F_rom- the Connecticut ,H'eral_d.
HARD TIMES.‘
(See B_vion’s “ Darkness.”)
I had a dream which was not all a dream:
The. “ monster"
Banks
Did pay no specie on their offered notes,
Lawless‘ and cashless, and the iron lids
Swung loose and grating on the coinless vaults.
Clerks cauie and went,» and came and brought
no cash:
And men forgot their dinners in the dread
Of this their desolation; and all their hearts
\Vere starved into a selfish prayer for money :
And they made change of paper—and the robes,
The linen of great men, the shirts,
The garments of.-ill those in need of change,
'\Vereturned to paper. Property was assigned,
And rqen were gatliered_ at their mortgaged
ionies,
To look once more upon each other's notes,
Happy were they who dwelt within the eye _
Of the “Great Magus,” and who knew his
“crib!”
A fearful hope was all the land contained.
Projects were set oti foot—but hour by hour
They fell and faded, and the kindled hope _
Extiuguished—still, no casli—all, all was vain.
The affairs of men beneath the pressing times
‘Vote an_ unseemly aspect, as by scores
The losses fell upon them. Some men went
And hid their keys, and broke; and some did
rest ’
Their chins upon their clenched hands, and
smiled; ,
And others hurried to and fro and soothed
'Tlieirduns with promises, and looked up
-WVi_th mad disquietude at the dull times, _
‘The blight of the whole land; and then again
"With curses cast them down upon their seats,
And shut their, books, and failed. Creditors
' vroaned,
'~And tertiified did hurry round and round, '
)k'nd show their useless bills; insolvent debtors
’<Canie tame and tremulous ; and sheriffs pushed
And thrust themselves among the multitude,
Tiireateniiigbut harmless-they were held in
scorn.
The land was but one thought--and that was
ruin, _ .
Immediate and inglorious; alltl-§l~A_lle pang
Ofdeep distress fell upon all miiids. Men
Failed, and their notes were as useless as their
. . ratrs
The ruinzd by the ruined were attaclied—-
Even servants sued their masters, all save one,
And he was faithful to a miser, and kept
The clerks, and duns, apd oflicers at.bay.,
Till patience failed them, or some fairer game
Liired them away——liimselfsought out no cash,
But with a piteotis and perpetual riioaii, "'
And a faint cry “ hard times," taking the hand
\Vhicli answered not with the bright coin-he
failed.
The crowd was ruined by degress; but two
Of an enormous city didisurvive,
And they were rivals; and they met beside
The bending frame of an old merchants’ desk,
§Vliore had been heaped a. mass of unpaid
. bills, ’ ..-.-.
\Vith unpaid usury; and they picked up,
And anxious opened with their tremblitig hands
The doubtful paper.-, and, with feeble hope,
Strove for a little credit, gaiiiiug a name
‘.Vhich was a mockery; and they fastened up
Their signs as they grow bolder--and thus saw
Each other’s prospects-—saw, and sued, and
failed,
Even of their mutual rivalry they failed,
Unkuowiug who he was upon whose brow
Ruin had written fool. Cities were void:
And business men and traders were a throng,
.-Cteditless, cashless, joyless, spiriiless,
A ruined throng, the chaos of hard times,
Banks, couuting=rooins_=, exchanges, all were
still, ‘
And nothing stirred within theirsilent. walls.
Goods marketless lay rotting on the shelves;
Store-houses dfell down picce—ineal; as they
droppe
They lay upon the ground without repair,
Business was dead; credit was in its grave;
The Bank. its mistress, had expired before;
Industry withered with the stagnant times,
And paupers perislicd. Hard Times had no
need
Of aid from them——she was sole tyianness.
& ...__n_, ._.._s .......__..a..
ODDS AND ENDS:
New England lVool Crop.——\Vool has be-
come the principal staple ofNew England, and
‘its production is rapidly multiplying the num-
ber of rich farmers in all parts of its t.errl10ry-
There are supposed to beiu Vermont 1,000,911
sheep; in New Hampshire 465,178; in Con-
necticut 300,000, and in Massachusetts, Maine,
{bode Island, enough to make up the round
number of 6,774,000. The value of the
uriiiital wool crop is cstittiatcd at -‘$173.1?-)é_3,1lZ3.
—-Silk Culturist.
The Van Burcn papers are constantly charg-
ing upon the Banks, it preconcertcd action to
suspend payment to harrass the g0V(’.l‘t1Il]C[ll.~,—
7
Phase consummate siuipleions forget that the
first Banks whicli stopped were governtneiit ll!-
stitutious, Pet Banks, containing the funds of
the national treasury. The Dry Dock stopped
1 first in New York, aml a Pet Bank in St Louis.
,i\'orl/taniplon. Courier.‘
Brcaking.——A correspondent of the Nal(:llC’,€
Courier asks, " if the government lvre is still
strungto the ttine of ' None break but those who
deserve it ?' If the interrogator will turn to the
files of the Globe, he will find that the liar has
— .,..been silenced on that note—the government it-
self being among the broken.-_—.-Courier (59 Eng.
Astonishing increase of C’/ii4:a.q'o.—Tlie fol-
lowing facts must excite the wonder of all who
have not studied the geographical advantages of
this city, wlii‘cli, four or five years ago was a
mere waste plain, a military outpost on our
Western frontier, with nothing to mark the spot
but “three smokes,” one from the garrison and
the others from a couple of log huts,
Post Q[]icc Receipts.
1833 Receipts in Post Office, 53 G85 00
1s3.i « 1532 on
1535 -« H 22 00
2335 u it 559.5 00
\ During the same time, we notice that the ten-
fiage has increased from seven hundred to sixty
thbusand tons. \Vhat the future increase of this
place must be, which in so short a period has
experienced such an astonishing growth in its
, business and population of eight thousand in-
liabitants, we will not attempt to predict. Tliese
facts set all ordinary calculations at defiance.
I/V/iolesome Advice.--'_l‘lie Salisbury (England)
iHeriild gives the following:
' For afit of Idlcncss.-—Count the tickings of a
clock; do this for one hour, and you will be
‘glad to pull off your coat the next, and work like
11 neg'r°- ’ ., ,._,, ,.
CF07’ u Fit ofEnl,ravagdnc_.é_’a~7td Eallg/.—-Go to
the workhouse, or speak with the tagged and
wretched jrimfiyes of a _]all, and you will be con-
vinc‘éd;"~’ .f ’ ’ - _ .
~ Who makes his bed of briar and thorn,
Mufit he Ct meat to lie forlorn.
,1?qr a Fit. of Ainbition.--Go into the church-
yard, and read the grave stories; they will tell
you the and pf pmbition. The grave wtllbc
5
>-
was extinguished, and the.
_._" ‘Will ‘the reader pl,ease to picture on apart-
.___..._._...- ____
VQL. XX.
your bed-cliamber, the earth your pillow, cor-
ruption your father, and the worm your mother
and your sister.
For (1 Fit of Rc1i[2iz'n_.q'.-—I..oolr about for the
belt and the blind, and visit the bedridden and
afflicted, and deranged; and they will make you
asliained of complaining of your lighter afflic-
time.’
For a Fit QfDcsponcZenc_7/.-—Looli on the good
things which God has given you in this world,
and at those which he has promised to his fol-
lowers in the next. He who goes into the gar-
den to look for cobwebs and spiders, no doubt
will find them ; while he who looks foi'_a flower,
may return into his house with one blooiiiing in
his bosom.
, .
Pcrti-nan! Rctoi-l.—-The Cincinnati Republi-
can, a f.li‘oroug'li—going administratioii. paper,
concludes :1 column of angry editorials, on the
subject of the currency. as follows :
“ lVc new charge the cmbai'rass~nicnf of the
country; upon the opposi/ion. LET THEM
PROVE THEIR -INNOCENCE.”
VV‘hereupon Charles Hammond, the ablcst
VVhig editor of the west, winds tip the Van Bu-
ren man thus:
Itused to be held the duty ofa man who made
a charge, to prove it—and for this good reason,
that guilt was not to be presumed without proof
to support it. If this rule is changod,I propose
to fast its operation in an individual case:
We charge that the negro infant found in the
belly of the great cat—fisli, caught in the Ohio,
below Louisville, was thrown into the river by
the editor of the Republican. “Let him prorc
his innocence.”
The official paper of Saturday contains along
article ilesighetl to show, “that the banl; over
which Mr. Biddle presides was on the verge of
bankruptcy, when the general suspension ofspe—
cie payment by the banks enabled him to cover
his insolvency, under the common plea ofsaving
specie for aresiiniption ! !”
The cflroiitery of the Globe is quite equal to
that of the Jesuit who insisted that the light of
the sun was an optical illusion. But; it answers
the purpose. Ifit should say water runs up hill
some people would believe it.—Ncwatr/c ._/.l.t,[v._
Auful _/loorl in .Bultiniorc.—Dcstruc(ion of
p'ro_pcr(_// and loss Q/"livcs.—'1‘lie city of Baltimore
was yesterday, Friday. visited with a calamity,
greater, pcrliaps, than any with which it has ever
been alliicted. The au'ne:;ed details are from
the Patriot:
“ Last evening the city was visited by a vio-
lent storm ofthundci=anr_l liglituiug, accompanied
with heavy rain, which particularly between
lialfpas_t nine and two o'clock, poured incessant-
ly and in torrents; the clouds frequently seein-
ing to open and pour down their contents in
floods. Between one and two o'clock, the time
when the citizens generally are buried in the
deepest sleep, the alarm was given that the
stream which runs through the city, known by
the name of Jones’ falls, had overllowcd, and
that the water was ‘pouring into different streets
and alleys, filling the lower stories and cellars
of houses, and sweeping every thing before it.—
The uuseasonable hour and the stormy charac-
ter of the night, combined to make it diflicult to
rou.-2e the inhabitants even in those quarters
wh_i':h the itnpetuotts element had invaded and
was threatening with devastation. So suddenly
and unexpectedly did the \ ’,'.ll(?l' rise, that the in-
mates of iiiauy houses in the Meadows and the
vicinity had scarely time to leave their beds in
safety; while others, of whom we shall treat
liereafter, were hurried from sleep to death.
without any forewarning, and probably without
any consciousness of their fate. The aspect
presented by the inundateddistrictstliis morning
was deplorable and awful indeed. Cellars and
‘lllCill'Sl floors filled with water-—itinuiiierable
small houses undermined and fallen iii—valua-
hle furniture clestroyeil-_—inaiiy ofthe streets
blocked up with lumber, barrels, carts, drays
and other things, carried off and £_1CCtllTl.lJlalC(l
by the force of the current.
‘But however deplorable is this destruction
of valuable property, it is still more nielauclio-
ly to reflect on the number of human beings
who have been brought to an untimely end. It
is impossible now to ascertain the extent of the
loss ofliunian life, but there is great reason
to appreliend that many have been drowned
and carried down the stream. The dead lioui
of the iiightwlieu the water began to swell.
the stream found those who were in the most
danger wrapped in sleep, and the fearful con-
flict of the elements without, deterred many
from escaping from their homes till escape was
impossible. Sotne of those whom a sense of
superior duty had called ft‘On1_lllCll' homes to af-
ford assistaiice were soon called back to save
their own property from destruction and their
wives and children from a watery grave.
TI-LE LOVER’S QUARREL.
/H Alas! how slight a cause may move
{_ Dissentioii between hearts that love.”
ment in the mansion of Lord llartly, appropriat-
ed to the use of his daughter, the Lady Caroline
Alton-—lier dressing-room.-'*It was about nine
o‘clock by the French dial, upon which her eyes
were fixed; Her manner was abstracted and
serious; she appeared to be thinking of any
thing rather than what her maid was speaking of,
which was, whether “ my lady would choose to
wear pearls to night,” upon the fourth repetition
of which question the lady turned impatiently.
and answered, “Yes—no—stay; I do nott/Li-u/c
I will go," and the_n relapsed into her previous
abstraction-
Lady Caroline Alton was an only child; a
great beauty, a great heiress, and a lcctle spoiled.
She was generous and kind-liearted to all, but‘
capricious and self-willed to many, and ainong-
the rest, to one who the least deserved, and was‘
the least disposed to bear it. The one we speak
of was Charles Leslie, ti gcilflcmctll in the true
sense ofthe term, that is to say, he had a noble
heart._ioined to a clear head : he saw the faults of
Lady Caroline, and sometimes trembled for their
future peace, but he remarked that she had not a
mother to guide her, and that her father was too
much immersed in politics, and too proud ofher
to notice and check her impetuositv ; he re-
nieiiibered too—bu_t what will not a lover rc-
, Bntto return-——Leslie‘lind tlispleascdliei‘ about
_cidcutally of course, have pressed her arm, and
“ i)oN"i' civic Us THE smit.”
cause-oftlie lady’s abstraction. Leslie and her-
selfhatl met at a partytlie previous evening and
had not scpaiatetl the best of friends. Among
many others of the same stamp who were as-
by their glitter to dazzle and amuse, but are of
no cartlily use besides. He was light, vain and
liandsonie, just such a one as Lady Caioliiic
would like to flirt witlione hour and f()t'g(.'[‘lltC
next; but ‘Leslie was no adrnirerofflirting. and
of Henry Mordauiit and__his “own Caroline.”-—
some trifle, so she dcterniined to vex him by re-
cci_vin_r_:{, not 1.lllWllllll_I_'l_‘_,' it would seem, the flat-
terics and attentions of Mordauut; this had been
carried so far the night before, that when eti-
conragctl by her manner and glad of an oppor-
tunity to annoy Leslie, he had asked her to waltz,
she coiiseuted. This she knew was sufficient to,
annoy him at any time. \Vliat a pity love is so ‘
selfish a passion I ~ .
As is usual in all cases, one wrong‘ step led
to another. In waltzing, lllortlaunt iiiust, ac-
not at all disposed to conquer his dislike in favor . trii.-:iou_. of ours, Gentle lleatlcr ‘,1
in so doing unclaspcd the bracelet which she al—1
ways wore. Leslie was standing looking on
with a very composed counteiiaucc, and a very:
indignantaiid angry heart, when the bracelet fell ‘
near his feet; his first impulse was to walk.
away, but he repressed it until be deposited the
orniiment in his waistcoat pocket, he then left the
l‘O0Il‘l,.€ltlt.l Caroline saw no more of liiui fortlie
evening. She returned home intoxicated with
flattery and proud of her new conquest, but with
a vague, restless, uneasy feeling at her heart.
The morning came, and with it visitors in
plenty, but not him who was the most regular,
and, to tell the truth, the most welcome of all.—
She inquired, but no card had been left. She
remembered promising hloi'i.lauiit the night be-
fore iliat she would see him at the Opera that
night, and she was now licsitaling wlietlicr or
not she would keep her promise, and wondering
how Charles’ Leslie would return her bracelet,
or whether it would be proper for her to ask liiiu
for it. “ lt is nine o’clock,” she re icatcd to licr—
sclf, 9‘ nine o’clock, and he has riotlieeu all day!
[am sure there was not much in my waltziug
and singing duets with Mordaunt, and if there
were, it was Charles’ fault; he certainly has a
very bad temper. How stupid of me,” she con-
tinued, as_lier maid again reminded her of dress-
ing, how ridiculous of me to wait, he will be
sure not to COl1‘.(.‘fl(7“J~‘, and it is of no coiisc.;ii‘c-rice“
to me if he does not come at till." But her
heart cast back the asstytioii, and when the next
moment a cgiliriolctstopp-.vl at the door. it set her
heart trctiiliifitg. and her CTlCC‘liS blushingiin a
very ominous manner. She heard him enter
the drawiiig-room, and calling tip her courage
and coolness to assist her, went to join liiin.—-—
He was standing at a table reading—oh ! most
unfortunate—a card from Henry -Mordauut,
which he had, for the first time, presunied that
day to leave‘at her door. Leslielaid it down on
her entrance. “Good evening Lady Caroline,"
said he, in the coldest possible tone. The lady
returned the greeting with as cold a bow_. she
dared not. trust her voice. Tliere was a short
silence, the gentlciiiaii was evidently hesitatiug
how to begin. He tiizide up his iuind at last,
however, and taking great pains to speak in a
calm steaily voice, wl:ic_li in spite ofhitii would
treniblea little, said:
“I took the liberty of intruding at this hour,
Lady Caroline Alton, as it is probable I may not
have another oppoi'lt.'nity previous to my leaving
England.”
The lady started almost from her seat, but
Leslie had been looking quite in a contrary di-
re-ction, and when he heard the rustling of her
dress, you might have traced a gleam of satis-
faction on his face, but it disappeared instantly
on his turning and perceiving her playing with
her dog which lay on the ottoman at her feet.
and paying much greater attention to him than
to the haughty gentleman opposite her. ' 1-lo rc-
sumccl in a ninch firmer voice ! ‘
“Your conduct of last evening was quite
suflicientto convince metliatl had lost. any little
interest I once flattered myself that 1 possessed
over your heart; for had not that been the case,
regard for my own feelings, even had you mine
for your own character, would have liirbiddun
your very remarkable behavior towzzrds that pup-
py, tliat.coiisnmmato fool, tliat—tliat—l beg
your pardon, Mndatii, towards Mr. Henry Mor-
datuit. I iiaveto return also atrinkctwliichyou
droppctl last night while waltzing.”
It is not ati easy task to describe at any time
the various and rapid feelings of a liumau heart,
and that heart a woman’s. all we will say in the
present case is, that indignation, surprise, sorrow
and pride, were all busy with Lady Caroline,
the last nientioued gained the victory for the time
and she rose as he offered the bracelet, clmek,
neck and brow were crimsoned with passion, and
she spoke fast and thickly.
“ Excuse me. sir, it. is I who have to return
that trinket, and to express my regret at ever
having accepted it. The foolish professions
uiade on both side ‘ ;.-the time of the gift, had,
better, nay, iiide’ .- shall be f()fgOll.t'll. I aiu
glad my coiiductoflast uiglitsavcs me tlietroub-
le of expressing my feelings, and congratulate
you on yourtaleut for reading manner so perfect-
I '99
Now, Charles Leslie had by no mcaiiscalcu-
latcd on such a speech, and it had exactly the
same effect upon him as his had previously had
on the lady, that. of making him more angry,
more indignant and more proud than ever; so,
drawing on his white gloves in such a manner as
indicated that he really was in earnest, that is to
say, at the expense ofa fracture to one of them
from top to bottom, he aiiswerctl, “ Such being
the case, Madam, .I will intrude on your valiia-
ble time no longer,” and taking up his hat, and
‘walking towards the door, he curled his visit with
the same words in which he coniuienced——“Good
evening Lady Caroline !’’---and disappeared.
It is not to be supposed that Caroline had retirin-
ed her composure without a severe struggle, and
now, when there was no longer a necessity for it,
tiow she was alone (alone, indeed I he had just
gone, and for ever!) she had been all coldness
and pride, and appeared as though she had never
member or invent in cxtcuuation of the loved
one ! . -
-—— ——_-...._._.'.___.-_,.-...._.;_.___. .._ .._.... ....
l‘€®R‘WAE.K. Conn. W7E%3BNEi3@.¥BA.‘1t’., .E'EI1’W:‘. es, tea .
. ..._-_‘:r_.-.--._.. -____;_. ....- - - -- - -- --vv~--—~
- - - - 'l l i. . - ‘ ~ . . . . ,
He ‘had lt_iiown _her from a r:lii.d, and hail , lows of the sofa, .~‘llC.“.()lIlJ(E(l in llllt.‘llSL‘. gricl. Slit‘
some time since given her :1 bracelet in which’
was set his miniature; this bracelet. wasnow the-
litlitl rciiiaincd so liir some l!lllllll(‘..<, when it hunt:
l0flCll('tl hcr slioulder; slic :l1ll'lt‘(l-—ll'Cll|l)lCll
vloleiitly-—litit dared not look up; she knew that
lie was beside her, and u witiic-...s to all her weak-
ness. llc had returned with tlioititeiitioii of toll-
ing llCl' that he should leave Eiiglnuil the follow-
seiiililet.l at the party, was a Mr. Mordaunt, oiie*,t’i'T_l_7.E'_\vr:cl;, but that was forglotten ; licr conduct,
- ~ . , t . .‘ .. t . . , . ’ . .
01 ‘l mC°.l“°‘l.V ”“ll‘*‘l ‘ I13”/»€’./llfvai “ll0 SBIVO l l~DT'.’:li words and all were forgotten. lortlie sake
oftliose tears. llc laid his hand on licrslioiiltler.
.'.i'fcw low wliispered words were uttered of re-
penlaiice and forgiveness ; slic SUlll.‘l'(~.‘tl herself
to be tli'zi\vu.ncarer to him, his arm ciicirclcd her
waist and But is it not a most ui'ifuir in-
\Vc will be
guilty ofthe rudcnc.-:s no loiiger: snlllccit, these
two protinl, intlignaiit, 2iIi,j_:_i‘y people, were the
best fiieiitls iii the world in live tiiintitcs, and of-
lCl‘Zll'lUlllCl' ‘word or two alxout “ that puppy .fl_l()l‘—
dauut,” it was all over.
And well do vaitiislu-il frowns culiance
The cliarui ofevcry liciglitciicd glance,
.-'\nd tl:’3ll'0t_‘ scciiis naizli iliiivniiig Slllllt}
For liaviug lost its light awhile.
"i‘i'iE D; NE§UR"1' ELll;‘.C'£‘i€_DN.
‘Ncgivo below, the Reports ofthe Committee
on Contested Elections in the Danbury case, as
pronii_scrl_ last week 2 .
REPORT or 'run .\E.-‘.JORI’t‘Y.
The Committee of Elections, to whom was
referred the petition of Oliver Shepard and oth-
L’l‘.V,k:".l:~)Ci.Ol'S of the town of Dniibiiry, have had
the same under Consider.-ition, and heard the
p:ii".ics with their ivitiiesscs‘, testimony and
counsel, and respectfully beg leave to report:
.'l'hat the town of Danbury bciiig entitled to
two Rcprcsciitatives in the Assembly, on the (5th
day of Mzircli, 1837, at a Special Town Meet-
ingitidopted the following resolution, viz_:
“ ffCSOfL7C’(f, That this t;own do agree to vote
for Ptepreseiitativcs on the 1st Monday of April
next, on two pieces of paper, and that two bal-
lot boxes for receiving votes for Representa-
tives be kept. open from 11 0’cl0cl: in the fore-
noon until 5 o’clock in the afternoon ofthe same
day; and that said boxes be labeled for 1st Re-~
prescn‘.ative, and 17:1 I’tepresciitative.”
At the Electors Meetiiig, on the 1st Moiitlay
of April, 1837, two ballot boxes were prepared,
one ‘labeled 1st Representative, and the other
2d Representative; which boxes were opened
for the reception of votes for Rcprcseiitntives at
11 in the moriiiug and were iiept open until 5
in the afternoon, when the boxes were closed
and the votes counted, and it ttppearctl that in
the box labeled 1st Rcpreseutzitivc, the votes
StOG’l*lR follows :
l\":‘t’.li:-.niel H. \Vi~ldmaii had 419 votes, David
D. ‘»Vildniai~i 413 votes, Jose; li Taylor 3 votes,
Peter Biiriiiim 3 votes, Nathan Seclcy 1 vote-—
iii all 8239 votcs——wliercupon the Moderator do-
clarcd to the incetiiig that. no choice had been
made of 1st Representative. The committee
find that the votes for Nathaniel H. \Vildman
and David D. W'ildman, had written or printed
on them the words 1st R.C_D1‘(‘S0lll.Eti.'lVP; and the
votes for Peter Bariititii and Joseph Titylor had
writteii or printed on them the words ‘3d Repre-
scntiitivo.
The Committee furtlicr find, that one Horace
Sturges, while said ballot boxes were open for
the reception of votes, by uiistake put a vote
for Joseph Taylor, -with the words 2d Represen-
tative iiidorsed on said vote, into the box labeled
1st 1?.,eprcsentat,ive, when he intended to have
voted for Nathaniel H. Vtfildiiiaii ; that iiiimedi-
ately after he had so voted he discovered his
iiiistakc, and requested the officer who had
charge of the box to hand him back his vote ;
this the officer declined doing, altliciigli inform-
ed at the time of the uiistiilic, and altliougli the
vote of Mr. Sturgcs could have been distiuguisli-
ed frctii the other votes in the box, as the officer
liiuisclftestified, and tliereupoii Mr. Sturges vot-
cd for Natlianicl H. \Vildmari whom he intend-
ed to have voted for in the box labeled 1st Re-
prcseiit_at;ive, in the box labeled 2d Representa-
tive.
Your Committee are of opinion that the three
votes in said box for Joseph Taylor, and the
three votes for 1’ .-for Barnum, on,r:lit not to have
operated to prevent a choice of Representative,
as they were ovidciitly intended for the box la-
beled 2d Represciitative-—aiitl if counted as
scat.’tc1'iiig votes in the box in which they were
found, might have the effect of preventing the
election of the. same individual that the electors
who deposited them supposed they were voting
or.
Your Comniittce are also of opinion,tli:tt the
vote of Mr. Sturges ought to have been handed
back to him, and he permitted to vote for the
individual be supposed he was voting for.
Your Committee also find that. one Phillip
Dattchv, who voted for David D.VVilduian, was
not anyclccter of the town of Danbury at the
l.llllC of voting; that one George Monroe who
voted "ii; Nathaniel II. VVililumn, was not an
elector éef said town at the time of voting: that
the votes of Levi Green and Anson S. Osborn,
one of whom off red to vote for Nathaniel H.
V,Vll(lll‘.{tIl, and one of them for David D. VVild-
man, were improperly rcjecteil by the Moderator,
they both being electors of said town of Dan-
btiry.
The C_omniitter~. further find, that a.t. the ad-
jourued Electors Iileetiiig, at which David D.
VVildman, the sitting member, was deelarcd to
have been elected, the ballot boxes were closed
twenty minutes befoi'c'5 o’clock ; but they do
not deem it; expedient. to express any opinion
upon the effect; of closing said boxes before the
time fixed by the resolve of the town, as they
are of opinion that upon the fticts above stated,
an election of Rep_reseiitat.i\-'e w lii€i.ilC by the.
electors voting in the box labeled Isl. R.r—=pi'csc~iit-
ative, on the first Monday of April, 1837.
Thereupon, your coinmittee find. that the
whole iiuiiibor of legal votes, deposited in the
ballot box, labeled lst Representative, exclti-
sive of the votes deposited in said box by mis-
take, and excludiiig the votes of Dauchy and
‘llflonroe, and including the votes of Gi'n_cn and
Osborne, Kl1)]propcf]y rejected by the Modern-
toi-,') were.-8:3:1,—-tlia't of this iuiinbcr Natliniiiel
[_-I. VVildniaii received and ought to have receiv-
ed the ntimbcr of 420 votes, or iiiiiajority of six
votes, of the whole number deposited in said
box. The Committee thereupon present the
accompanying resolutions to the House, and re-
commend their adoption.
All which is respectfully subiiiittcd,
heard" of such it thing as a heart, was all tender-
’ness.€.1n.tl sorrow, and burying her face in the pil-
By order of the Committee, ,
JOEL IIINMAN, Ch’n.
N0. 16.
.\..u--u.—<... _.- .— ,_
]iEl‘()l{'l' OF THE MINOR.IT'{
Of the Uoiiimittee on Coiite.-ztetl ldlcctions, to
whom was referred lllf‘1l'(!lllOllSll'ZlllCC of Oliver
_Shepard and oilicrs, dillbring in opinion from
the ','.ewso,l the ll't.'l]t')rlly.
Upon Ilic licaiing bcfiire the committee. it ap-
peared that the town of Danbury, at a l:t\\ful
ti;~'.vii meeting held on the 10th of Marcli, 15357,
at D.tiiil.>iii‘yt, passed the ll.lli)Wlllg vote, vi’/.:
“ Riesolveil, Tliat this town do agree to vote for
Representatives on the first Moiitlay of April
next, on two pieces of paper, and that two ballot
boxes for recci'.'iiig votes for represeiitatives be
kept open from clcvcii o‘i;locl~; iii the forenoon
until five o'clock in the afternoon of the satne
day, and that said boxes be labeled for first
reprc.~:cntativc." ln piir.<.nam:e ofsaid vote, hal-
lot boxes were provitlcd and labeled as tliereiti
directeil, and used for the reception ofthe votes
ofclcctors of said town at their nieotiiignii the
lirstV.\l.0.tHla_v of April last. Many ofthe‘ ballots
deposited in lllCS() boxes for representatives were
printed, and had in additimi to ilie name of the
t.'.'llldl(lLllC the words “first represciilative” and
otlicrs the words “second representative” there-
on. No exception was taken as to the time of
tiny when the boxcs were opt,-ncd orclosed on the
said first Monday of April. After closiiig the
boxes on that day, the ballots in the box labelled
"first i‘epreseiitn:ive” were sorted and counted,
and found to stand asafollows, viz: for Nath’l
lI_. \Vildman, -llfl-David D. \Vildniau: ~1l3——
Joscpli Taylor, .‘,§—-—Pcter lrlziriiuni, 3--Natliau
Seclcy, l—iiial~;ing in the whole, 539. On the
three ballots for Peter Barnnni, and on the three
ballots for Josepli ’l‘zi_vlor were the words “ se-
cond representative” whereupon the presiding
olliccr declared that there was no choice. After
declaring the votes in the box labeled ‘9 first rc-
presciitiitivc,” the votes in the box labeled “ se-
cond representative” was sorted and counted,’
and foiiud to stand thus: for Peter Barnum,
-115 —-—Joseph Taylor, -.l-'l0——Natli‘l H. \Vildman,
G—David D. \Vilduiau, 3-83-l.-., On the six
ballots for Natli‘l ll. V'v'ildiiiau and the three
ballots for David 1). \Vilduian, in addition to
their iiatiics were the words ,9‘ first icprcsc.iitative"‘
and the presiding oflicer thereupon declared
there was no choice.
It did not appear in evidence to the comniittce,
that the town of Danbury had passed any other
vote i‘egiilatin,g;r the innniicr of voting for repre-
sentatives than the one before stated. It was
claimed by the rciiioiistraiits that one Horace
Sturgcs, an clcctorof said town, gave a vote
which was deposited in the box labeled “ first
reprcseritativ_c” by mistake, having the name of
Josepli Taylor thereon, and the additional words
“second re.pi'csciitative,” which was counted as
a scatteriiig vote. that he very soon after informed
the person who hail charge ofthe box (Mr. \V.
Peck) ofiiis mistake, and requested liberty of
him to receive it back, which was refused. The
testimony respectingtlic circumstances attending
the tleposite of the vote, were quite conflicting.—-
Sturgcs liiuiself appeared as a witness on the
rcmoiistrants before the committee, and testified
relative to the circuinslances—that it was his iii-
tcutioii to have voted for Nathaniel l-I. \Vilduian
for first representative, that be deposited the hal-
lot for Joscpli Taylor with the words “ second
representative" upon it, either written or printed,
upon the lid ofthe box labeled first representa-
tive, and that Mr. Peck who had charge ofthe
box putit tlirougli the aperture of the lid-that he
iiiformed the said Peck of his mistake very soon
after. and requested of him liberty to exchange
the votc——th_.'tt when he requested tliisliberty the
ballot had been put entirely through the aperture,
and was out of sight. in the bo.';——-that the said
Peck icftisctl to let him receive it back again,
and giviiig as a reason that it had become ming-
led with the other votes—_tliat he had made no
application to the presiding ollicer for such liber-
Iy and knew not that such presidingofficer had
any knowledge of his request, the presiding offi-
cer being one Zadock b'te\'ens, and that after
Peck had refused him the liberty to exchange his
vote, he proceeded and put into the box labelled
“ second representative,” a ballot with the natuc
of Nath’l ll. \\'ildman and the words first repre-
sentative thereon. The sairl \Vm. Peek, in a
dcpositioii taken in bi:halfi°oftlic rcmonstranls in
the absence of the adverse party. which was read
before the committee, testified that after the said
Sturges had placed his vote upon the lid ofthe box
labeled “first reprt=.seiitativc,” he informed him
ofthe mistake, and before he the said Peck had
put said ballot entirely through the aperture of
said lid. that l:e could have taken otit the identi-
cal ballot if he had chosen so to do, as the end of
it stuck tip, but he did not thing it proper. The
foregoing was in substance all the testimony
Monday of April, 1837, on which day one repré-.
sentative only of said town being chosen,'tha
meeting was ‘further adjourned until the third
Monday of A pril. 1837, when David D. Wild-
man, the sitting member was declared; by the
presiding officer to have been elected representa-.
tive. -
It was claimed by the remonstrants that the
election was void, upon the ground that tbe«.bal-.
lot boxes were closed before .5 o'clock in the af-
iernoon,_in relation to which fact several of said
witnesses testified, some in person and others by
deposition before the committee. From the
testiniouy ofthe presiding officer. Zadoc Stevens,
it appeared, that on the first Monday ofApril'
aforesaid, be kept open the boxes until some
time after the hour of5 in tiie after noon, and un-
til they were closed by general consent; that the
waiclies then present varied from his, being from
10 to 15, 20 and 30 minutes slower ; that he was
advised by those present at the meeting, to take
his own watch for the guide, and in consequence
did on the Sd Monday of April, 1837 ; that his
watch gained time, and more especially from
about 1. o'clock, until 5 o'clock in the afternoon,
of which fact he was aware before the meeting
on the 1st Monday of April, 1837.
From the evidence of the other witnesses, who
testified as to the time of closing of the boxes, on
the 3d Moiiilay of April, it appeared that there
was about. the same difierence in time, as on the
1st llfonday of April. The illegal votes given
and the votes rejected for both parties, having
been allowed in the opinion ofthe majority, the
minority ofthe committee do not deem it neces-
sary to express an opinion on tliat“sttbject-_ But
from the facts before stated, the minority of your-
committce conceives that Nathaniel H. Wild-
man was not elected on the first Monday of
April, 1837, as representative from the town of‘
Danbury, for the following reasons. viz:
1.. That the town of Danbury having adopted
lltc_ provisions ofthe am ofthe General Assembly
:.ll.lS extra session in Deceiiiber last, the vote of‘
said town is to have the same effect as if it had
been enacted immediately by the Legislature,
and that the direction in respect to the labeling
ofthe boxes was an enactment which the town
was atitliorized to make; that the votes deposited
in said boxes respectively, should be counted for-
tlie first and second representatives respectively,
according tothe labclsofthe boxes in which they
were dspositcil, and that the vote of the town, ta-.
ken in connexion with the fact that the boxes were
labeled in conformity with it, amounted to a
declaration to all the electors of that town, that
the votes deposited in said boxes would be so
counted. The vote of that town having as to the
electors ofthe town the force ofa pcsitive statute,
it was obviously not in the powcrofany individual
by any words written or printed upon his ballot,
to vary or control the law. The law virtually
enacted that the votes legally deposited in the
boxes, should be counted for such first and second
representatives, according to their respective
labels.-
2. Neither any general law of the state, nor
the vote of said town, require any word or words
in additioii to the name of the candida,te'voted
for, to be put upon the ballot designating the of-.
fice for which he is voted. The statute in the
case of represerit,a_tives- requires merely the
name of‘ the candidate to be fairly written" or
irintccl I/icrcon. If the name of the candidate
be fairly written or printed upon the ballot de-.
posited, the minority of your committee believe
that it is a compliance with the law, and the
vote must be counted, and that; any superadded
words cannot vary or control the legal effect of
the vote. Those whose duty it is to count. the
votes, are to look at the ballots no fill’ 8.8 the law
requires, and no further; and the law requires
him to look no further than to see whether the
name be fairly written or printed; and beyond
this the counter is under no obligation to look,
if he is to go farther, the conseqiience must ne-
ccssarily be, that he is bound, not only to read
but to give a construction to whatever may be
written or printed on the ballot, and if heshould
misread or misconstrue, it might result in the
defeat of‘ an election, ‘
3. The minority of your committee further-
more conceives the words second representative
upon the ballots for Peter Barnum and Joseph
Taylor, in the first representative box. were in-
tended merely as an intimation to the electors
themselves who received and deposited them,
ofthe fact that the persons whose names were
upon them, were understood to be prominent
candidates, as representatives, in the order men-
tioned iipon the ballots, but were by no means
intended, nor could be treated as aguide to those
who were to be counters to be go_verned by.
4. In respect to the vote claimed by the re-
inonstrants to have been given by Horace Stur-
ges for Joseph Taylor, and deposited in the
first representative box by mistake, the minority
of your committee believes that it would be of
dangerous tendency to stiffer an elector, after
having once deposited his ballotin the box, to be
permitted to receive it back again, and espe-
cially if it had become intermingled with other
votes. lftlie vote of Sturges might have been
returned._to him, ifit was on the lid of the box,
still if it had become intermingled with the oth-
er ballots, it oughtnot and could not, in the opin-
ion of the minority of your committee, proper:
ly have been given back to him; and the evi-
dence of Sturges being in direct conflict with
the testimony of Peck, and the testimony of
both being introduced by the remonstrants, that
ofthe former must in a measure at least, if not
entirely, neutralizethe testimony of the latter.
5. Allowing that the vote of Sturges depos-
ited in the representative box, and not having
been so returned, it is to be rejected merely; if
rejected, then there was no choice made on the
1st Monday of April,__the votes for Barnum and
which was laid befbtc the committee which the
njinority of the coiiiinittee conceives to be in l
any wise material, in respect to the circumsta,n_-l
r.-cs attending the _i_iit_in_rici‘ i.I_1 \‘~'ltlL'l_I llte V016 Of
St.iirg_es was given.
It was claimed hv the remoiistrants from the
facts and tcstiintinystaterl, that the ballots in the
box labtl=.d “first representative,” having there-
on the names of Peter Barnum and Joseph Tay-
lor respectively, and the words “SC_CO_ll(.l repre-
sentative,” uuglii to have been _entirc1y l‘i'_lCCl€-‘fl
and not counted as s_c.attci'ing votes, and that the
ballot of Horace Sturges deposited in the box
for first tcpresciitative, having thereon the name
of Joseph Taylor with the words “second repre-
sentative.” ought to bavc. been rejected or given
back to said Stitrgess and he perriiitted to have
voted again for the person whoiu be supposed he
was voting fbr. as li.ecl.'iinied-—.'ind that in either
events the said I\iatliniii_el H. \Vildriiau would
have had a majority ofall the votes given.
It was claimed on the part of.David D. \Vild-
man, the sitting member, that the votes in the
box labeled “dist rt-preseuta_tivc.” were proper-
ly counted. applied and treated, and that the vote
of Horace Stu rges, tlcpositctl in the “first repre-
sentative" box was to be counted as a scattering
vote, and ifnot, still the vote for Nathaniel ll.
\-Vildman deposited by said Sturgesin the second
representative box, could not be added to the
number of votes given for Nathaniel H. \Vild-
tnaii in the first representative box, and that the
vote of Horace Sturgcs ought riolfilllfl COUW 710‘
properly have been given back to him when _oiii:s
deposited in the box but “ first representative, '
in which event there was no choice.
After the presiding officer had declared the
votes given in as stated on the first, bIonday_ of
April, and that no Cl}{.IlCC was made, the presiding
Taylor being treated asscattering votes.
6. Allowing however, that the vote of, Stur-
gcs deposited in the first representative box is
to be icjected. the minority of your committee
are unable to see upon what legal principle any
vote of Stiirges is to be counted for Nathaniel
ll. VVildman as first representative, If it is to
be so counted, he thinks it must be upon one at
least of the following grounds:
First, that the vote actually deposited in the
first representative box, bearing the name ofJo.:
seph Taylor, must be considered in the same
lightas if it bore the name of Nathaniel H,
Vlildnian. Second, that if it is not Lobe so
counted, the ballot deposited by Sturges in the
second Representative box, must be counted
as a vote for Nathaniel H. Wildnigttl as first re-
presentative. or Third, that Sturges intended to
vote for N. H. Wildinan, and was prevented
from so doing; that the counters should have
been governed by that intention, and treated it
as it vote actuallygiveu for Nathaniel H. Wild-
man. ’ ‘
As to the first proposition, the minority ofyour
committee are ofopinion, that the statiite having
declared that the name of the candidate should
be fairly written or printed on the ballots, it
would be a very forced construction of the stat-
utc to say. that the name of one person appear-
ing fairly written or printed upon the ballot, the
vote should not only not be applied to him, but
to a different person whose name does not in any
form appear upon the ballot. Such a construc-
tion would give to those who superintend the
election, a power which it is believed 00 006
has hitherto supposed them to possess.
As to the second proposition, it is to be re:
marked. that Sturges intentionall put his bal:
lot bearingtbe name of Nathaniel Wildmari,
officer adjourned said rneeting until llle _$EC0,I._K_l
"s.
into the second representative.b_oii. lftbig 1,/gig
Norwalk Chronicler