Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-09-16

its COMMISSION w nat w w piibN ~
wasa proyidently fnairaculonsly | should
have said, for you never could have di-
sinedlthe defendant las himself disc'os-
edit. What do yoa taiak twas gentle
mena .amhiioi,. But q lev days be-
fore his cril:nal.ty, in answer TO a
friend, who rebukcd HIN fer tie almost
princely expenditure ofh his habits. :.oh,
lsays he) never mind--Sterle must Go
Something by WHICH Sterae may he
known" I had heard, Indeed that
ambition was a vice, but then vice SO
eeaiyocal it vergcd on virtue. That It
| was the aspiration Of a spirit sometimes
! persaps appalling, always magnificent !;
that though its grasp might lie fate, and
| its fig',s might &c famine, still i repoaed
lin eaTths pinnacle, and played in hea-
ven's Kghtningg. that though it night fa!l
/ In ruins, it rose in Are and was WITH all
| 50 splendid, tina. even tte horrors ct
| tlat fall became emerged and rlitiga-
| ted IN the beauties OF ttat alteration !!
| But here is an ambition base and bsrba-
r0us, and illesitirnate, with ell the gross-
| ness OF the vice with none Of the gran
| deur Of the virtue--a. mean, mattscd,
bastard inceudiary, who in the silence
| Of sleen, and in the shades of midnight
steals bis Ephesian torch into the fame
which it was virtue to adore, and worse
than sacril2se to have violated! "a
| burst Of applause from the whole Bar
| &. auditory followed the delivery Of this
passage.}
Gentlemen, my part is done, yours is
about to commence. you have heard this
| crime its origin, its progress, It's ag-
| gravations, it's novelty amongst US. Go
and tell your children and your coun-
try whether or not it is to be made q
precedent. Oh how awful is your re-
sponsibility ? I do not doubt that you
will discharge yourselves OF il as becomes
your characters. | am sure, indeed, that
Won will mourn with me over tie almost Sc
iitary defect in our otherwise matchless
system Jurisprudence which leaves the
perpetrators of such an injury as this.
subject to no amercement but that of
money. Think you viii lament tie fai-
are ofthe great Cicero of our age to
bring such an offence within the coeni-
zauce Of criminal jurisdiction it was.
subject suited to bis legislative mind
WORTHY of his feeling heart, worthy OF his
immortal eIoguence. l cannot, my lord
even remeiely ailudc to lord ifrskine
without gratifying miself by saying of
hin, that by the rare union of all that
was learned in law with all that was
lucid in e!oauence, by singular combi-
nation Of all that was pure in morals with
al! that was profound in wisdom, he has
stamped upon every action of his life
the blended authority OF great mind.
and ain unquestienable conviction. ]
think, gentlemen YOU will regret the fai-
lure of such g man IN such All object
The ncTciess murderer nay bave man.
Illness to plead ; the highway robber may
have want 10 PALATE. vet ,heT are both
objects ofcri,ninal infection but the muir
dsrer OF ccnnubial bliss. who commits bis
crime in secrecy; but the robher of do
mestic joys, whose very wealth as IN this
case, may be his instrument, he is safer
ed to calculate en- the internal fame
which surerfuous expenditure NAY
purchase. Tie law, however, is SO. and
we must only adopt the remedy it affords
us. IN your adjudication OF that remedy,
do not ask too much when ask the full
extent of your capability show poor even
SO, is the wretched remuneration for an
injury which nothing can repair for a
loss which nothing can alleviate do you
think that mine could recompeuse NY
client for the forfeiture Of her who was
dearer than life to him :
Oh. had she been but true
Though Heaven Rad made him such
another world
Ofone entire and perfect Chrysolite, |
Fed not exchange her for it.
/ rut it to any Of you, what would you
take to stand in his situation What |
would you take to have your prospects
blasted-your profession desPeiled-
your peace ruined--yopr bed rrofaned---
your parents heart broSen-your chill
dren parentless ? Believe me, gentle
men. If it was not for these children he [
would not come here to-day to seek such |
remuneration i! it was not.tIlat by your
verdict, you may prevent those little In
nocnnf u nfraudr6 wrpfchpS frnro hacom