Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1798-11-20


The evidence all A.; eed that had ever been
oePpoie TO the printing The letter, aud gave
Tor re7ion5 that had promiied the gentleman
70 whom tEle origias had Been written, that
would rot rhlisr II to be printed. Tbs
Young lawyer laid ihaS l told ljn,, Tiers were
not above one or two paiA Is In the letter
whioh could L. c.llel fictitious.
he attorney projected to ran M The G.
violence, and dwet on every thing which he
thought proper, TO point the appearance
ct evil Intentions. As foon as hc had ieated
hmielf, or before, Jadge Patterlon rofe and
was proceeding to give his charge to the in-
ry, interrupted him, with an cnouir, into
thecaule, why lho Id not be heard, he pc.
ii'e!y iat down and directed me 70 proceed.
My defence coniiaeo OF an appeal to the in.
ry, on the uuconltitusionalty Of the law, the
Innocence OF the paGage in my letter, and The
innocence Of the manner in which read the
LITTER. Il Mas laid / fpoke two hour, and
upwards. Mr.. Smith declined fpeakinr, as
ne was unprepared. The attorney re9iied
rs decently as any man of his profel;on and
PRINCIPLES would. The caarTc from the Judge
was AudiadIy aad pointclly reyere. after
telling the jury, il thcy leaned any wav, it
ought to DC in favor o; I c defendant, he pro
ceeded to dwell on The Intention aud wicked
nets of it in the MOI elaborate manner; he
defended to intimate that the Barlow Letter.
as 1t was called, was forgery; he iaid, let
men OF letters read. II at letter and compare
1t with Baliow's writings, and they would
pronounce It none of his. He told the Jury
that my defence was merely an a,nesl to
their feelings, calculated to excite their pi,v
but mercy, he taid, did not belong to them,
that was lodged in another placs. they were
20 fellow the law, which he explained in his
own way, and Imported the conRitutionali
" OF It. The jury retired about 8 O'Clock
in the evening, and in about an hour returned
with verdict, Cpilty! The Judge obleryed
TO me, that had then an opportunity to thew
cauie, why Judgment mould not be proaoun-
ced agaiua me. and to flew what was nv a.
Sility or inability TO pay a fine, as man of
large property, in iuch cafe, ought to be
obliged to pay a greater fine than one of
imaller property replied, 1 did not ex-
peel any thing that | fheuld fay, would have
any influence on the Court, in the preient
ltage ofthe buGnefs. TIE Judge faid might
think of it until morning, and the court ID
ourned until nine O'Clock next morn;pg I
then attended, and after being called upon,
l observed to the court, II reply TO what had
been iaid to me upon the fcore of property.
that few days ago owne a property which
eitImated, ionic years fipce, at 10000 dol
lars IN the prcient fate 81 the affairs of our
country, did not expea It would fetch half
that fun. had lately made over all the
productive part of it, to lscure fome perfons,
who were bouni for me for debts, 70 the a.
mount Of iixteen or iever.teen hundred dol
lars, there till remained enough to be worth
much more than the court were empowered
TO fix the line at but in the prelent fcarcity
OF cath, and the proiPea of lands loon TO be
iold very cheap, l did not know that could
Poiiibly raiie zoo dollars. in cath, upon it.
The Judge, after an exordium on the ma
ture of the offence, the malignity OF it in me,
particularly being member of Conrreis, and
the lcnity of the Sedition Blu, which did not
allow the judges to carry the punihment 70
far as common law did, pronounced Centence,
that / be imprifoned four calendar months,
pay fine of 1000 dollars, and ltand commit
ted until the judgment lould be complied
with This lentence was unexpected to all
M friends as well as mylelf, no one expect
ed imprisonment.
The MARTIAL is a man, who AGED as clerk
to Tome perions whom ] had oq.aiion to tran
iact fome bufnefs with, about a dozen Years
lince, when be hrl camd into this co,,ntrv
in which he behaved 70, that / have ever iInce
moa heartily dcfpifed hira this he has no
doubt feen aud felt. The moment fentence
was pronounced, he called me to him and or
dered me to fit down on u certain feat in the
court-houlc he called two pcrfons to piye
me IN charge to, one Of thsm the perfon who
followed me to Middletown to iniult me, and
was on the trial improved as an evidence. ]
aiked II they would go with me to my lode
ings few minutes, 60 thar / MIGHT take
care OF my papers | was anfwered in FUR.
" manner, no, and commanded 20 fit down,
l food up After the court had adjourned,
enqnired what was 10 be done with me IN.
I'll commitment; expected ihould be con
fined in the prifon in Rutland, the county
where lived was told that the martial
was authorized to impriion me in what Jail
in the Rate he plealed, and that inuR 20 to
Vergennes, about 4 4 miles Dorth of Rutland,
and about the fame diAanee from my feat at