The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-24 00:00:00

CONFESSION OF A MURDERER.

James Reynolds, who was lately executed at New
York for the murder of Captain West, made the following
confession of his crime to a friend, whom he requested to
visit him previous to his execution :
I confess to you, in the presence of God anti his holy Angels,
that lam a guilty man I murdered Captain West on Saturday
morning before day-light. lle went to bed perfectly sober, and
remained asleep during the night. About day-break I went into
the cabin, took an axe in my hand, and struck him a blow on the
head, which Instantly killed him. 1 was alone ; in all this there was
no person with me, nor on board, when it was committed. I do also
certify, that I was instigated to the whole of this by Townsend,
• wicked man, and an old offender as I have been informed.
Ile proposed the thing to me two or three times in &joking way,
before a thought of the kind entered my heart ; he said, what an
easy matter it would be to kill West, and get tall his money.
Ile expected, no doubt, that he had a large sum about him, but
he was mistaken ; for Capt. West told me that he hail left all he
hail, pretty mach, in the hands of a grocer, whose name I do not
recollect at present; I think the stun was four or live hundred dol-
lars. I heard the grocer say lie would want to borrow part of it
from the Captain. I took from Capt. West's pocket forty or fifty
dollars, which was all the money he had with him. I then dragged
the dead body on deck without assistance, where I tied a stone to
his feet and a blanket around his head, and threw him overboard
on Saturday morning. This was done without a moment's re-
flection.

The day previous I had no intention to kill him ; his money did
not induce me to it ; for, first. I knew he had but little about him
and, secondly, I did not stand in need of any, for I had enough and
to spare ; thirdly, the Captain was very kind and friendly to me. Ile
told me whenever I wanted money to call an him and I should have
it ; so that it was a momentary temptation. and I gave way to it. I
was but about two weeks in his employ when the murder took place,
and this is the first crimeof the kind I have been guilty of; and when
1 tell you, sir, that it is scarcely one year since Iliad been led
astray, 1 suppay you will be surprised. My poor mother Ire.
(Lundy said tonic, when young, and when any person had been
guilty of such a crime," my child, they are well guided whom
Cod guides," but Uod was not in all my thoughts at this time.
Had I taken her advice I should never have been where I now am ;
but now it is too late. One year ago I went to church twice or
three times every Sabbath, I shunned bail company, and evil of
every kind ; but, unfortunately for me, I was led from one evil to
another. until at length I tell in with Townsend, who was the
means of my ruin, and the cause of an ignorant youth imbruing his
hands in an innocent man's blood, and this when he was asleep and
tinder my protection ; but I freely forgive him, and every man, as
I hope to be forgiven by my Saviour. I first neglected going to
church, profaned the holy Sabbath, fell in with wicked and bad
company, who led me to 1;013es of ill-fame. and thence to the
gallows. (Signed) JAMES REYNOLDS.

IRIS!! EVANGELICAL SOCIETY.
Last evening the lslington Auxiliary Branch of this Association
held its Annual leering in Claremont Chapel, Pensoriville;
THOMAS WILSON, Esq.. Treasurer, in the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN, io opening the business of the Meeting, ad-
verted generally to the progress made by the Parent Society the
past year, and though through its itietrumentality it wan obvious
that agreat deal of good had been done, yet lie regretted that the
work was yet only in embryo. The persons employed in this ex.
pensive moral waste had to contend with long cherished opinions
and deep-ranted prejudices ; the extreme Ignorance of the people,
together with the disinclination of the Roman Catholic priesthood
to the admission of the Sacred Scriptures had proved almost
insurmountable barriers to the march of intellect : that it was,
however, slowly and surely advancing in that unhappy country
could not now be denim!, and lie trusted that it would speedily
bear down all opposition.
The Rev. Joni: Yoe,: N el' (one of the Secretaries) then read
the report. It alluded in strong terms to the past and present con-
dition of Irelsnd, which it represented. notwithstanding the cflhrts
of various religious societies, to be generally immoral and unen-
lightened. To effect something like an amelioration of this de-
plorable state of society, the Parent Institution had already eats.
blished eighteen stations in various parts of the country, compre.
bending respectively a tract of twenty or thirty miles, which were
under the care of missionaries of approved talent ; the principal
means they resorted to were the establishment of Sunday and week.
day schools, where people of all ages enjoyed the advantage of moral
and religious instruction, and an addition to these there were
several other itinerant teachers, who went about to all the
plates of public resort, and preached the gospel in the vernacular
tongue, and from their acquaintance with the idioms of die Irish
language had been enabled to render the moat important benefits
to those whom they addressed. The demand, however, was so
greatly superior to the Society's means that their exertions were
necessarily limited, and they saw, with regret, an extensive moral
waste wholly unprovided for, which might be supplied with
teachers, could they double the number of stations. The receipts
of the Islington Auxiliary Branch, during the last year. amounted
to GW. 3i. of which 55:. had been paid to the Parent Society.
The Rev. DovID STEwaitm, of Dublin, Chaplain to the Parent
Institution, moved the adoption of the Report, and took a s cry
comprehensive view of the state of society in Ireland. The
Society, in order to provide teachers of ability, had founded
an academy, in which there were now twelve students,
three of whom had formerly belonged to the Roman Cs.
tholie Seminary of Maynooth, but who had abjured Popery,
merely from • conscientious conviction of the errors with
which it abounds. They saw that the participation of the
Sacrament literally was contrary to reason and to revealed re-
ligion ; they felt that receiving absolution or remission of sins from
a frail mortal like themselves was an innovation on the prernga.
tire of the Deity. It wan on these principles that the Society
wished to make converts, and on these alone. They disclaimed
any thing like an exclusive mode of worship ; they did not seek
the establishment of a particular creed, and in proof of that he
begged leave to torte, that there were at that time in the Academy
young men who adhered to the Church of England forms, Calvin.
tats, and Independents. It was needless to dwell upon the advan.
tages the country would reap front civilization ; that was
already manifested in the north of Ireland, once the scene of anar-
chy, rebellion, and bloodshed—now a happy and well-organised
community. lithe people of England wished to extend the bless.
ings of peace to their brethren in that distracted country—if they
were anxious to confer on them any real or permanent benefit—if
they wished to destroy the hydra.heatled monster that had so long
stalked over those fertile plains, poisoning every spring of social
happiness, he would say " Evangelize Ireland."
JOSEPH BLAME. Esq. seconded the motion.
When the Cum ;imam was about to put it to the vote,
A GENTLEMAN rose in front of the platform, and said—Mr.
Chairman, though not a subscriber, still as an Irish Protestant,
perhaps I may be permitted to offer one or two observations on the
Report just read. It is, I conceive, not consentaneous with the
general feeling of those who are the best informed on the subject.
There is one passage contained in it which is a complete, unquali-
fied, and uncalled-fur libel on the Irish nation.
The Citst n MAN here interposed, and observed that the objector
was out of order in obtruding his opinions, not being a subscriber;
the business of the meeting must go on, and any objections might
be answered afterwards.

The question was than put and carried.
The Rev. Wisst. ALAN EVANSON deprecated the system which
latterly seemed to be adopted by the enemies of Ireland's best in-
terests, who intruded on meeungs of this sort merely to vent their
spleen. To say the least of it, the means were uncourtentos and the
time ill-chosen. The gentleman had talked of lihelts--but who
did the libel emanate from %—was it not from the Roman priest.
hood themselves, who, acting under the instruction of an apostolic
letter or bull, had publicly denounced the Scriptures, and from the
altars had commanded the people not to read them on pain of ex-
communication ? (Hear, hear.)
Toe Objector said that the part of the report which he dissented
from was that which set forth Ireland as in a general state of im-
morality; this was not the fact.
A person in the crowd, cried out, "No, no, it's rank blasphemy."
air. EVANSON said that he need only refer to the history of the
country during the last half century to prove that it was grossly
immoral. Ile was himself a native of that unhappy country, and
he had but too much reason to subscribe to the truth of the as-
sertion.

The Rev. J. PARSONS, Rev. T. GiLimitm J. GILBOIIf,
E.g., anti several other Gentlemen, then addressed the Altering in
turn, and„witit some little interruptions, the busktese was concluded
by passing a vote of thanks to the Chairman.