This is a half-shire, Manchester being the other In the other jail, I understood from Mr. Loomis, there had been but one or two commitments during the year. He also says that since December there have been one or two committed to Bennington jail, (two I think,) who were clearly intemperate. Poor of the town of Bennington. There are now supported by this town, as paupers, twelve persons, four of whom were not reduced to poverty by intemperance; of four others I am unable to decide, and five were, in my opinion, reduced to poverty by the intemperance of their relatives. The expense of the poor, the last year, was about $750. HEMAN ROBINSON, Overseer of the Poor. Bennington, May 13, 1834. Poor of the town of Pownal. We certify that thirteen persons are now supported as paupers by this town, two of whom were not, in our opinion, reduced to poverty by intemperance; of one we are unable to decide; and ten were, according to the best of our knowledge, reduced to poverty by their own intemperance, or that of those on whom they were dependent for support. The expense of the poor is at present $350. SAMUEL WRIGHT, JOSEPH MYERS, Jr., Selectmen. There are about twenty trials on criminal prosecutions in this county annually, the expense of which may probably be estimated at $25 each trial. H. ROBINSON, Clerk Of Sup. and County Courts. Although my examination has been hasty, yet, from the few facts contained in this appendix, it will be seen that rum and ruin are just about as nearly allied in New-England as in New-York ; that alcohol spares no section of our country, not even that highly favored portion which, by way of distinction, and to mark its moral pre-eminence, has been called "the land of steady habits." Nor is this surprising, for there, as in all other parts of our land, the good people had not been more uniform, nor more steady, in any one thing, than in promoting the manufacture, sale and use of ardent spirits; but at every step in my short tour in these states, I found abundant and cheering evidence that they are now perseveringly, and steadily, and successfully engaged in promoting measures to stay this desolating flood; to dry up the fountain. May they not remit their efforts until the work is fully accomplished-until the soil of New-England shall no more be used to cover the remains of the drunkard, or its citizens called to the humiliating duty of performing his funeral obsequies. SAMUEL CHIPMAN. TO THE HON. ERASTUS CORNING, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ALBANY. I may be considered as rather presuming in taking the liberty of thus addressing you. But the early, decided and deep interest you have taken in the temperance reformation, has led me to presume that facts connected with this subject, gathered in this place, having so important a bearing upon the interests of this city, could not but be acceptable to you. And this I was the more ready to believe from the consideration that upon you, as the chief magistrate of this city, is devolved the responsibility of granting or withholding the usual permits for the sale of ardent spirits. In the following imperfect sketch you may perhaps be able to ascertain more clearly and fully the influence of this traffic upon the prosperity of the citizens of this place. It may be proper perhaps that I should state why I have engaged in this business. You may be aware, sir, that through the pecuniary aid afforded me by Aristarchus Champion, Esq. of Rochester, I have been enabled to examine the jails and poorhouses of the several counties of this state, which has occupied my time for nearly a year, in order to ascertain from official sources the origin of crime, pauperism and taxes. The same gentleman requested me also to spend some time in this city for the same purpose. And as the most favorable point for such inquiries, I stationed myself at your police office. There I could see all who were arraigned on criminal charges; and as Col. Osborne, one of the police justices, is also overseer of the poor, I could in most cases ascertain the habits of those who made application for relief as paupers. It is proper to remark, that the following very brief sketch does not embrace every case in either of these departments. In a few instances, examinations were made or trials were had while I was absent. In others, I did not hear enough to enable me to decide as to the habits of those who were brought up. The same remark will apply to the applicants for assistance. Some few were omitted from want of sufficient information to enable me to decide. The following outline which was minuted down from day to day, will be sufficient to show you the usual routine of business in the police office, and from it you will be able to see some of the effects of intoxicating drinks; and it may assist you in deciding as to the propriety of increasing or diminishing the facilities for obtaining these drinks. It may be proper further to observe, that from some cause, there has been within the last three or four months, a very great diminution in the number of culprits brought before your police court, and an equal decrease in the number of persons applying for assistance. The cause of this very auspicious change I will not pretend to assign. It is a subject, however, well worthy of investigation. In giving the very imperfect detail which I propose, I commence with the cases. brought before the police magistrate, March 24, 1834.-An elderly woman complains of her son for abuse and for taking her property. He has been repeatedly in jail for disorderly conduct, and the justice sends him again. He is very intemperate. Two women, one married, the other single, complain of three men for personal violence, for breaking windows, &c. They only know the name of one of the three. While they were describing them, two men rushed into the office in a very boisterous manner, very much excited with spirits. It was soon discovered they were the two rioters whose names were not known. 25.-The married woman who complained yesterday, appears to-day with her husband, and complains of the same persons as yesterday. They had assaulted herself and husband in their own house, and beat him in a most brutal manner. Sentenced to fine and imprisonment. Some of the parties were grossly intemperate. A boy taken up on board a canal boat, in which it appeared he had lodged for some time, having had no regular home or lodging place during the winter. No property was missed. No evidence of intemperance. Two lads detected in pilfering. The father of one appeared to be a very worthy, sober man. The other bore strong marks of intemperance. A man of. violent temper, a grocer, is complained of for abuse to his tenant; cutting down her clothes-line and trampling clothes in the dirt, &c. Ardent spirits were evidently the sole cause. Another case of assault and battery; defendant appears to be temperate. 27.-A woman complains of another woman for petit larceny. She made complaint yesterday, and says to-day that she meant to charge the husband and not the wife with the theft. Insists that the magistrate is mistaken. The explanation is, that she was intoxicated. Both parties and witness are said to be intemperate. The Colored woman complains of a colored man for abuse. facts charged were admitted, but the defendant justified himself on account of the abusive language of complainant, she being drunk. Assault and battery; both parties appear to be temperate. Monday. March 31.-It is worthy of especial notice, that while the police justice does not on the other days usually come to the office until nine o'clock, on Monday he generally expects to be called at 5 or 6 o'clock A. M., to dispose of those who have been taken up by the watch during the night; and these extra cases are the result of Sabbath drinking and carousing. A man appeared this morning and applied for a warrant—was very much disguised with spirits. Alderman Maher observed, when he came into the office this morning, that he had seen a poor woman who was very much distressed on account of her husband, who, in a fit of intoxication, left the house during the night, and she expected he was drowned. This man was soon brought into court, having been found on board of a canal boat. He was evidently laboring under delirium tremens; was sent to jail for safe keeping, and died on the third of April. Three lads brought up for stealing. The plaintiff was evidently disguised with liquor. Could not ascertain very satisfactorily as to the parents of these children. April 1.-Six persons taken up by the watch last night, were sent to jail; the seventh was admitted to bail. In every case intemperance was the cause. Permit me here, sir, to state, that the expense in these cases, where the culprits go to jail, is not less, on an average, than $1.75, often much more; and this tax is paid by that class of people least able to support their families; and it is from this class that the great mass of recruits are furnished for the alms-house. Who then are the real friends of the poor? Those who would dissuade them from drinking and throw obstacles in the way of the gratification of their appetites, or those who furnish them with the poison, and take from them and their starving families their hard earnings? In consequence of the liquor thus furnished them by their pretended friends, they commit some breach of the peace, go to jail, are separated from their families, and very often too, lose a good situation; pay the last cent, and often borrow, to satisfy the legal demands of the jailer and the other officers of justice. Yet sir, the man who would prevent all this is sometimes represented as the enemy of the poor! A man brought up for resisting the watch; when asked whether he was guilty or not guilty, said he was so drunk at the time of the affray that he did not know. Mother and son complained of the husband and father. He had threatened to kill his wife. A dirk was taken from him in court. He has for a long time taken the earnings of his wife to purchase liquor, on which he has lain drunk and abused his family. Sent to jail. But sir, the grocer who received this mo ney acted according to law. Would it not be right that he should support this man while in jail? April 3.-Case of assault and battery. Complainant intemperate. Provoked defendant. Complainant sells ardent spirits. April 4.-Husband complains of wife for threatening to poison him. On examination it appeared that the husband was a hard drinker, and did not deny that his wife had the best possible evidence of his unfaithfulness. Wife complains of drunken husband. A man very much disguised with liquor applied to justice Osborn for a warrant against the inmates of a house which he described. Said he had been there; that there were fifteen or twenty persons of all shades of color, drinking and gambling. That they had robbed him of ten dollars. He did not know who took it. The police constables examined the premises and found the inmates as described. April 5.-Some ten or twelve of the inmates of the above mentioned house came to the police office this morning, for redress of grievances, mutually complaining of each other. Alledged many grievous things, all of which were doubtless true. All of them intemperate. Same day another complaint from the same house; of the same character, and from the same cause. A lad brought up for stealing money, admitted the stealing. Is a very bad boy; his mother a widow, his father having died a drunkard. A very genteel appearing woman complains of two young men for making a noise about the house at very unseasonable hours. They are said to be of that class who think it very genteel to get drunk occasionally; and to frequent houses of the description kept by complainant. April 7.-Complainant and defendant colored people of the lowest class. April 8.-Two general battles, growing out of gambling and drinking. A number brought up by the watchmen, and four committed to jail. This I had anticipated yesterday, having seen more intemperate persons in the streets and in groceries than usual. I apprized Col. Osborn that he would probably be disturbed early, and was not mistaken. Numbers were in the office before sunrise. April 9.-Two fellows who live about groceries got into a quarrel and came to get redress. They are drunkards; were reprimanded and dismissed. A fellow 18 or 19 years old was brought into court for violently assaulting an old man. He was so much intoxicated and so boisterous that the justice committed him at once, until he should get sober. |