Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-11-22

I mlnlstratlonS OF a silly curate, then In
Muirkirk, and for his offence nothing
could atone but his life On the lst Of
May, 1855, Gao years ago, he was
shot by the bloody Graham, of Claver-
house, man whose name cannot be
held in too great detestation by the
Scots. On and around the grave of this
martyr no grass is seen growing to the
present day, although the surrounding
bank be richly clothed with carprting
Of green. Some of his descendants
still live in the neighborhood; and ma
nv tales of woe, handed down with
pious care from father to son, are
affeclingly related concerning Brown,
and his companions in suffering
We dc not remember of having wit
messed scene so agreeable to our ma
tional feelings as that at Priesthill on
the 2sth ult The day was exceeding
ly fine. The heather for many miles
around was in full bloom; and its sweet
perfume, waited along on the pure
breeze Of autumn, afforded delightful
sensation to the organs Of smell. The
sun tinged the cliffs Of Wardlaw and
Carntable with his golden beams, and
with his increasing glories gradually
chased away the lazy mists which took
refuge OH their SUBMITS The people
began to collect as early as nine O'Clock
and continued TO do so in vast crowds
from all quarters for upwards of three
hours; fresh parties always coming in
over the cairns and distant heights; as
others approached the spot when sud-
den look of melancholy took posses
sion Of every countenance. Some re-
marked, "my forrfatbers were Danish
cd" others, "mine were killed." others
again, "mine We're hid in these rocks
and caves for weeks or months togeth-
Ell, but they escaped death" Persons of
all religious persuasions were present,
some from distance of 40 or so miles.
Tie exact number could not be ascer-
,ained, but all agreed there were seve-
raj thousands. The whole scene was
a living panorama, and strongly i'm
pressed upon the mind the elegant
words Of Graham
solitude like these
The prosecuted children, Scotia, foled
tyrants's and bigot's bloody laws;
There, leaning on his spear,-
The lyart veteran heard the word Of God
BY Cameron thunder'd, or by Renwick pourd
In NIL octra fha fhaI al
Acclaim ofpraise; the wheeling plover ceas'd
Her plaint the solitary place was glad,
| And, OF the distant cairns the Watchers ear
| Caught doubtfully at times the breeze borne
note
Mr.. Milwain discoursed, in the fore
noon, on the martyrdom of Stephen,
(Acts vii. end;) and at the close gave
brief account Of The several martys who
lay inferred in the parish Of Muirkirk,
particularly of John Brown, the Cir
Gums .ances Of whose death were so an
alagous to those Of the protemartyr Of
the Christian religion. The whole au-
dience now, as if they had felt an cleo
trio shock, started instantaneously to
their feet, and pressed towards the
Speaker, eager to calch every notice
that might be given; and, indeed, the
whole seemed to feel as fresh an inter
est as if the sufferer had only been
executed Yesterday. In the afternoon,
the feelings of the audience experienc
ed severer trial and were wound il
possible 10 a higher pitch Of intensity,
by sermon from Revelation vii. Ia,
"These are they which have come out
of great tribuiation," SC. 1t might be
difficult to say whether the picture
here drawn was more calculated to
rouse into powerful action every feel.
ing Of adherence and Indignation to-
wards prosecutors, or to awaken the
tenderest emotions of compassion,
love and admiration, towards the suf-
ferers. We rejoice that such a thing
has taken place. 1t will be long re-
membered, and cannot be lost on the
country at large. Such appearances,
before such audiences, on OCCASIONS Of
the kind, land this is not the only one
that has taken place Of late in the west
Of Scotland must do much to arrest
the tide ofo alumny, which has attempt
ed to sweep away all respect for the pi-
Gus dead, who, with their life's blood
havewatered the liberties and best in
stitu tons, and privileges Of our coun-
trymen.
That most inimitably facetious law
case, called PuLlem and Beaten, fashion
ed by George Alexander Stevens, in his
Lecture on Heads, seems to be founded
on an anecdote to be found in a work,
in two volumes, called Colloquia Fdcesia
&c. Iutheri, FRANKFORT, 1871. 1t runs
thus:-"A iap case. Christophorus
Gross used to relate the following
doubtful case:-A milIer's ass wanting
to drink, stepped into fisherman's
boat, which was loosely floating on the
water: and being thus put in motion,
carried the beast down the stream. A