The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-07-26
POWERS OF POLICE OFFICERS.

On the trial of Officer Norwood for an assault
on Col Jas. +. Stewart, tried in the City of
Washington, Judge Crawford instructed the jury
as follows:
"The special duty of police officers or auxiliary
guard Gas portion of them is called here) is to
suppress disorders occurring either in the street
within doors. If i'll passing house they should
discover disturbance within, they have the power,
and it is their duty, to enter and restore order.
That is what they employed for, that the people
shall not be disturbed in their slumbers. If for
instance, they are passing grog-shOp and there
is noise inside, it is their duty to go in and
suppress it; and if an officer, in endeavorng to
perform his duty in this respect, is killed in the
melee, it would be murder 1t has been so
decided over and over again. The rule in relation
to constables is, that they cannot arrest without
first obtaining warrant, unless they themselves
were witnesses of the alleged violation of peace
and order.
"In the case of police officers they have greater
power; it is precisely what they are employed for.
Whether or not there ample cause in this case
for the arrest Of the party is question of fact for
you to determine and that with which the Court
has nothing to do; but if there was disorder there
at that time, it was the duty of the officer to arrest
the parties who were creating this disturbance If
persons will violate the laws, they must suffer the
consequence of such violation; they are not to be
or anything of that sort. If the disorder existed
the officer was right; if it did not exist it was
unnecessary. The cruelty and severity may be
wrong, but still the officer is to arrest him if
disorderly The officer, it is not to be supposed
can always consider how gently or how roughly he
may treat prisoner; they are very apt to resist,
pull back and all that kind of thing, and the officer
Is authorized to use much power necessary
to effect the performance of the law"
CANAL BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC.
\ London correspondent of the Washington States
say that among the specializing schemes on foot
in that city is Il plan for forming company for
the opening of the canal between the Pacific and
Atlantic Oceans, called the Attrato river canal.
The plan is thus stated, viz: To cut tunnel 81
miles long under the Cordilleras, beginning at
Humboldt's bay in the Pacific; then to dig g.!
miles through the Truando valley; then to deepen
the Truando river, and proceed to the Atlantic by
the Attrato river, which is said to be navigable
for the largest vessels. The capital required for
the whole work is S75,000000, or Els 100000;
and it is contemplated to invite the United States
government to join the governments Of England
and France in either advancing, by equal shares
the funds necessary for the operation, or by
guarantyng to the dis5ursers the neutrality of the
can;l, when companies will be formed to perform
the work with private capital
SUGAR.-Mr. j. l.. Patton, of Swannanoa, has
laid upon our table a specimen of brown Sugar,
manufactured by him from the Chinese Sugar
Cane. 1t seems to be we'll grained, and altogether
a very fair article of brown sugar. As many of
our citizens cultivating the Cane this year, it
may interest them to know that sugar can be made
from it-AMerWe Ne,cS
PolsONED.-We regret to learn, says the
Huntsville (Tenn.) Advocate that on Saturday or
Sunday last, the family of Dr. Sullivan, in the
eastern mart of this comfy with s,me visitors