesuPerintending care and con-
troll of the parent. Ifthe parent has an un-
failing interest in the education ola beloved
child, in which the State may justly confide,
know not to what quarter we shall lock for it.
More especially is it desirable that some feas-
BILE plan should be devised, which would be sus-
tanned by public opinion, for charging and i'm.
proving, as far and as fast as practicable, the
qualifications OF instructors, to the end shat the
higher branches may be opened to the children
of pa rents in moderate pecuniary circumstances.
For lack of it, many of the brightest minds, ma
nv of the mos, largely endowed inelects, which
might otherwise have adorned and blessed soci-
ety. are left obscured by the sad influence OF pow
BY which the humbest citizen is placed upon
footing Of political equality with the highest, be
extended in some measure Of least to his chill
dren, so that when they seek an acquaintance
with the higher branches OF learningi no insu'
perabe barrier may be in their way. :,
The School Fund, that source OF just pride to
the people Of this State, with its capital Of
SO O7O, O55 OF, dividing the present year the sum
of Sis, 1886, to S5.275 children between the ages
| OF 4 and 16 furnishes strong evidence Of just
ior any wise and salutary legislation, in futher-
ance of the great cause OF education: The
| measure adopted year ago, Of creating the
new Office of Assistant School Fund Commits
sioner, at the salary of thousand dollars per
annum, with his expenses, seems not to have
vice. Neither the present distinguished and
able Commissioner Of the Fund, nor his pred
ecessor, in any official communication, ever.
called for this assistance. The monies of the
neither the receiving nor the discussing officer,
but The Treasu rer 6f the State is tine Treasurer
of the fund. II is the duty of the Commissioner
to see to the loans and securities. These appear
from documents on file in the Office, and full
0f them is annually made aa sSG
as little occasion for an Assistant TO look after
the3 Commissioner of the School Fund, or to
the Treasurer or the Comptroller, or perhaps
most officers Of The Government: recommend
the abolition OF this new office, leaving as here
tofore an undivided responsibility. i.
The Connecticut State Prison has been con.
Quoted with such admirable success. as TO have
abroad, of being q model prison for that species
to discipline which is praciced in it.. 1t is the
high duty of the Legislature 10 see that nothing
occur which shall impair its reputation or its
efficiency. would suggest chat the Warden Of
the prison be required 10 settle his accounts at
the Comptroei's Office, It isnow the practice
| to do so, but il is not perceived how this can be
permitted, while the Constitution declares that
the Comptroller shall a6jus'and settle all public
accounts and demands, except grants and or.
quence Of this practice, no account 's TO- be
found Of the affairs OF the prison daring the last
fiscal year, either in the Office OF the Compr0ll
err, or that Of the Treasurer, except the pay
ment into the latter Office Of the sum OF $1,000
This fund, derived from the labor Of convicts,
should be regarded in some measure as trust
fund for the discharge Of those high duties of
government, which partake largely Of the ma
ture of Offices of humanity. OF this character
is the education Of the INDECENT deaf and dumb,
and of the INDECENT deaf, dumb and blind, and
the support comfort and cure of the INDECENT in
sane. And in regard to all these classes OF oh.
ects, The provision should not be limited strictly
10 those who are INDECENT, but should be extend
ed to those families in moderate circumstances,
whose means are inadequate to sustain rela-
tive at public institution at the high rates now
usually charged More especially is il desirable
that an arrange meht be made with the Retreat
for the Insane, by which the prices, otherwise
necessarily high, should be brought down within
the reach of all sufferers. The idea is not to be
tolera ted, that any considerable number Of per.
sons are 10 be precluded from the best known al
deviation and remedy of the worst OF all male
dies.
The judicial expenses Of the past wear, exclu..
siye of the salaries oil the Judges, have amounted
to the sum Of S33,9ll.22. This shows rapid in
crease of this item os expenditure. the atten-
ton of the Legislature has been called to it by
nv predecessors. more than once. tits believed
that ne re is room for the hand Of reform. would
suggest that law be passed, providing that in
appeals in criminal cases, the appeal may be va.
Gated on payment Of fine and cost, before the
session of the Court to which the appeal is taken,
without any expense in that Court. would al
so suggest that the present law be 90 amended
that when the expenses Of keeping a prisoner
l,avs haen once paid bV his labor. fhey be NOT