Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-01-27
A Lunatic's Cunning.

man was respectfully connected, a gig was
hired for the purpose, and he was persuaded
| that it was merely an excursion of pleasure on
| which he was going. In the course of the
journey, however, something occurred to arouse
the suspicious of the lunatc with respect to his
real destination; but lie said nothing on the
subject, made no resistance, and seemed to
enjoy his jaunt. When they arrived at Lam
caster it was too late in the evening to proceed
to the asylum, and they took up their quarters
for the night at an inn. Very early in the
| morning the lunatic got up and searched the
pockets Of the officer, where he found the mag
| istrates order for his own detention; which, of
course let him completely into the secret.
! With that cunning which madmen not unfre-
quently display, he made the best of his way to
the asylum, saw one of the keepers, and told
him that he had got sad mad fellow down at
Lancaster, whom he should bring up in the
course of the day, adding: Giles very queer
fellow, and lie has got very odd ways. For
instance, should not wonder if he was to say
was the mad man. and that he was bringing
me; but you must take good care of him, and
not believe word that he says"
| The keeper, of course, promised compliance.
and the lunatic walked back to the inn where
he found the officer still fast asleep. He awoke
| him, and they sat down to breakfast together.
"Youre lazy fellow to be sleeping all day !;
l have had Il long walk this morning." said the
| lunatic.
Indeed" said the officer, 81 should like to
have walk myself after breakfast; perhaps
you will go with me?''
| The lunatic assented, and after breakfast
| they sat out, the officer leading the way toward
the asylum, intending to deliver his charge; but
| it never occurred to him to examine whether
| his order was safe.
| When they got within sight Of the asylum,
| the unatic exclaimed: 'sWhat fine house that
| is"
EYES," said the officer, II should like to
see the inside of it."
$50 should l." observed the lunatic.
"Well, dare say they will let us through !;
l will ask, was the response.
They went to the door: the officer rang the
bell, and the keeper whom the lunatic had pre-
viousy seen made his appearance with two or
three assistants The officer then began to
tumble in his pockets for the order, when the
lunatic produced it, and gave it to the keeper,
| saying: 'This is the man spoke to you about.
You will take care of him; shave his head, and
put straight waistcoat on him."
The men Immediately laid hands on the poor
! officer, who vociferated loudly that the other
was the mad man, and he the officer; but, as
this only confirmed the story previously told by
the lunatic, it did not at all tend to procure his
liberation. He was then taken away, and
became so indignantly furious that the straight
waistcoat was speedily put upon him, and his
head was shaved secuntaum artem.
Meanwhile, the lunatic walked deliberately
back to the inn, paid the reckoning, and set
| out on his journey homeward The good people
in the country were of course, surprised on
seeing the wrong man return; they were afraid
| that the lunatic in fit of frenzy had murdered
| the officer, and they asked him, with much
| trepidation, what he had done with MIR.
Stevenson.
"Done with him." said the mad man, "why,
l left him at the Lancaster Asylum, as mad as
hell ~ which, indeed, was not far from the
truth; for the wits of the officer were well nigh
upset by his unexpected detention and subse-
quent treatment.
Further inquiry was forthwith made by his
| neighbors, and it was ascertained that the man
was actually in the asylum. magistrate S
order was produced for his liberation; and he
returned home with handkerchief tied round
his head in lieu Of the covering which nature
| had bestowed upon it.
Manchester (Eaa1a'ad,) Gsasusa~.
MORMON DIFFICULTY.-A writer in the Wash
ington STAR after expressing the opinion that
the recent appointment of a military Governor
Of Utah may do good. but cannot overcome the
difficulties of the case, proceeds thus to illus
trate those difficulties and to propose remedy
% simple, easy, and he thinks, effectual one ::
So long as the legislators and jurors of the
Territory, the main, elements in all our govern
ments, consist of Mormpns, as they must, Brig
| H., 81 ho, nd
will be really, to all intents and purposes. Gov
ernor of the Territory. A unanimous Mormon
Legislature can pass any law they please, over
the vote of the legitimate Governor. A unani-
nous Mormon jury can find any verdict they
please, in violation of the law as given to them
| by the court, and the same influence which con-
trolls the finding will control the public opinion
there in supporting the same. The military, of
course, could neither control the enactments of
| the one nor the verdicts of the other. To illus
trate this suppose the Government should order
the arrest and trial Of Brigham Young for
embezzling the 500, 600 sent out to the Territory
for the erection of public buildings. Of what
avail would it be Would Mormon grand
jury find q bill against him? Or, if found, would
"a Mormon traverse jury convict the head of
their church? Suppose judgment in civil
suit was obtained against him, how could the
| RoNSTHMcHt Tttp us 1IultS 1 AL cAeCuIlol aIiu
levy on his property would amount to nothing,
as none Of the faithful would dare to bid against
| his orders. In the hands of the government or
Gentle purchaser, the property would be
valucless. 1t is the knowledge Of this absolute
immunity from responsibility and punishment
that encourages them in their defiance of the
government.
The following is what the writer proposes as
| remedy. We have not fully considered the
question whether Congress can, under the Con-
stitution, adopt the remedy proposed, but, if it
can, an imperative necessity for its doing SO may
arise out Of the conduct of the Mormons:
Let the Territorial organization be abolished
or repealed. Divide the Territory geographic
cally, and assign each division, respectively, to
the jurisdiction of New Mexico, California,
Oregon, Nebraska, and Kansas. While this
plan will completely strip the Mormon church
Of civil authority, and destroy her power to
harm, every citizen and inhabitant will be Sc
cured in every right and privilege conferred by
the Constitution. They will have the benefit Of
representation in the Territories to which they
belong, and through them in Congress.
The GRAVE BURIEs PoLITIcAL ANIMosITIEs.--
dinner was recently given to George D. Prentice,