Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-08-26
direct from the divinity, bearing in its chaste and

direct from the divinity, bearing in its chaste and
charmed helplessncss the assurance of it's
strength, and the amulet Of its protection; am 1
TO be told that the damon adulterer is there
fore not only to perpetrate his Crimes but to vim.
dictate himself through the very virtues he has |
violated cannot believe it: dismiss the sup
Position-it is most INDUSTRIOUS, foul and unnatu-
raj.
Suppose that the plaintiff pursued different
prInciple-suppose that his conduct had been the
reverse of what it was-suppose that in place of
being kind, he had been cruel to This deluted
female-that he had been her tyrnt not her pro-
tector-her goaler. not her husband-what then
might not have been the defence of this adulter-
orr Might he not then say & say withispeciousness
True seduced her into crime, but it was to
save her from cruelty; true, she is my adulteress
because he was her despot." Happily, gentlemen,
he can say no such thing. Ihave heard it said,
too, during the ten months of calumny, for which
by ever, species of legal delay, they have pro-
crastinated, this trial that next to impeachment
of the husbands tenderness, they mean to rely
OH what they libel rs the levity Of their unhappy
victim! know not by what right any man, but
above all married man presumes to scrutnze m
to the conduct Of a married female know not
gentlemen, how you would feel under the con-
seriousness that every coxcomb was at liberty to
estimate the warmth or the GOODNESS of your
wives by the barometer of his vanity, that he
might ascertain precisely the prudence of his
invasion on their virtue. But do know that
such defence, coming from such a quarter,
wouid¬ at all surprise me. Poor,unfortunate,
fallen female How can she expect mercy from
her destroyer How can she expect that he will
revere the character he was careless of preserv-
ing! How can she suppose, that after having
made her peace the pandar to his appetite, he will
not make her reputation the victim of his ave-
l~fa sc 10
knowing hun, it will not surprise me; if / know
you, twill not avail him.
Having now shown you, that crime almost an.
p-ece'ien.ed in This country is clothed in every
aggravaton androbbed of every:palliative 1t is
natural you should enquire, what was the motive
for its commission What do you think it was .
Providentally, (miraculously should have said,
Tor you never could have dvned) the defendant
has himselfdisclosedi it. What do you think il was
gentlemen !-.7m5ition But few DAYS be-
tore his crmnality, in answer to friend who re-
buked him for the almost princely expenditure
OF his habits, " oh (says he) never mind-Sterne
must do something by which Sterne may be
known" had heard, indeed, that ambition was
vice, but then vice so equivocal, il verged on
virtue. That it was the aspiration of q spirit
sometimes, perhaps, appalling, always magnifi.
cent that though its grasp might be fate, and its
hight might be famine, still it reposed in earth,s
pinnacle, and played in heavens lghtnings that
though 1t might full in ruins it arose in fire, and
was wlthal so splendid, that even the horrors of
that fall, became emerged and mtigated in the
beauties OF that aberratIon But here is an am
bltion base, and barbarous, and legitima,e-with
all the grossness the vice, with none of the
grandeur OF the virtue-a mean, muf1ed, bastard
incendiary, who in the silence of Sleep and in the
shades Of midnight, steals his Ephesian torch in
TO the fame which IT was virtue to adore and
worse than sacrilege to have violated III 6urst
etapphG'ise from the whole 6lr aud audyfoyv. fall
to'sed the delivery Of this passage.)
Gentlemen, my part is done; yours il abou
to commence; you have heard this crime. ito
origin, It's progress, its aggrayations, its novelty
amongst us. Go and tell your children and your
country whether or not it is to be mada prece-
dent oh how awful is your responsibility
do not doubt that you will discharge yourselves
OF 1t as becomes your characters. am sure in
deed, that you will mourn with me over the al
most solitary defect in our otherwise mstchless
system ofjurisprudence which leaves the perpe
traitors OF such an injury assthis, subject to no
enforcement but that of money. / think you will
lament the failure of the great Cicero of our ape
to bring such an offence within the cognizance
OF n criminal jurisdiction it wasa subject suit
ed TO his legislative mind, worthy of his feeling
heart, worthy of mis- immortal eloquence. can.
not, my lord, even remotely allude to lord Frs.
kIne, without gratifying myself by saying of him
that by the RAE union of all that was learned in
law with all that was lucid in eloquence, by the
singular combination of allthat was pure in NOR.
ais with all that was profound in wisdom, he
has stamped upon every action of his life the
blended authority ola great mind and an unques-
tionable conviction. think, gentlemen, you Will
regre the failure ofsuch man in such an object.
The mere less murderer may have manlness to |
plead the highway robber may have want to pal. |
late, yet they are both objects Of criminal in
fiction but the murderer OF connubial bliss, |
who commits his crime in secrecy but the rob- !
Der OF domestic joys, whose very wealth, as in |
this case, may be his instrument, he is suffered |
to calculate onthe Internal fame which super |
fluous expenditure may purchase. The law, |
however, IS so, and we must only adopt the re- |
medy it affords US. In your adjudication of that
remedy, do not ask too much when l ask the |
iull extent OF your capability, how poor even so
IS the wretched remuneration for an injury which |
nothing can repair for loss which nothing can
alleviate do you think that mine could recon- |
pense my client for the forfeiture Of her who was
deaTer than life to him
Oh, had she been 5uf true
Though Heaven had made him such another
Iverld
ozone entire and perfect ChrysOhfe,
He'd not exchange Herforh.
! put it to any Of you, what would you take to
stand in his situat onl What would you ta6e to
have. your prospects blast ed--your profession
desp oiled--your peace ruined-your bed pro-