Connecticut Historical Collections

Mil. L aiNTKii,— I wish you would put this into \-our newspapei' for the complainant S(/-,— I was at Hartford a little while ago, and 1 see fulks running about streets after the gentlemen that belonged to the General A.-.-.emb]y ; and I a^ked what it was tor, and an old woman told me that they come a great way, mater of forty miles eas- terly, to find (ault with what the A.ssembly was a going to do. And what I want of you IS, to complain of it ; for it does not seem clever to have them gentlemen pestered .so by cat.s-paws, when we have got them to do all our business for us by tlRuiselves And you know when folks liave folks talking to them all the while, it will pester them. 1 wonder people will act so ; if what I once read in a book is true, " Know, villains, when stich paltry slaves presume To mix in tieasou ; if the plot succeeds, They'ie ihiown neglected bv." -Vo(. LoHdun (iu z. June 21M, 17G8. .V,.. 2U. ^ ^ , Ilir/f.u-d, X.n-cml,crW,l';':8. On Tuesday last, Avere executed on Rocky Ilill in this town, David Farnsworlh and John Blair, who were tried and found guiliv at a Division Ccuirt Martial Ijeld at Danbury the iHth inst., for being found about the enciimpment of the armies of the United States, as spies, and haviirg a large sum of couiiierfeit money about them, which they brought from New York. .p ,„ . . ,, If,n-ff,.rd, March 20,1181. I UK following IS an extract ot his cxcrjlenry fleneiiil Washington's orders of the 17lh instant. Alexander Mc D.,uall, l.iif li.MHriiaiii ;miU adjulant of Colonel Welles' regimeni of the stale troops of ( 'nnuetiimi, having Ik^ui. by a generni couit martial of the line, held at Hartford the 7lh day uf Aburl,, 17,-s|, whereol Colonel Heman Swift was President, found guilty of dr. e. Hon tn il,e ri,,-my, ;ui. I by the said court martial sentenced to sutler dejith fur the s-iine, ;igi r(;al,|e ii, the -ixth seeiiun ol the lirst Ariieleof Wai ; which senienee is oubre,! to 1 e put i,. . xeruiion on Wednesday, the •Jlst in.sianl, at llaiiloid, between the h^uis ..f ten in the Joieiioun and Ihiee in the atiernoon ol the same day. Ilartfnrd, .Mai, 20, 1781. O.v Saturday the I'Jth mst. his excellency General "W^a.sliiiiirtoii, accompanied by Gen. Knox, Gen. Du Portail, and their resjie'ctiye suites, ai i ived at Weiheislield • being eseoried inti. town by a number of ;,^eutlemeii ln.m ] laiinud and Weiheisfield' As he disuiounied at his ([uariers he was saluted bv the diM'haige (d' thirteen cannon' by the corps o( Artillery, under ihe eou, maud ..I Capt 1m e.lei lek Bull. Gn Monday the aist instant, Ins e.xerUeney ll.eCountdu i;,.el,ainbea w, cun.nianUmg the a. my of Ins most Chiisliaii Alajciy at Newfioil, fien. ('lialieleu, ami llii ir suites arrived at Wetherslield. They weie met at Haitlord, l.y Ins e.veeilene\ Geiieial Washington, the olheerscd- the army, and a number nf genijemen, ulu. ae, nmpained them to Wetherslield, where they were saluted with the disediai ge ol Cannon, livery mark of attention and politeness wer,' shewn their ex-eelleuicies, and the other L'cnilemen of the allied armies whilst attending the convention. ■ ,. ,, I hi rl ford, Frbruarii 2b, 1182. To his excellency the Governor of the Slate ol ( 'Mnneen.-iil. Phihtil'IplKa. January 10, 1182. ,St;-,— His majesty has been inluimed ol the maik.s ol |oy, which the Slate of Con- necticut has shewn on the ocasmi, of ihebnih ..f ihr Ab-nsei-ner the Dauphin. He views with a great deal of satisjuetion ihe pan ihai the (in/ei,:- of \,,ur slaie have ta- ken in this happy event. The King orders ine to leslily'^his sensibilily on tins subject, ine t(i assure l.cc li/.i lis ;iii(l iiitial.i a 11 Is- ( r llu Sin iiid ul lh(j |)ai iL-ul; 1 11 ll'lC^l \ vlncli „• slm 1 al\ ajs 56 II A U T I' O K and at tlie same time cliar;,'( Connecticut (.»r his aUeuliui) in tlieii prosperiiy. I have the honor to be, with re.sj)ectrul attaclimciit, your excelh-riey's vcrv olifdieiit, humble servant, LF. C] li: VAl.lKIl 1)1-: LA UI'/llIlINi:. L'onnccticuL Journal., .Vi/. bUIJ. Jlnr/fonl, Jaintanj 1, 1783. At the Supreme Court, now silling in this cily, tlie I'uilow ini,' jiersoii.'i luive been convicted and sentenced, viz. Moses Parker, I'ur horse -siealiug, lo .sit un a wooden horse iiall' au hour, receive (ilteen stripes, pay a line ol' £10, be cunrintd in j<aol and the worli-house lliree moiitiis, and eveiy Monday morning lor tlie lirst nioiuh to re- ceive ten stripes and sit on the woollen horse as aiuresaid. Moses I'isk, of Aliddielown, I'or counterfeiting Treasurer's certificate, to receive twenty stripes, pay a tine ot' £20, and be confined six monllis. Judali Benjamin, for polygamy, (lie having married a wife in Symsbuiy, wlien lie had another living in Massachusetts,), to receive ten stripes, be bianded wiili ihe letter A, and wear a halter abuut liis neck during his conliiiuanee in tins State ; and if ever fountl with it oil' to receive tiiiily stripes, Tlie Supreme Court at their present .session, has tried and convicted several per- sons of the Climes of forgery, horse stealing and bigamy, and the villains leceivi-d their respective punishments. One of the rogues w"as sentenced to riiie the iroadcu hcnsc, that wonderl\il relJnement ol' punishment in uiir modein siatiites. Aecoidintrly on Thursday last, the terrible mncliine was )nepared— consistnig of one siin|ile stiek of wood, supported by four legs ; and by order of the sherilf placed on the Slate House square. Hither thepiisnnei was CDnducted, and being pie\ ioiisly w ell bn(,teil and spurred by the ollicer, w.as inciiiiicd on the oalceii stiul. tleie lie ciailinued for half an hour, laugliini? at his du n tale, and making diversidu fur a niiiiieruus IkkIv ol'spi'C- tator.s who honored hiin with their company, lie took several starts loi a race w iili the best horses in the city ; and it was dillieult to determine who wen- most pleased with the exhibition, the criminal or the siieetatois. Alter this part ol the sentenee had been legally and faithfully executed, the culpnt was dismounted and led to tin: whipping post, where Ihe duties made him mure serious. The whole was i»'iJoimed with great order and rcgulaiity. — Connccliciit Coiirunl, .\(i. loll. TiiK new Theatre in this city was opened (jn Monday evening last, with a celebrated comedy, entitled, the I )riiinatisl, jirceeded by a handsome and pertineni a.tdiess, by Mr. liodgkiiisun. Fiuin the specimen ihat has been given of the ainliiies (,1 ihe per- formers, and the assiirarc.' of the managers, ih.-it they will socundml the Thetiiie, that it may be jiisil\- styled a Mjhuul uf molality; ,| i> piesi.nn-d ihai il u ill !..■ a gieal souiee uf iii,-li ueliuii aiid auniMinelit tu lli,.-e\ei,u \isi; n; ai,,i w ,■ u i II li:i/a i d ihe an ainiiseliienl, it is ihe m.i-l luhueeiii, ami, as a suiiii-.- nl iiiv| i n, 1 1, ,n n ,,v ih,- musi amusing of any that We have (■',•. I yil t xpei ieiir,d, "W I; ile the l he; is veil euli- ducted, on ehasle ])i iin'i|d.'^ — \^ hen \-iee is diavui in euh'is thai will di-~:;iisi, nnd vir- tue painted with all its alliiiing ehanns ii u, h(,)ir,l n will meet the ap|)iuliai luii and encouragement of the citizens, and of the iiei:.'hbui-ing lowiis. — Cunncclicul Cuurant Aug. 101 /i, 171)3. Prologue on the cstablishiiirut (if a iirw Theatre in Hartford. ]]'ritl(.n a nd spalcn bii Mr. lL,di;kLnso,i. Here, while fair peace spreads her protecting wing. Science and .Vii, seeure Irum daiii;er spi inir,' Guarded by lieeduni— streiigihei.'d by ihe laws^ Their prugiess must eurnmaiul ihe u uild's .ijiplause. While thruugh all Kurope horrid discord lei-ns, And the destructive sword crimsuns hei- ]ilaiiis: U! be it ours to shelter the opprest, Here let them find peace, liberty and rest; Upheld by Washm-tun, at whose dread name Proud Anarchy* retires w ith Jeai and shame-. Mie Western insurrection. HARTFORD. 57 Among the liberal arts, behold the Stage, Rise, tlio' oppos'd by stern fanatic rage ! Prejudice shrinks, and as the cloud gives way, Reason and candor, brighten up the day. Is'o ininjoialily now staiiis oiu' page, No vile obscenity — in this blest age. Where miiil Rklioion takes her heavenly reign, The Stage the purest precepts must mainiain: 11' from this rule it swerv'd at any time. It was the People's, not the Stage's crime. Let lliem spurn aught that's out of virtue's rule, The Stage will ever be a virtunus school. And though 'mong players some there may be found, Whose conduct is not altogether sound, The Stage is not alone in this to ])lame, Ev'ry profession will have siill the same : A virtuous seniinicnt from vice may come ! The libertine may praise a ha))i)y home ; Your remedy is good with such a teacher; Imbibe the jn-ecepl, but condemn the preacher.