The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-28 00:00:00

HORRIBLE INDIAN TRAGEDY•

( From the lion. C. Murray's Travels in NorthArnerica.)
The island which we were here passing was the
scene, a few years ago, of one of those horrible tragedies,
at which humanity shudders, and which Cooper has
painted in colours equally graphic and terrible.
The Sioux and the Winnebagoes had bee'.,for
some time at war, but had agreed upon a tcraporary
cessation of hostilities, when a party of al-,out eight
warriors of the former tribe came down to the bank
of the river, and: saw on the island a 'Winnebagoe
encampment containing eleven persons, all women and
children, the men having gone out upon a hunting expe-
dition. The sight of these helpless victims aroused the
thirst of the Sioux for blood ; and, regardless of the truce,
they plunged into the river, swam to the island, and com-
menced an indiscriminate massacre. One heroic boy only
escaped ; he drew his little arrow to the feathers,
buried it deep in the breast of one of his enemies, then
plunging into the thickets, fled, not for safety, but revenge.
Swimming the river, he ran down its eastern bank to
Fort Crawfurd, where his dreadful talc soon drew to
his side many of his own tribe, who instantly returned
with him towards the island, accompanied by a party of
soldiers and officers (of whom my informant was one),
who were ordered to use their best endeavours to over-
take and capture the Sioux ; but in the meantime, these
latter, aware of the pursuit that would immediately en-
sue, completed hastily their murderous work, and scalp-
ing all their victims, retreated with their bloody trophies
into the wilds of their own territory.

When the Winnebagoes arrived at the scene of
slaugilta., their shouts and yells were deafening.
Women and children had joined them in great num-
bers, and mingled their shrieks and lamentations
with the revengeful cries of the men. At length they
esp;ed the body of the Sioux, whom the brave boy
had pierced with his arrow ; he was, by this time
quite dead, but had contrived to crawl a few hun-
dred paces from the encampment, and thus his com-
panions had, in the. hurry of their flight, forgotten to
carry off his body. The Winnebagoes now surrounded
it, and prepared to wreck upon it all the indignities
which fury and revenge could suggest. The minister
upon whom the office .devolved was a handsome young
g;rl of eighteen, who was the nearest relative present of
these who had been massacred ; she stept forward with
a countenance calm and unmoved, seized the scalping-
knife, divided the bones of the breast with a
skill and rapidity which
.proved that the work
was neither nevi, nor unpleasant to her ; and, tearing
out the heart, cut it into small slices, which she pre-
sented warm and reeking to the savage men around her,
who ate them in gloomy and revengful silence.
In the whole history of the female sex, from the
fierce treachery of Sissera, or the classical legend of
Medea, down to the modern dramatic fiction of
Helen Macgregor, I do not remember to have met
with so fine a subject for the pencil of a Spagnoletto or
a Guido, as this young and beautiful priestess of Ne-
mesis, surrounded by her murdered kindred, offer-

ing the horrible banquet of the murderer's heart,
not to satiate, but to excite the vengeful fury of the
survivors of her tribe ! Would that I could see it
on canvass, as I now have it before my mind's eye,
with all the splendid accompaniments belonging to
the scene ! the glorious Mississippi sweeping by ;
the dusky groups bending with smothered grief and
rage over the mutilated bodies of their friends ; the
white men in the back ground looking on in the si-
lence of pity and horror, and, above all, the dreadful
priestess of the bleeding heart ! Oh ! it is too horrible
to think upon, and yet the injury suffered by these poor
savages almost gives a tragic sub;imity to a scene which,
under other circumstances, could be contemplated only
with loathing and disgust

EXECUTION OF GLEESON.

(From the Barbadoes Liberal of June 26.)
Yesterday morning the extreme sentence of the law
was carried into effect at St. Ann's Garrison, upon the
person of Corporal Patrick Gleeson, of the 36th Regi-
ment, who was convicted at the late Sessions of the wil-
ful murder of Acting Sergeant-Major Fletcher, of the
same regiment. There was a very large assemblage of
persons present, especially the lower orders, whose con-
duct before the arrival of the unfortunate man was un-
suited to so awful an occasion. At a quarter after ten
o'clock a square was formed around the gallows, com-
posed of a detachment of the 36th and the regiments
in garrison. At 20 minutes to 11 o'clock the criminal
arrived at the foot of the gallows, accompanied by his
spiritual adviser, the Rev. - Rogers, Roman Ca-
tholic priest, and surrounded by the mounted and
foot police. A solemn stillness now pervaded the
vast multitude of spectators, and the soldiers seemed
deeply affected. After an interval of about five mi-
nutes spent in prayer, the unhappy man pulled off his
boots, loosed the green cravat, from his neck, bound
his head with it, and ascended the drop. There was
not the slightest alteration in his countenance from what
be exhibited in the Court-house during his trial ; the
same settled calmness and apparent resignation. The
rope having been adjusted by Sam Oddin, one of tl-e
felons recently convicted of theft, he proceeded to ad-
dress the soldiers around him in substance as follows :
" Brother soldiers and comrades, take warning by my
example ; listen to my dying words—abstain from drink-
ing intoxicating liquors, for that has brought me to !
this untimely end. A report was in circulation that a
conspiracy to take the life of the sergeant existed with
two or three men of the company, and that I was the
leader. With my dying .breath I assure you there was
no such `thing ; no mortal knew my intention ; it was
known to myself alone and to my God, in whose awful
presence I shall soon be. I pray you all to forgive me.
I have no one to blame but myself, and the use of
strong drink."
During the delivery of this address, which he made
in a strong and clear voice, the conflict was indeed ter-
rible ; his bosom heaved frightfully, and twice he raised
his eyes to heaven and gasped for breath. After con-
cluding the last words of his address the drop fell, and
after slight convulsive struggles it was all over! He was
not blindfolded, and we ere told that green being the
colour of his regiment, was the cause of his binding his
head with a green handkerchief. He appeared very
penitent, and there was, we believe, but one feeling
pervading the whole assemblage, that of sympathy for
the unfortunate sufferer.
We have since learnt that the unfortunate man ad-
dressed two very affecting letters, one to the jailor. and

the other to his deputy; thanking them for their humane
conduct towards him whilst in imprisonment, and under
condemnation.

NATIONAL EDUCATION.—Ott Friday a meet-
ing was held at Ipswich, at which the Lord Bishop of
Norwich presided, for the purpose of promoting a So-
ciety for the advancement of Education in the principles
of the Church of England. The Assembly Rooms were
crowded with the Nobility and influential Gentlemen of
the County, amongst whom were the Rev. Lord Bay-
ning, the Earl Jerrnyn, Lord Henniker, Lord Rendle-
sham, Sir C. B. Vere, Bart., K. C. 8., M.P., Sir W.
Middleton, &c. The Bishop of Norwich opened the be-
sincss of the day, and said he should not have sought to
have attended the meeting that day had lie not received
a communication from the Dean of Norwich, requesting
him to preside on account of the reports which had been
industriously circulated, which conveyed a complete mis-
apprehension of his sentiments on the subject of National
Education. His Lordship stated that he was a friend of
education in connection with the Established Church, and
approved of a system being carried out on the plan of
the British and Foreign School Society. He said that the
race of clergy which was now passing away had had the
most favourable opportunity of instituting schools in their
parishes, and of &meeting the people in the principles of
the Church of E'agland. If this had been done thirty
years ago, and education extended to teaching the children
obedience to and. respect for the law, and the frugal hus-
banding of their means, it would have been impossible to
' have raised infuriated bands of malcontents, like the
Chartists of the present day, and England Would have a
very different aspect. He did not cast a general condem-
nation on the clergy of that period, for many of them had
fully done their duty ; but he regretted that so golden an
opportunity had passed—an opportunity that would take the
greatest labour and energy of those anxious to improve the
rising generation to reclaim. His Lordship concluded a
most eloquent speech by stating the system he conceived
should be pursued in parochial schools, and how the minds
of the children should be led to the practical use of the pre-
cepts instilled into them. Lord Bayning, Archdeacon
Berners, Lord Henniker, Rev. Mr. Gould, Sir C B.
&c., moved the resolutions in favour of the objects
of the meeting, which were all unanimously carried.—
Abridged from the Suffolk Chronicle.
OYSTERS IN
According to a notice Nd
luxury with the gude folk of
leitepriodstelettait B
letting &c., of Edinburgh i
modern Athens.
0 RT.ll—Ovsters appear
to be a special
five years by public lhe l n g
city oyster
ttehre scalps Pro v of
is)tr,
roup (auction). The terms are 300/.
for each year, with the '
etion that they send ten thou-
sand into the market each market-day, at ninepenee per
long hundred, and guaranteeing this
other port or place. they may supply any

Great slaughter has been made amongst the
grouse on the hills of Sir Charles Morgan, Bart., in the
county of Brecon, the worthy Baronet having kindly
opened a portion of his hills for the amusement and gratifi-
cation of those gentlemen who are lovers of the sport, se-
veral of them from the neighbouring counties being up by
break of day on the lath. A party is staying at Sir
Charles's shooting box at Crewe, who, we understand,
have had excellent sport,—Beacon.

IRI F E It. AL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS —AuG. 27.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.
Her Majesty went in state to-day to the House
of Lords to prorogue Parliament. The Royal
procession left the Palace before two o'clock, and pro-
ceeded along the centre Mall, and through the
Horse Guards to Westminster.

The doors leading to the galleries and body of the'
House were opened at Twelve o'Clock, and the
Peeresses and other Ladies who bad obtained tickets

from the Lord Chamberlain began to arrive in quick

succession.

At Half•past Twelve the Earl of SHAFTESBURY toot-
his seat on the Woolsack, and Lord LYNDHURST, who
was the only P eer in the House, presented several peti-

tions, praying for support to the Established Church.
• At one o'clock, all the seats which had been reserved
for Ladle A were filled, and the body of the House and
Gallerif:s presented a very brilliant and animated spec-
tacle. The space railed off on the right of the Throne
for the Foreign Ambassadors and their Attaches was

'Also extremely crowded.
The attendance of Peers was by no means numerous,
there being not more than twenty present when her Ma-
jesty art ived. Among them we observed the Duke of
Devonshire, the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl yfMun-

ster, Viscount Melbourne, Marquis of Normanby; Mar-
quis of Slio, Viscount Duncannon, the Earl of Carlisle,
Lord Stafford, Lord Ellenborough, the Bishop of Peter-

borough, &c.
The Duchess of Kent, accompanied by two other
Ladies, entered the House at a quarter before two
o'clock, and took her seat in front of the throne. All
the Ladies and Peers rose on the entrance of her Royal

Higl)ness, who acknowledged the mark of respect thus

paid to her.
At a few minutes past two the firing of guns and
flourish of trumpets announced the approach of her
Majesty, who shortly afterwards entered, preceded by
the Heralds, the Lord Chancellor, Viscount Duncan-
non, Viscount Melbourne, and the great Officers'of
State.

The Usher of the Black Rod having been directed
to summon the Commons, the Speaker, in his State
Robes, and accompanied by a large body of Members,
appeared at the bar.
The SPEAKER then said—

" Most gracious Sovereign, we, your Majesty's faith-
ful Commons of Great Britain and Ireland, attend your.
Majesty with the last Bill of Supply for the Revenue
of the present year. Various and important measures
have engrossed our attention during a protracted and
laborious Session ; but none more important or more
deeply affecting the interests of the community than
those which have for their object the prevention and
punishment of crime. We have given the most care-
ful consideration to all these improvements, which have
been suggested by experience and investigation, with
reference to the Metropolitan and City Police Courts,
and by extending and correctly defining the duties of
those Courts, we have given increased security to the
property of the inhabitants of this Metropolis
without in any undue degree infringing on the
liberties of the subject. The management and
discipline of our prisons both in England and Scotland,
have formed the subject of our most anxious delibera-
'firm, and we have endeavoured on the one hand to
make imprisonment as a punishment comparatively
effective, and on the other hand to pay a due regard to
the welfare of the prisoners with a view to their moral j
improvement and reformation. Attempts having been
made in some parts of the country to excite disaffec-
tion, accompanied as they have been in some cases by
riots and destruction of property, we have felt
it our imperative duty to adopt such legislative mee•
sures as might prevent the recurrence of similar dis-
turbances. Accordingly we have provided the means
of increasing your Majesty's military for. and have
strengthened the civil authority of the realm by en-
abling the Magistrates to organise a paid constabulary
force when the state of the counties or districts may
require it. We have the satisfaction of announcing to
your Majesty that, although the circumstances of the
country have not permitted any material reduction in
the public burdens, we have been enabled to alleviate
their pressure by making a most important reduction in
that branch of the revenue which is derived from
the Post-office ; . and we believe that by the re-
duction of Postage to a low • and uniform rate, we
shall not • only give encouragement to enterprise,
and multiply the resources of the community, but
that we shall have conferred social advantages of a
much higher character on the poorer classes of your
Majesty's subjects. We have given our willing aid in
furtherance of your Majesty's wishes for the Abolition
of the Slave Trade, by protecting from legal proceedings
those officers who act under your Majesty's orders, for
the suppression of the infamous traffic, and we earnestly
hope that it may be reserved for you Majesty, under the
blessing of Divine Providence, to perfect that great
design which was originated by your Majesty's Royal
predecessor, in• the purest spirit. of benevolence, and by
the, final completion hereafter of this act of mercy
and justice, shed a bright and enduring lustre on your
Majesty's auspicious reign. It now only remains for us to
present to your Majesty the last two Bills of the Ses.
sion—one an Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated
Fund of the surplus of ways and means, and to appro-
priate the supplies granted in the present Session of
Parliament ; and the other an Act for raising a sum of
12,026,050/. in Exchequer Bills for the service of the
year 1839, to which, with all humility, we pray your
Majesty's Royal assent."
The Royal assent was then given to the fol-
lowing Bills :—The Twelve MiLions Exchequer
Bills Bill; the Consolidated Fund Bill with the
Appropriation Clause, the Exchequer Bills Fund-
ing Bill, the Duke of Marlborough's Estate Bill,
the Bank of Ireland Act Continuance Bill, the Fisheries
(France and England) Bill, the County and District
Constables Bill, the Fines and Recoveries (Ireland)
Bill, and the Bolton Police Bill.
The LORD CHANCELLOR on his knee then presented
the Speech to the Queen, which her Majesty read as
follows, in her usual distinct and impressive manner :
" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
" The public business having been brought to a close
I have now to perform the satisfactory duty of rcleas•
ing you from your long and laborious attendance in

Parliament.
" I rejoice that a definitive treaty between Holland
and Belgium, negotiated by the mediation of the Five
Powers, has settled the differences between those two
countries, and has secured the peace of Europe from
dangers to which it had so long been exposed.
" The same concord which brought these intricate
questions to a peaceful termination prevails with regard
to the affairs of the Levant. The Five Powers arc
alike determined to uphold the independence and in-
tegrity of the Ottoman empire, and I trust that this
union will ensure a satisfactory settlement of matters
which are of the deepest importance to the whole of
Europe.
"It has afforded me the sincerest pleasure to have
been able to assist in effecting a reconciliation between
France and Mexico. Intent upon preserving for my
subjects the blessings of peace, I am highly gratified when
I can avail myself of an opportunity of removing misun-
derstandings between other Powers.

" I have recently concluded with the King of the
French a convention calculated to put an end to diffe-
rences which have arisen of late years between the
fishermen of Great Britain and of France. This conven-
tion, by removing causes of dispute, will tend to cement
that union between the two countries which is so ad-
vantageous to both, and so conducive to the general in-
terests of Europe.
" I shall continue to pursue with perseverance the
negociations in which I am engaged, to persuade all the
powers of Christendom to unite in a general league for
the entire extinction of the Slave Trade, and I trust
that, with the blessing of Providence, my efforts in
so righteous cause will be rewarded with success.
" I regret that the differences which lcd to the
withdrawal of my Minister from the Court of Tehran
have not yet been satisfactorily adjusted by the Govern-
ment of Persia.
In order to fulfil the engagements announced to you
at the opening of the present Session, the Governor-Gene-
ral of India has moved an army across the Indus, and I
have much satisfaction in being able to inform you
that the advance of that expedition h,ts been hitherto
unopposed, and there is every reason to hope that the
important objects, for which these military operations
have been undertaken, will be finally obtained.
" I have observed with much approbation the atten-
tion which you have bestowed upon the internal state
and condition of the country. I entirely concur in the
measures which you have framed for the preservation
of order, the repression of crime, and the better ad-
ministration of justice in this metropolis, and I have
given a cordial assent to the Bills which you have pre-
sented to me for the establishment of a more efficient
constabulary force in those towns which peculiarly
required it, and for effecting the important object of
generally extending and invigorating the civil power
throughout the country.
" GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

" I thank you for the zeal and readiness with which
you have voted the supplies for the service of the year.
" It has been with satisfaction that I have given my
consent to a reduction of the Postage Duties. I trust
that the Act which has passed on this subject will be
a relief and encouragement to trade, and that by
facilitating intercourse and correspondence it will be
productive of much social advantage and improvement.
I have given directions that the preliminary step should
be taken to give effect to the intention of Parlia-
ment, as won as the inquiries and arrangements re-
quired for this purpose shall have been completed.
" The advantageous terms upon which a considerable
amount of the Unfunded Debt has been converted into
Stock, afford a satisfactory proof of the reliance placed
on the credit and resources of the country, as well as on
your determination to preserve inviolate the National
Faith.
" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
" It is with great pain that I have found myself cam-
! polled to enforce the law against those tvho no longer