The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-05-14 00:00:00

EXTRACT

TROM THE INTERESTING TRIAL OT WILLIAM STAR-
LING, ESQ. AND S. M. COLQL:ITT, ESQ. FOR THE
MURDER OP MR. lOW ARD GRATSON, SHIP-BUILDER,
AP LIVERPOOL.

C.sttinutd tmus our Last.

Gentlemen, this letter (into-aced and shocked tae, there was
no re cosion for any thing to add to its I:testi-in.—l felt myself
reviled in the midst of my digress. All id aas of a reconcilia-
tion or of a conne-tion with the family vanished, ni:d every
other abjection, when compared with that of calling the person
capable if writing such a letter my father. Had Mr Grayson
a right to call me a villain and a scoundrel fur n confirming
ley addresses aftorwaras Had lie a right to thnsaten, as he
has frequently done, to chastise met !low I acted muter the
impulse of the moment I will explain to you Gentlemen--I
returned an answer, which I hope is unobjectionable.
To this avower, there was no farther reply from which I hoped
the angry spirit would subside, upon refleCtions--I was, hos•
ever. mistaken, my forbearance was mieconstrufsi LIAO
consci-
MIS guilt; and my silence afforded fall scope fur animadeersion.
It was unposed, from the decerrations of Mr. Grayson, that I
was unable to vindicate my conduEl, and that I had retired in
order to conceal myself ; because, though he knew my address,
he chose Calmly to assert I was not to be found.
I resolved to go abroad : In March, 1803, I went into France
and other parts of the Continent, and continued until the war
compelled me to return. On my arrival in England, last Sep-
tember, I Pound the aetive malice of my enemies had .ugge,ga.
ei but toe well in their attempts to destroy the comfort of my
lik by the imputations cant upon me character, and it became
necessary for me to justify my coodme. I was informal Mr.
Grayson still continued to call me a scoundrel, and a
and would chastoe me whenever lie could find me. In a few
dam I It•Cti •14 she Inter letter from him ill answer so mute,
wit ch has also been read. After which, ether letters puma
io big second letter to use he expressly admitted, that he made
use of the language I charged him with, and diclaral that for
my unmanly, my wagentletnanly. and most abo ninatee con-
dal to his niece, hal ho then fallen In company with me, and
known my person, he had no doubt he should lave put his
threats In ruiation. That he gloried in his expression, and
that if Ir hada thousand lives, he would forfeit them all sootier
than retraft the language I hasi accused him of using, and tall
could make it appear clear that I had acted honourably to his
niece, Miss Ann Rensaaw, he should consider himself jvati-
fied in the eyes of God and rose, fur what he had said, and,
which is utterly unfounded in truth ; namely, that he had every
reason to believe that 1 had atpeopted to betray the honour,
virtue, and innocence of his niecc."—.Gentlensen, after so
base an insinuation, some allowance must be made foe my feel-
ings, and no language to Mr. Grayson eon be afterwards deem-
ed intemperate. Mr. Renshaw's letter to me had forever closed
'my lips--the language and spirit of that letter formed an War
peratge bar to my dmige of union with his family, or of justi-
fying r resell to mint—sox or two either teeters were written, and
at Mr. Graysan's desire erne thing wu suspended. In the
mean time, my charaftcr suffered. 1 was pointed at MS person
who was afraid to .hew royselO—Gentiemen, Mr. Grayson and
I were strangers to ea:ell:ether : though heralded in Getscroas
my acquaintanca with the family had been no eery short, I had
not beet' introduced to hint, I knew not his person, I bin no
malice against him, aunt I never desired him to reward words In
an ungentlemanly way ; lisr:re not a wish but that of jurity-
Mg my owe cot:duel to the wor:ct--Greu lemon, I applied to my
friend Capt. Oils mit, on account of ha known good temper,
and I recites/ yeu to cpinjore he: defence with mine. It this
unfuitintaiif after, lie has eon- every thing that man could do
to prevent its eroceieliag t t: • extent it unfortunately has
dme ; and aril hoping t ini:•e the dispute to an honourable
adjustment, I caste to Les aon the evening of Wed es
day the 28d FC'..1:11.1.y lett —e.. t'te next manning, I cousulted
otone teem% wt...eer eieo oteht my honour mould suffer
he accepting an aaiiiry —Tie :otter from Mr. Renshow to me
horn shown to M . Grayson, and which I had hoped mend
have indaced him re totiarl h,s expressions. And, Gratis-
men, Ca,dran Colgaitt, my fiend, Nate to yon what pains
he tool. for •that ourpose. I mover required snore than that
Mr. Quoin •hould sae the expression h.id escaped him in the
heat of :assio o, and that he del amt meets 'ethane, me; and
as I wished only to notify myself, I informed him, by way
fiend, that I exee.ted Goal him arching Iseindatiag. nor del
I wish to expoor him to the world, and should cestainly only
mention the circumstance to a very few of my to aunt retrains,.
All there ropier!' were can neat to the last snowmen of the
dircussom, yet they were sre...!, obstinately reacted be
Mr. Giayson ; though I eon gained hover to the very last
moment, I was :ortnnately iliappolited. In his atierepting te
chastise see, I need net say what his hapeemid.
A nong other calumnies, it has barn hidestrintuly circulated,
that I pt-ctiad firing the pistil ate murk, before the time; I
can with alb strictest trutti declares I did tie sack thing, and
though my pistnh were new, 1 hot particularly refrained even
from firing them to try them. My friends know I +mutely ever
use a fowling-piece, and as to a earn 1 hart not fired one foe
asave nine years. Mr. Grayron made use of one of my pis-
ton; and his ball mused lust over my head. Attains that
gentleman, whose person I scarcely knew, whom I had never
met, and who, receipts Ali my offering ray hand to Mks Ren-
shaw, I had not the alights* idea was connected with the
fancily, I could have indulged eves malica—l greatly lament the
fatal seaderit and the eircumnancrs which ocrasioned it.

“ciitlemen, these are the facts oil which 1 reef my defence ;
if they be celifirtneti by the evidence, I trust you will nut
withhold from roe you: belief of the truth of them, and of
the motives by whirls I have been situated. My mind, deeply
wounded, was kept in a constant state of leverets agitation.
Geittlemea, I gore you • pledge of my honour, ilia my con.
dui hat .1 ea a bet.' subservient to my rimeinles, and they
form the features of my character. 1 :wpm' 143 311 these valr.e4
filitrldi MUD new eunoriel ale whether 1 3111 likely to nurture
the seeds of malice a'id reveuge t amidst all the horror• of my
vituation I reel a seer,t joy ono itemodatioill that my condo& in
life eau have drama together so many miler:halo chvaaere
(eons eery ar.ortor of the kingdom ; to them, whom nothing
en .14 iron .•scoters hew Porn %(.. r,dt 3 distance, and
pruSn.hing to you and oo oh, world, a nl,l description of my
chuse” I offer my warineve thank—m.l I am tore will be
aware how much It ha. beta me wish that r.O untie-rerun de,
lay should at adetaii: them from their several militare
and taponantststiotii: It.oulttill accord with lie sentiments
I besieger euter,ined of hntruurable conduct, hi. oft the mk.
ty cud character thotsand, for the preservation .if myself. I
have little more to add—vii•mticm.:n, it r. with yes to return
me unvoilied is society nun corritge me to the gears-1 trust,
however, there tenet one of you who uric fed fur a min
in nay situati.wh•sigainet the dcem.-i1 I could harbour no nl
till for we were ...rangers to eech othr, ; but do you think I
could it tu, ctiaracter d sue., my honour iniored, my
hoik. rem •d, m exp.:eta:l iii 113V,,11 31,111 Inn
.iv all .nor we I'd it 5: on o:o than t live forsaken by
frienth, shut out f, rn my wonted 5..... et!, deg.eird, insulted,
despised .111,1