New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-13
from CONNECTICUT.
y,om An Occasional Correspondent.

Ipgn
Fernando Wood himself in spite of pluck and his
own adverse opinions, obliged to succumb, to
lower his flag to disbapd bis army, to eat humble
pie, and to give up all further contest with the
Metropolitan Commissioners, merely because half
a dozen Judges-the whole batch Of whom, dare
cav, jim Irving could knock into an ampersand-
have declared it to be unlawful for him to do 9TH
erwise, am sensible Of an emotion of awful re-
spect for the Bench and its decisions The breath
of Judges mouth may doom man to poverty,
to slavery, or to death In view of this fact as the
preachers say, I have often been amazed, nay,
shocked. at the audacOus freedom with which you
are accustomed to speak of Judges as if they were
mere ordinary mOrtals and to criticise their Jndg-
nents, if these were only the opinions OF men
subject TO the infrmties Of human nature. l have
heard of such misdemeanOr as scan. mag. do
not know its limits, but shall be sure to keep out
side of Gem Nevertheless, this, my settled habit
of reveDncing the Oracles of the law, of late came
near an interruption. 1t happened in this wise.
In the year I64S, certain Englishman of the
name of Richmond sought and gained admission
into the Society of Shakers at Enfield. lie
brought with him his two children, Eliza, who is
now seventeen and John, at the present time twelve
Years of age who were both ndentured by their
father to Jefferson White, the well-knOwn Presiding
Elder of the Enfield Community, to be reared, edu-
Gated and maintained until each should attain the
age of majority. Richmond, after while, becOm-
ing weary of life among the Shakers, went to Eng
land, where he became the founder of new sect
that will be likely soon to Outnumber the MOrmOns'
The children, meanwhile, remained at Enfe!d'
where. few weeks ago, Richmond appeared again,
demanding that his children should be given up to
him. Being questioned, they both expressed pref
ference for remaining, and Elder White thereupon
refused to surrender them; accordingly the bereaved
parent sued out in the Superior Court writ OF ma
beas corpus, to which Elder White duly made re-
turn setting up the indentures by which the emil
dren were bound to him. Mr.. Richmond had judi
ciousy selected for his legal advisers Messrs. Collier
and Sill, two young gentlemen whose orthodoxy is
eminently distinguished, even here in this Puritan
city. Having ascertaned the startling and appalling
fact that the Shakers are disposed to view the
d-nable heresy of Unitaranlsm with cOmplaceney,
if not even with favor, they proved this fact by inds
putabe evidence, and then wisely urged IT, with
Dious ZEAL az good and sufficient reason for taking
the unfi rtunate young Rchmonds from OUT the
hands of their misbelieving protectors.
The Judge to whom this argument was addressed
is deacon Of the orthodox church, in good sandlng
a man above reprOach OF an ancient family well
reputed in the State and nation. Fancy my intense
surprise when heard this eminent magistrate delb-
eratey utter decision to the effect, that in the alb
in any manner other than incidental to the con-
tract Of apprenticeship they should stay, II they
pleased, with the Shakers. Concerning the point
Of religious doctrine he declined giving any legal
opinion whatever though there was as fair chance
as deacon could ever wish for to give the Unitarian
error side winder by way of pthy O6ttcr d'etus.
Besides there would have been no danger at all IN
doing 60 for the Unitarans are neither numeroUsnOr
influential hereabOuts, the which rather aggrayatcs
the omission.
OF course, YOU will not be surprised to learn that
the very next Sunday morning, the ArmOry Guards,
returning belated from target shooting excursion
to Saybrook, which they had started the day be-
FORE marched through the streets, from the steam
boat landing to their armory in Colts Meadow, with
a full band playing Z" Annie Laurie and other pro-
fame melodies all the way. This outrage excited
such universal Indignation that the daily papers were
overwhelmed with contributions ON the subject. Inc
Press man, being lawyer, made a digest Oh those
that were sent TO him. 1t was an article OF great
pupqency assure you, and brought the captain OF
the Guards to repentance and apologies. There was
some grace about the desperate sinner too tor ne
very frankly took all the blame upon himse where
as. have no doubt if the trath was known, he was
no worse than his company. l believe that none OF
them would have dared to be guilty OF this wicked
ness the habeas corpus had been decided the
other way; or even if the Judge had smartly raped
Jntariansm over its knuckles with an Obter dictum
But whatever may happen, it will not be the fault
| of those stalwart champions OF sound Doctrine
| Messrs Collier and SILL whose warnings, if needed,
would have averted all such deplorable results.
| AT last there is prospect of our having new
State House in Hartford. Owing to the GOODNESS
of the season only two members OF the House died
this year. though the session was seven weeks long
| But the Life Insurance Companies having begun Il
consider the propriety Of rating public service in the
| LEGISLATURE among those extra.hazardOus employ
pents for which special permission must be obtained
| and an extra premium paid, it became necessary
do something at once. So 3 resolve was offered fO
the building of new State House, providing tina
the City Of Hartford would purchase the site, ant
also would buy the old State House for City Hall
This would have been al very well if it had been all
hut The resolve went Oh to fix the location of thu
| proposed edifce upon the Charter Oak estate. II
was supposed by the shrewd gentlemen who deviset
this notable project, and whose pecuniary interest
would have been promoted by its success, that tn
name of Charter OAK would give buncOmbe enough
to the scheme to carry it through. And, sur
enough, in perfect fervOr Of patriotism the Gene
raj Assembly passed the resolution as easily as II
had been peDknife appropriation. But there wa
no great difficulty in procuring reconsideration
the vote Gas you must know if you diligently reat
my last communication and an amendment wa
finally appended to the resolve, giving to the Com
| mssiOners discretion in the matter OF choosing
site. If Hartford is to pay for the land, 1t ought
have something to say about where the building
should be placed, privilege that the Legislature
first seemed unwilling to grant. Now the Charte
Oak place would moi probably be the choice Of I
majority Of the citizens Of Hartford 1t is roundet
knoll near the South Meadow, distant at least
mile below Court-House square, which is tn
present business center. Besides, it contains only
about seven acres, and except ts historical assOcis
tons, 1t has nothing to recommend il above many
other places in the suburbs of the city, The Com