Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-08-26

the bare mention of immortality smote upon his
lconscicnce--an Intercourse with the continental
courts had refined his mind into a painful sensi-
bility TO the barbarisms Of Ireland, and vet an
internal tenderness towards his native land so ir.
resistibly impelled him to iinproveit BY his res
idence. that he. WIS an hapiess victim to the ex-
cess OF his feelings, the exquisteness of his pol
ish, and the excellence of his patriotism! His
English estates, he said, amounted TO about ten
thousand pounds year, and he retained in Ire
land only a trifiing three Thousand more, as a
KIND or trust for the necessaries OF its inhabitants
in short, according to his own description, he
was IN religion SAINT, and in morals L Stoic-a
| sort Of wandering philanthropist, making like
the Sterne, who, he confessed, had the honor of
ms name and his connex,on) Sentimental Jour
ney IN search Of object over whom his heart
might weep, and his sensibility expand ITSELF
uow happy it is, that ofthe philosophic profit
gate only retaining the vices and the name his
rasiiness had led TO the arrest of crimes which
ne had ali his turpitude to commit, without any
| OF his. talents to e.ii5eish :,
It was by arts such as have alluded toby
pretending the most strict morality, the most
sensitive honor, the most high and undertaking
principles OF virtue, that the defendant banis,ed
every suspicion OF his designs. AS far as appear
| ances went, he was exactly what lie described
himself. His pretensions to morals he SUPPORT
Ell by the most reserved and respectful behaviour
Ills hand was lavish in the distribution of his
charities; and SPLENDID equipage, a numerous
retlnue, system OF the most profuse and prod
gal expenditure. Thus circumstanced. he found
an easy admttance to the house of Mrs. Fallon
and there he had many opportunities of seeino.
Mrs. Guthrie, for between his family and that Of
SO Respectable relative as Mrs. Fallon. my eli
ent had much anxiety TO increase the connection
Ihey visited together Some of the public amuse.
ments, they partook of some OF the fetes in the
neighborhood ofthc metropolis-but. upon everv
occasion, Mrs. Guthrie was ACCOMPANIED Inv her
own mother, and by the respectable females of
Mrs Fallon's family. say, upon every occasion.
and challenge them to produce one single in.
s,a"0S oi THOSE innocent excursions upon which
| the ISLANDERS of interested calumnv have Laen
let loose, in which this unfortunate lady wasinot
matrohIzed by her female relatives, and tbose
some OF the most spotiess characters in soc;o,,,
| Between Mr.. Guthrie and the defendant the %
quantance was but slight. Upon one occasion
alone they dine;l together it was nj the honsn
OF the piaintIii, 5 iather-nlaw and that YOU may
nave some illustration OF the defendants charac
ter, shall briefly instance his conduct NJ tb;s
| dinner. On beng introduced to Mr. Warner, he
apologized for any deficiency of etiquette in his
visits, declaring that he had been seriouslv occu
pied IN arranging The affairs of his lament Ell f.tb
| CT, who, though tenant for life had contracted
DEBTS to an enormous amolint--he had already
| paid upwards often thousand poands. which hon
|
/ sweet soul he could not bear that any,, ore
should suffer unjustly by his family. His spbse-
| quent conduct was quite consistent with this Nv
| pocrIticai preambIe-at dinner he sat at dis
/ lance trorR Mrs. Guthrie, expatiated IN her brs
| band upon matters of morality, and entering in
| to high-fown paregyric on the virtues of do.
nestle lfeand the comforts of connubiaI hann;
| ness. In short had there been ANY idea of al
ousy, his manner would have banished il. and the
mind must. have been worse than scent;caI
| which would refuse its credence to his surface
| morality. Gracious God, gentlemen, where the
1 heart once admits guilt as its associate hoyy eve
! ny natural emotion flies before it Surely sire
| ly, here was scene to reclaim, If it were posi-
| bic, this remorseless defendant; admitted toher
fathers table, under the shield of hospitality he
| saw young and lovely female surrounded bv
| her parents, her husband and her children-tbe
prop ofthose parents age, the idol of that hus-
4 bands love- the anchor of those children's holm
lessness Tie sacred orb of their domestic circle
giving their smileits light, and their bliss its be.
ing, robbed ofwhose beams the little ficid world
of their home must become chill, ,,nci and
colorless for ever. He saw them happy, ae saw
them united, blessed with peace and purity, ard
Notwithstanding with sympathy, and thron-
ed in lOve-depctng the innocence OF infancy
| and the joys or manhood, before the venerable
eye OF age, as it TO soften the farewell of one
world by the pure and pictured anticipation of a
better. Yet, even there, hid in the very sun
beam of that happiness, the demon of its des-
tined desolation lurked. Just Heavens of
what materials was that heart composed which
conid msdtate cody on the murder of such en-
| Joyments-which innocence could not soften, nor
peace propitiatc, nor hospitality appease, but
which, in TIC very beam and bosom of its bene-
faction, warmed and wound itself into a more
! vigorous venom Was there no sympathy in
the scene Was there no remorse at the crime ,
Was there no horror at its consequences
Here hoHor, virtue, conscience, all called
Wds there no bity no relsnfing ruth,
To shoV the Parents finding Ger their child,
Then paint the ruined pair and their distraction
Taid?
No, no-he was at that instantplanning their des-
truction, and even within four short days he de-
/ liberately reduced those parents to childessness
| that husband 70 widowhocd, those smiling infants
to anticipated orphanage, and that peaceful hos
pitable, confiding family, to helpless, hopeless,
| irremediate ruin.
Upon the first day Of the ensuing JULY, Mr.
Guthrie was to dine with the Connaught Bar ut
the Hotel oF Portobello II is the custom of the
! gentlemen of that Association to dine together
previous TO the Circuit; Of course my client
could not desirously have absented himself
Mrs. Guthrie appeared little ieyersh, and he
requested that on his retiring she would compose
/ herself to rest-she promised him she would and
/ when he departed somewhat abruptly TO put some
letters in the post-ofce, she exclaimed, " What
! John, are YOU going toleave me thus 20 Hereturn-
\ ed & she kissed him. They seldom, ever parted
even for any time without that token Of affection