Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-03-13
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77Yse e,sss0ers of Alexander Tames Dallas
70 the saferrogasoy;es, exhibfted a5oa me
eaoaiyu iato the o5flaacial c9}lduct q Samuel
Chase, and Richard Peters, Figures,
s.0usdspend;ng IN tie Houseef Re1rese''-
tatiges of the Congress 81 tic So'l+Sea
States.
/ alexander Jsines Dallas, Being duly
sworn, in answer to all and every OF the
interogatoriessa above mentioned 90 dePose
and say,
That I was present as hereinafter mention
ed, at tilestrials Of john Fries, on charge
/ for treason, in the circuit court OF the u
nited States, for the district Of Pennsylva-t
mia, IN the. rseone thousand seven hum
-elred and ninety-nine, and one thousand
eight hundred.
That the first trial took Paccin May, one
thousand seven hundred and nlnety-nlne,
before Mr.. Iredell, an associate Judge Of
the supreme court OF the United States,
and Mr.. Peters, the district judge. Nj.
Lewis, NJ. w. Ewing and myself were
counsel for the prisoner and-in that cha
racter we freely delivered 10 the Jury, eve
~ argument III point Of fact and Of law,
which we tho't proper. The trial was con-
Quoted BY the court, thejury, and the gen
tlemen, who sustained the prosecution,
(Mr. Rawle the district attorney, and Mr..
Sitgreaves) with the greatestcandour, inn
parliality, humanity and patience, during a
period of days. The prisoner
was, however, convicted by the verdict of
the jury: but, on motion made by Mr..
Lewis and myself, new tsial was granted;
principally, believe, on the ground, that
one of fhejurors, after he was summoned,
and before he was sworn, had made decla-
rations, rnanifesting a prejudication Of the
general, and in particular to Fries
That the circuit court was. held at Nor
ristown, IN October, one thousand seven
hundred and ninety nine, (the yellow fever
then ragingin Philadelphia by Mr.. Wash
ington, an associate Judge of the supreme
court of the United States, and Mr.. Pc
tiers, the district Judge of Pennsylvania
when Mr.. Lewis and myself again attend
ed, as the counsel of Fries. But some cir
cumstances occurred (which have never
heard authoritatively expiained) that IN
duced the court to postpone the trial Of
Fries, and other prisoners, until the next
term.
THAT the second trial Of Fries took place
in the term conlmencingin April, one thou
sand eight hu. .lred, before Mr.. Chase, one
of the associate Judges Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States, and Mr.. Pc
tiers, district 3adge of Pennsylvania At
the instance oftle prisoner, Mr.. Lewis and
myself were assigned BY the court as his
counsel; and Mr.. Ingersoll attended with
q view to assist Mr.. Rawle, the district at
torney, IN support Of the prosecution. On
the day appointed for the trial, entered
| the court room, some time after the court
had been opened, and observed ain unusual
agitation among the gentlemen ofthe bar.
Fries was then standing in the prisoners
box the Jurors summoned in the generg
PANEL, appeared to be attendingin the ju-
ny boxes, ard other parts of the hall and
there was considerable number Of citizens
assembled as auditors. NY attention was
Immediately attracted, by the eagerness Of
d conversation, in which Mr.. Lewis and
Mr.. Edward I'ilghman were engaged !; but
as soon as .lalr. Lewis saw me- enter, ne
fastened towards me, out of the bar, and
stated, in substance, that, after the court
was opened, Mr.. Chase had delivered
II I L L I. I i
the opinion OF the court, on the law oftrea-
son; with a Declaration that copy should
be given to the district attorney; another
copy Should be given to the prisoners
connse,i and third copy should be de-