Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-28
FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF THE MEX
ICAN WAR.

SeNeIE 10 leuo 2rfvehhere on Monday
eveni8 last--he has the Gtire appreciation
OF thHofhcers and rncn tenerally, aud no
doubtH entertained that ~ was eminently
quali6td to dojusticc to the command, and.
had hiserders been ohryeIN would have led
the patriots on TO triumpl&and to glory.
There is no kind of lssf5t that at the mo-
ment of retreat, the Patriots had much the
advantage, and, could the officers have raj
lied them. their triumph would have
been complete. 1t IS stated that the Royal
lists lost upwards OF 700, and the loss OIL the
part Of the Patriots did not exceed four hun
dred.
From the Wegv York Commercial advertiser.
NEW-YORK GENERAL SESSIONS.
The People.
VS.. Oman indictment. for
Marga, ct DT Maiden a Common Scoid.
On Tuesday morning came on, in the
Court of General Sessions, now citing, be-.
fore his Honor the Mayor, and Aldermen
Fish and Pel, the trial of the Indictment a.
gainst the defendant, for being Common
Scoid. Several witnesses were sworn, and
It was proved, that the defendant lived in
broadway, near Duane-st. and keeps small
shop; that she was, when not out of tom
per, an industrious, quiet, and decent wo-
man but that, when irritated, she was
most outrageous and violent sc old, attacking
any and every 5ody Unfortunately who did
not please her, or against whom she had any
dislike; That she was unfortunately addicted
TO intoxication and when in that state. was
more outrageous than at any other time
that these fits sometimes occurred twice or
three times month, sometimes more and
sometimes less frequent, and lasted Que, two.
or three days; that during these times, her
tongue was most violent, frequently collect
ing mot OF boys about the door, &c
J. w. Bracke and DR.. Graham were her
counsel and the latter Gentleman, in long
speech, commended. lst. That the Defendant
being indicted at common law, (there being
no statute against scolding, must, if convict
ed, suffer tue common law punishment of
DuckInS and that wnold not, as Lord Hol,
had observed, cure her, but would, in all
probability, render her incorrigible-2
That in this country no indictment would
lay against scolding, because no conviction
had been found in England, from whence we
derived BUR common law, for MOI e than 100
years, and OF course the custom was cxplo-
ded and extinct---3d. That admitting that
conviction could be had on this Indictment.
and the punishment Of ducking to follow the
conviction, 1t was barbarous and inhuman TO
subject tie fair ssx to coyhoreai punishment,
when men were by law exempt from it. He
concluded with most pathetic appeal to
the feelings of the Jury in favour of his fair
client.
Mr.. Van Hook, in behalf Of the District
Attorney, commended, that at common law a
scold was indictable as a nuisance. and that
she might be punished with fine and impri
sonInent, our statute having abrogated corr
poreal punishment and that from the eyi
dence he had produced, no doubt could re-
main OF the Defendant being an uncommon
great scold, though She might not be a com
mon scod within the meaning of Il G law,
The Court charged the Jury, that thew
did not think the Indictment supported by
the evidence; as it required proof, that a
person was OF temper tending To annoy the
public, and that proof of these few instances
OF scolding, did not, in their opinion, support
the Indictment; that this was the first in-
stance Except the one lately in Boston) an,
indictment for this offence and that it would
be better that the parties should be acquit
ted, than that a new bill for prosecution
should be opened, a shorter remedy than by
indictment being to be had-viz. binding the
parties for their good behaviour. Upon the
whole, the Court advised an acquttal The
Jury pronounced a verdict of--NoT GULL
TY.
u MS hIdi OShlS nOVe', D6lng the f1rSt IN
this State, caused much amusement. and an
parently some anxiety to the female part of
the audience; and some of them seemed to
fear that this invasion of the rights ofzUoDen
might ultimate in their being deprived of
their principal weapon of offence as well as
defence. And we congratulate them upon
the defeat of this attempt 20 muzzle them.
Some OF the factionists persist in dscou.
raging the people from rejoicing at our ma
val and military victories. They ask what
consolation it is TO the females of Hampton.
the people of Norfolk and New London 10
hear OF the triumph of the American arms.
when they suffer so much by the WARP In
our turn. we ask whether the people of
Hampton, Norfolk and Baltimore. who have
suffered so much by the war, are not yea
lousy in favor oiits continuance until its OBJ.
jects shall be attained They are. They
do rejoice, sincerely rejoice, at every victor
Ty which graCeS our countrY's standard. Iris
consoling to them TO hear of the CONQUEST and
punishment of their enemies and cruel des
poiiers. They blame not their own govern
ment for the execrable deeds Of the enemv
nor for the sufferings she inllicts on them
They know that America strove for years TO
keep war from approaching her shores
They know that government was compelled
to resort to it. They glory in the success
and triumph of their country. They are not
so base as those who hypocritically affect To