The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-03-14

CCh!CunoSu sl Inc proportions oil bOCl-
ETY., aud with its last gasp, sighed ia.
mine and misfortune on the world. las
cast my industrious client with too ,n,.
ny Of his companions, from competence
to penury. Alas, alas to him il lei, IN,
worst OF its satellites behind it, i, Ieit
the invader even of his misery, the Sc :
Queer Of his sacred and unspeited limo
cent Mysterious Providence was 1,
not enough that sorrow robed the ham
ny home in mourning--was it no,
enough that disappointment pIeyed up.
on ITS lovely prospects--was il no,
enough that its little inmates cried in
vain Tor bread, and heard no answer bu,
The poor fathers sigh, and drunk no
sustcnance but the wretched mothers
ears! Was this Time for passion, law
less, constituencies, iiceDtious passion,
aith It's eye vt lust, its heart OF stone,
its hard OF rspIne, TO rush into the
mourniel sanctuary oil misfortune, cast
ing crime into the cup Of woe, and rob
The parents Of their last wealth, their
cbild-and lob the child OF her only
charm, her Innocence! Ths, this has
been done, am instructed we shall
prove. What reqailai ii deserves, Gun.
tiemen, you must prove TO mankind.
The Defendants name, understand
is Townsend. He is of an age VIII, II
every generous blosssm Of the spring
should breathe an ihlant fr shness rouno
his heart Of family which should III
spIre not only high but hereditary prin-
ciples OF honor of profession whose
very essence is q stainless chiyalry, and
whose bought unbouRden duty is the
protection OF the citizen. Such are
ihc advantages with which he appears
before you--tearful advantages because
they repel all possible suspicion; bu
you will agree with me, most damnipe
adversarics, if i, shall appear that the
generous ardour of his youth was Chill
ed, that the noblo inspiration OF his
birth was spuIpcd, that the lofty i'm
pulse 0! his profession was despiseu,
ana all that could grace, animate, or
cnnobie was used 10 his own discredit.
and his fellow creatures misery.
1t was upon tie FIRST OF June las,
hat On the banks Of the canal, near Por.
to clio, Lieutenant Townsend first me,
the drughter CT MIR. Creis hton. pr. :
" interesting girl, scarcely 10 years oil
age. She was accompanied by her lit.
tie sister. ooiy tour years CID, with
whom She was permitted to take a daI-
iy walk in that retired spot, the vicinity
OF her residence. The Defendant was
attracted by her apptarance--he lefl
AIS party, and attempted 10 converse
with her; she repeled bis advances
ne immediately seizH her infant sister
by ,hc hand, whom IL held as kind OF
hostage for an lrodiclion o his vic
tim A prepossesshg appearance, a
niodesty of deportmett apparently quite
incompatible with any evil design,
gradually silenced her alarm, and She
answered the common place questions
with which on his way home, he adj
dressed her, Genthmen, / admit it
was an innocent imprudencc--the ri.
gid rules of ma:ured morality should
nave repelled such communication, We,
perhaps, judging even by that stric,
standard, you will rather condemn me.
tamiiiaTaiity of the intrusion in DE-
signing adult, than lie facility of access
In creature of her tge and he? limo.
cence. They thus scpara,ed, as she
naturally supposed TO mcct 40 more.
Not such, however, WIS the determine
'Ion If her destroyer. From that hour
unil her ruin, he scarcely ever lost
sight OF her--he followed her as a
shadow, he waylaid ha in her walks,
lie interrupted her in her avocations, he
haunted The street of Der residence
II she refused 10 meet lin, he paraded
before her window, at The hazard - ey
posing her first comparatively innocent
imprudcnce to her unconscious parents.
How happy would 1t have been bad she
conquered the timidity SO natural to
her age, and appealed at once 10 their
pardon and projections Gentlemen,
this daily persecution continued for
three months-lor thee successive
months, by every art, By every persua-
slonr by every appeal TO her vanity and
her passions, did he oil for the de-
stFuction of this unfortunate young
creature. / leave you to guess how
many during that interval might have
yielded to the Establishments of name.
| The destinations of youth, the rarely re.
sisted temptations Of opportunity For
three long months she did resist them.
She would have resisted them forever,
but for an expedient which is withou /
a model-but for ar exDloii which I