Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-05-20
FIR Ell

L ii u Clt2enS or THIS place were aldTlHe =
ed by the awful cry OF FIRE between the
hours of twelve and one o'clock yesterday
| 1t nr owed to be in the roof of the east wing
ofthe Penitentiary, which accidentally took
fire it is supposed, by spark from an adj
! joining chimney. Though at the distance
of nearly mile from the thickly settled
part OF the city, the citizens generally rush.
, ed Immediately to the scene with that de-
! gree of alacrity and promptitude, which
we are happy to say has always charac-
terised them ON such occasions. The flames
however progressed but slowly and from
the great cxertions of several of the pri-
soners confined in the house, they were got
completely under before many OF the inha-
bitantS could reach the place. Several of
those unfortunate men, with an intrepdity
which does honor to human nature, were
| obsered in dangerous situations on the roof,
cxertinS themselves TO eXtingush the
flames, which VIC believe was principally
effected by their spirited and Jealous indi-
vidual cxertions. 1t gives us great plea
sure to inform the citizens of this common
meath that this valuable building has sus-
| tanned but trihing injury from the Are.
The letter of the Captain of the British
sloop of war Driver, dated from {" Re6eii-
on Roads," addressed to the Commander
at Fort Johnson, Charleston, South Caro-
| lima, published in this DAYS Argus, will be
read with that degree of Indignation it So
| pre-eminently merits, by every true and
! independent American.
: Delegates elected to serUe in The ne1rt Ge-
! neral assembly.
Hardy, Christian Simon, John Cunning
ham.
JEFFERSON, Smith Slaughter, Cavan Willis.
Giles, Andrew Johnston, Thomas Shan
non.
Messrs. Holmes and Wilson are re-elect-
ed members Of Congress in their respec-
tive districts.
! The Jubilee at James Town, we
understand, was celebrated with
great hialrity. From two to three
thousand persons are said to have
attended on the occasion, among
whom were about three hundred
ladies.
We had an opportunity ofconversing a
few days past, with a respectable and
: worthy old revolutionary soldier, who, q
mong other thin IS, related to us the two
following circumstances, which, though
well known in the neighborhood where
they occurred, we do not recoilect ever Il
have seen published, and as they ough
not to be forgotten, we with pleasure relate
them in the old gentlcman's own words -
CON the 18th day of march 1881, six
teen brave Americans were made prison
, ers, by party Of British troops, in Spar
: tanburgh district, in South Carolina
: four OF the number, viz. Capt. MATTHEW
Pattern, of that district, Capt Jane
Elder, Lanby Farrar and Charles Bruce
: were tried rebels, and without mucl
= ceremony were sentenced to be executed
I the next day at 10 o'clock. When the,
= were brought to the gallows, and after tn
e ropes were tied about their necks, Capt
e Pattern, in a cool, deliberate and undaunt
cd manner, addressed the officer and at
: pendants in these words: g Gentlemen,
- am in your power, and you may easil
c take my life, but ! have n satisfaction yo
cannot deprive me of, have yet friend
= left, who I 7UeH know will have twent
n lives for mine" This short address wa
delivered in that cool and confident man
= ncr which made il impressive, and th
n condemned prisoners, were immediatcl
: pardoned, ard our informant, who wd
one of the number, adds that Capt. Pattcr
= is now living with his third wife, and h
e hopes he may long live TO raise a numcrou
h offspring, as brave and as worthy as him
self"
: Augusta Herald.