The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-10-31

ihe had difhonored his bed. and complained that
James, their lodger, had fedueed her from her duty.
AL fhe requeasd was that her hufband would retore
her her parents, which, notwithstanding his iniu-
ries, he promfed he would do. OF Mort duration,
however, her better refolves, and 70 is it
that when the bounds Of virtue once tranfgref.
fed aud the mind became familarixed with guilt, that
it aSted without remorle what in ITS pure fate it
could not contemplate without horror that in few
weeks after this fhe publicly married Der bo1yy
daesr, and for that ad fhe food arraigned as
criminal, at the bar of juaiee, to anlwsr for the
crime.
With refpea to the nature of this crime and its
evil tendency, the Learned Coufe fad he truNed he
need not enlarge. Although in the mixed conpa-
MES OF life marriage wa. frequent iubjed of rdcue
with the gay and thoughtlels, yet eur morals were
Gill 70 uncontaminated, that it never m ntioned
III our Courts of Jutiee bur with the refpea and re-
verenceit neriteJ. It was the mon important of
all civil contracts aud guarded by the mott faered Of
religious obligations, the fanaion of an oath, admit
inferred at the altar itfelf of God. From il lpruue
up the greaeft of moral and civil duties. and the
dearet charities OF our nature. Any deed which of
tlelf by its influence tended to break down this
boundary, n,erited the feverelt puniihmept of the
law and when it was conGdered how much the pu-
rity OF women mixed tie in the fecurity Of this fate
their morals could not be too rieIy guarded II wa.
not in this country in thee times only that theft.
entimens prevailed, for facred writer had declared
"that virtuous wa, the ornament of her
huiband and her price was far above rubies." Such
once was the value Of the prifSner the bar, while
innocence was in her heart now fhe was lhamed
polluted and degraded, object of contempt aud
dhgutt the Jury might perhaps feel pity for her pre-
tent htuation her appearance might work upon the
ofer emotions of their hearts but let them re,,em-
Der the suation Of another peron let them remem-
Der the agonized feelings of the injured hulband,
whole hopes and happiness were all defroyed by her
dreadful miicondu6 Indeed, no wretchednefs could
be more complete than man 10 injured. In other
caamities receive fome eonfolaton in the pity of
mankind; but 70 perverfely was the mind of man
contributed on this location, that the injury to which
he alluded, not only made a man wretched but ALTO
ridiculous So complete was his mifery that our inn
mortal countryman, who faid to be the deepen
read in human nature and the humae pafions, had
made man in like fituaon declare, that he
would rather be toad, and live upon the vapours Of
dungeon" than Object of fuch fcorn. The
Learned Council concluded by Eating, that he fhould
call his witnefes prove his oafe-The puuiihmenr,
If The found guilty, would be appor,ioned by the
hyperion wifdom of hi. LordAip; bu, there remained
yet this eonfolation for the unhappy woman at the
bar, that ihe was tried before 4 Judge who always
mPeredjudgmen, with mercy.
David LANG, the Gretna Green Parton, was firh
called. He ftated that he performed the ceremony
over the prioner and her hufband, in his way that
was, he read nothing, but he fad fomethine off the
tongue, and authorized them to cohabit together.
The Lord Chief Baron faid he would not admit
this as marriage. He aiked him what he was He
replied, Tobacconif. His LordrAip obferved. that
fellow or two, like the witnefs, did thefe fort of
things but both himlelf and the parties were liable
to punihment.
MIR. Curwood faid the marriage was irregular but
that did not vtiate it, though fubjetted the party
to Punihment. He underfood, by the Scotch law
there were two fpecies of marriages.
Lord Chief Baron. cannot take your under
Handing OF the law of Scotland. mutt have it certi-
ileu ny rne LORD Advocate, OF the Judges OF
the court There is no doubt but valid marriage in
Scotland or in China is valid any where but the law
Of every foreign country muft be certified If you
have any advocate of character will receive his tei-
tmony."
Council" Will your Lordfhip permit the wit.
neis to give evidence of the law :"
Lord Chief Baron.-" No certainly not.---I will
not receive the law of Scotland from Tobacco
niif."
The Prifoner was accordingly acquitted for want of
evidence.