Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-01-15

the St Adams Raid" the Legislature
passed law. having the following proyi-
siun-
Sec. AL idle persons, who, not having
visible means To maintain themselves, live
without employment all persons wani r
ing abroad and lodging in tayerns, gro
ccric-. out-houSes, sheds or barns, or IN the
open air. and not giving good account Of
themselves. shall be deemed Migrants.
Sec. Every person who, having his
face painted. discolored, covered, or con
ccaied, or being otherwise disguised IN
manner calculated to prevent him from
being identified and his true character dis
covered, shall appear in any road or public
highway, or in any field, lot, wood, OF IN
closure, shall be deemed yagrant.
The act further provides that such person
may be arrested without warrant by any
citizen, and on his conviction, before a just
ice, of yagrancy under the meaning Of the
act, he shall be committed to Jail for term
not exceeding six months.
1t is said that number of boys have been
sent to the Reform School by virtue of this
act, for no other offence than that Of being
Idle and having no visible means Of sup
port. tbs is wrong, of course. A boy is,
doubtless, better off at the Reform School
than in the streets. But the State has 10
right to. lay It's heavy hand on any lad who
may prefer playing marble, to attending
school. and shut him up until he has reached
majority. or until, in the Judgment Of the
Trustee of the reiormatory Institution to
which hc Is committed he has mended his
way
The necessity of such an act is no longer
apparent. The law was passed for the pro-
lection OF the people against rebel spies
from Canada, that were supposed to lie
prowling about the State during the late
war. We no longer live in daily dread of
second raid from the border, 50 We can di>-
pense with this Statute, once needful for
oar protection, perhaps, but now obnox- /
iolS since It's provisions are made to extend |
to case not contemplated at the time OF its |
passage. We learn that a bill will be intro
ducel for the repeal Of the yagrant law,
at the special session Of the Legislature
This woull seem to be business properly con-
nected with the subject Of the Reform
School.
Nt the sitting Of the Supreme Court, Sa.-
urday. this act came up for discussion, in
the case of Drew " Russell. His Honor,
Judge Barrett, took occasion to re mark that
he considered this Statute to be disgrace to
the State, and related the following incident
to Illustrate its practical working
\ man WI, found in town in Windsor
County without money, and unable "to
give 4 good account Of himself from the
fact that he spoke a language, not a word
o! which could he understood He was sent
to Jail, being yagrant by the terms of the
a;:. I But the unhappy foreigner began to pine
away under confinement, refused food. and
it was feared he would die. But by good
lnck he uttered the word Ciristiana. when
some gentleman learned in geography sug-
ge-tcd that Christiana was the capital of
Norway, and perhaps the yagrant came
from thai far of city beyond the sea. This
proved to be the case lie had left home to
find sister in the West On arriving in
New York he was robbed. lie then set out
tor the far West, and not being able to
speak a word of English he was stranded in
Windsor County, Vermont, where. as we =
have said, he could not give "a good ac-
count of himself" One of his own coun- I
trymen was sent for by some kind hearted
people. The sound of his mother tongue
brought life back to him and he was sent on !
to his sister, this time under safe protection.
We are surprised to find the Montpelier a
hafelman infringing on the patent of the
Democrats and Independents. - by the as a
sumption that the only people fLouisiana'' 5.
ire the White League Conservatives" 1t :.
vas 1.-THE people. it tells Us, that elected n
The Conservatives who were declared not !
elected 10y the Returning Board "the >.
'eople who have been attempting "to re- q.
lress their grievances by violence - 1.-The Z
whole people that have been cheated ont :,
f self-goyernment' by Governor Kellogg f.
nd the President Is the ErafcLD.an really %
aboring under the impression that the old y,
ines had been already restored in Louisiana. =,
then the advocates Of white mans GOV a.
rnment were the only citizens of Louisiana -,
ntitled to be reekoned among the people - ar
possessing rights which white men are A
ound to respect? =
Tho fit b;u ;n,ro1...l =, -