Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-09-29
NOVEL PROCEDURE.

A public meeting of the inhabitants
of New Brunswick. (N.J.) was held
on the 18th instant, to express their
feelings in relation to an outrage com.
mittpd upon the person of John LisIe,
and the conduct of the Court of Gene.
raj Quarter Sessions, for imposing a
fine of $50 only, upon the Offenders
The last resolution concluded by declar-
ing that thesentence of the Court "meets
with our utmost disaprobaton, is cal.
culated to endanger the safety of the
citizen, and to subyert the great object
of punishment--public example"
The editor of the New Brunswick
Times adds the following statement to
the proceedings of the meeting.
The circumstances attending the
case above alluded to, it is said, were
peculiarly aggrayating. John Isle,
an Englishman, who had resided some
months in this place, was attacked near
O'clock in the morning, in passing a.
long the public street in Wagon, and
near his own house. BY the two men a.
bove mentioned, while a third stopped
his horse. They beat him over the
head with clubs, and after knocking
him out of the Wagon, followed up
their blows even within his own house,
and left their victim bleeding and ex-
hausted at the feet of his wife. What
is worse, all this appears to have been
done without any previous provocation
on the part of Isle, who was unaC.
quainted with these men, and had never
had any misunderstanding with them.
After perpetrating their wicked inten-
tons, they all three made off:--but thro'
the vigilance and activity of a number
of our citizens; who Immediately took
the alarm they were arrested a few
miles from this city, and safely lodged
in gaol.
cat the late Tern of the Sessions
here, they were indicted, and upon be-
ing arraigned, two of them pleaded
guilty. After due consideration, the
Court thought proper to punish them
by fine of Fifty Dollars each. A fine
of fifty dollars for so daring and afro.
cious an outrage !! This like an c.
lectric spark, seemed to light up TIE
bosom of every one with the glow Of
Indignation, and so highly wrought was
this feeling, that the citizens almosten
masse, assembled to give a public ex-
preston of it. The opinion of the
bench, it is understood Was not an una
nimous one. We have heard it sug
gested, as some palliation of the sen.
tence, that Lisle had brought civil suits
against these men, to remunerate him.
self in damages for the injury. 1t IL
we'll known, however, that the delen-
dants are worth nothing, that if judy 4
ment be obtained against them in those
suits, they have nothing to do, but to
give bond rot to quit the county, take
the benefit of the iusoIvent acts, aud
thus so completely UNPUBLISHED. This
however, is not the proper medium
thro' Which acts of this kind should b.
viewed. Whatever PREPARATION an nd'
vidual may seek, there ssomethiDs due
to society something due TO the maJeS'
ty of the laws q to that order & deco
rum which is the very basis Of good So
yernment. In Offences marked by such
circumstances, as characterized this, e
very citizen feels himself party; ana
if there are judges who will lightly pun
ish such gross violation Of our laws
such unheard of violence in open Day
there is redeeming spirit in the pubic
mind, which will appreciate their con-
conduct"
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