Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-06-16

your last issue in regard to the arrest of
some Frenchmen, ! infer that you were
under misapprehens.on OF the matter
entirely.
In the first place they were not arraign-
ed on complaint for disturbing the
peace, as you seem to suppose, but were
arrested under the provisions of chapter
81 of the General Statute, which makes
it duty of all peace officers to arrest.
without warrant, any person found ill.,
toXicated and disturbing the peace, and
hold them until sober and then bring
them before a Justice of the Peace to
disclose where they obtained their intox-
icatng drink. This proceeding does not
include, interfere with, or discharge from
any liability on u charge for breaking
the peace. So that your remarks about
II illegal farce" are entirely misapplicd
in this case. You also say, 1.-THE en-
pensc to the town of the legal farce
must have been something like $50, and
certainly no good could result from the
arrest" Some simple minded people
might think that writer for the public
press should know something of the mat
ter about which he writes, but you and |,
Mr.. Editor, know that it is not essential,
and SO can excuse the above statement, |
and simply say that no expense has been
paid by the town, and the town is not
liable to pay any.
As to whether any good can come from
the arrest, that is Il matter OF opinion,
and an opinion formed now may be
hereafter.
Whether said Frenchmen should be
dealt with further,is Il matter you do not
discuss; but | may say if they had been
arrested on n warrant for Il breach OF
the peace they would inevitably have
had to go to Jail, as they had no money
to pay fine, and the Justice would have
no discretion in the matter but would be
obliged to send them to Jail and then
you might find occasion to remark about
the expense to the town OF supporting
them there and their families here.
Your remark that $50 slight II penalty
rs was inflicted in the above case will
.cnd to encourage drunkenness ana en-
oolden peace breakers" loses its force
when it is known that no pen
.lty was inflicted, and that in the case
before the court none could be inflicted. +
The gist of the matter seems to be that /
;ou would have had the men punished {
or what they did, instead Of having ;
steps taken to put an end to the public !,
nuisance of furnishing such men with
he means of getting intoxicated. 1t T.:
seems to me that more permanent good
would be done by the latter, than by the :
ormcr course; but rs ! said about an
ther matter, it is matter OF opinion.
A statement being in order from the
writer of the article which called forth
he above communication, he rises to eX-
'lain. We were informed by one of the
Grand jurors thata complaint for assault
nd breaking the peace was made out
gainst the parties in due form and plac-
d in the hands of the officer with in
tructons to serve the same. 1t seems,
owever, that the officer disregarded
hese instructions. and let the prisoner
epart in peace after he had disclosed
,here he obtained the cider. Said pri-
oner can now sit all day on the banks
f the beautiful Connecticut smoking his
Id Il. d. waiting for sinner to bite,
lille his children are round the village
egging, so that he can have something
, eat when he gets home.
1t may be that there was no expense
tending the arrest and trial, but the
lstice and indifferent person" are not r
a the habit of doing such business "free !,
rats for nothing and boarding them u
elves"
What a long stride has been made to-
yards putting can end to the public neu- y
'ance Of furnishing such men with the \,
leans of getting intoxicated" viz: an \
Id citizen aged over four score years v
yas so frightened because he sold half-a G
int of cider that he went out of the
tate and remained three days.
We are not deeply "learned in legal o.
're," and we are thankful for it. If an :,
litor shall scarcely be saved, what a,
nance would there be of final salvation
II man in which the two professions pr
lawyer and editor were combined9
ye do think, however, that it is the du- TT
of an officer to make arrests when the
,pers are put into his hands tor the ';
lrpose by the proper authority. This, :,
,wever, may be the idea Of "simple ~
inded people" only. VI