Litchfield enquirer., 1857-12-31
State. Items.

THE SAGE AFFAlR.-Judge Butler, before "hom this remarkable was brought. states that Benson had not ony confessed that his whole story was forgery. but kc further says that he picked up the facts ahont the town, and then con cocted the story with the sole purpose of obtaining the reward effrrcd-S2OO. Imprisonment for life IS hardly severe enough punishment for man who could thus coolly eontrive such fendish plo, against the life of an innocent man.
 Stll' the mystery is not all owed. Why did the boy Sage run away strangely Why did he leave Nugent to death on the gallows Why does h" not return home The story so exten. slvelS rircnlated that he attempted violence on daughter of Nugen,'s, and that he fled to avoic the vengeance of the father, would. if established account passably well for everything except tn. body found, and recognized by their parents tha of their son. Whose body was this Where anC hy whom was it deprived of life. and so mangled and committed to the waters of the Connecticut We should he ready to say that no solution o these questions could ever be expected, if the le. cent developments in this extraordinary case had not reminded hs how often the hand of Providence
 nterfrres 10 unravel the darkest my stories, to pro. tect the innocent and expose the guilty.
 SENATOR DIXON ON THE TAnIFF.-'rhe Wask. ingon correspondent of the New York Tribune thus speaks of Mir. Dixon's late sprech in favor of the protection of home industry:
 During the Saturday debate or the Treasury Note hill. Mr. Dixon. of Conn.,. a new member, delivered his maiden speech. He not afraid to advorate system of protective duties as the best measure to restore real and permanent pros. perty to the country. He tainted the supporters of the bill with the sad results of their revenue tariff doctrines. and proposed. instead of Treas. urv Note iss"e. an increase of duties hbon anti. clps of import. MT. Dixon is fine. earnest speaker and attracted the attention of the Senate and galleries. It WIS a decided success for a first speerl. and indicates. upon his part cnnr. ape and hnldnese in advocating unpopular truths. worthy of infection"
 CRUELTY TO SEAMrN-Capt Elisha Hall of Norwich. and Wm. Chapnell of Lebanon. first mate of the whale-shin Catherine. have been px- amined in Hartford before United States Com missnner. charged with cruelty to the hands on hoard. during the late voyage. lf the evidence is
 true they couple of hr"tes. a"d deserve se- were punishment. Henry Tiff cahin-hov. swnre that for " gnnG in swimming" he and another were foggsd with hoa,'s paddle. nn the hare sk,n. and then nn. in,o the large kettle in which oil is tried. filled with salt watn-. and romnn''"d to soak in it for ten hours. Ordinary kirkno beating and knocking down fill up the interstire. of this more inrenone punishment
 The United States Commissioner decided tha on every count hrnnpht against Cart' Hull. ex cent the leaving ashore of one of the sanrs they. was "nrobahla proof' sufficient 10 hold him fo trial before the hirhar Court He fxod the honr at < 0)O. and required additional snretv tr justify in flat sim. Charles Hn'l of Lebanon brciher If the can'an the bond. Mr Chap pe was released on his own bond for S250. tr appear at the same timr.