Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-09-03

| inp sbe, the rules OF Ne pI.son must
| effected, and they must subnii Al tho hnt
OF submission. they drew a 'i.ie nearer 10
gethei, prepared their weapons for servce,
| and, as they were dlmIy seen in The farther
| end of the hail. by those who observed, from
| the gratngs that opened up to the day, more
| appalling sight cannot be conceived, nor ono
| OF more moral grandeur, than that Of the single
man, standing within their grasp, and exposed
| to be torn from limb to limb instantly, f
word or look should add to the already int esss
excitement. That excitement, too, was Of the
most dangerous kind. Ii broke not forth ia
noise and imprecations, but was seen on " in
| The darx looks and the strained Lores ta..
showed a deep determination Tlo li.ti.
| expostuated. He rounded beri Of t,,I..a.
&c e-sness vi escape; ina the '0&I aas .,lr...nI
| and that the government of the pr,son ,.oL.u
subiuu 10 nOthIng but lncondniona sLrft q. ,.r.
He said that all those who would q. q
city away, should be f,rg,ven for ia,
oiience; but that If every prisoner was kili.G
n the contest, power enough would be oJtI ned
to enforce the regulations Of The Prison. Th.y
replied, that they expected some would be kill
&C, that death would be better than suci. iui-
prisonment, and with that look and tone, " hc.
bespeaks an indomitable purpose, they de-
ciarsd, that not man should leave tie nall
alive. till the hoggng was remtted, At this
period Of the discussion their evil passions
seemed to be more infamed, and one or two
offered to destroy the officer. who stilI stood
firmer, and with a more temperate pulse. than
did his friends who saw from above, bot could
not avert, the danger that Threatened him.
JUST at this moment, and in about fifteen
minutes from the CONNER cement Of the tun"l,.
the officer saw the feet OF the marines, whose
presence alone he relied on for snc.or, fling
by the small upper lights. Without any ap-
parent anxiety, he had repeatedly tuned his
at'enl'on TO their approach, aud now he knew
that II was his only time Of escape, before .
conflict for life became, as WAS expected, Que
of the most dark and dreadful in the world.-
He stepped slowly ba ackward. st,!l urgiiig them
TO depart, before the officers we're driven 10
use the last resort of FIRE arms. When within
three or four feet of the door, it was opened,
and closed instantly again, is lie sp,ang
through, and vas 80 unexpcctccl. restored to
his friends
Mayor Wainwright was requcs Cd TO order
his men to lire down upon the oHricts iirsugh
the htle windows, inst with powder, ard iE..t
with ball. til they were wiling 10 teticat; b.,
hc took " ser. as well IA a builder ooufsu.
relying upon the eject, which Ii IA ict, ruiiua.
iion wo"id lave upon Hen crnicaiiy sau-
aied. lie ordered the door TO he again opened,
and marched IN at the head Of tueIty or thirty
men, who filed through The psssige, 0nd iorm-
cd at the end Of the hall. opposite To !. crowd
of Criminals hudd,ed together al a. e:,.cr---
He stated, that he was empowered ID qus!l
the rebellion, that he wished TO avoid sled.
ding blood, but that he should uoi quit that
hall alive, 'ill every convict had rel. ned 1"
his duty. They seemed balancing Ike strength
OF the two parties; ard replied, 'Lat some Of
them we're ready TO die, aud only waited loi
nj attaf L N ,rI., . a..
swearing that they would fight TO the last. un
less the loggng was re:nitted, for they would
not submit to any such punishment in the
prison. MAJOR Wainwright ordered h. ni
rines 10 load their pieces, and tina, they ta,pht
not be suspected of trhng, each nan VA.
made to ho.d up 10 view the bullet nllri! .,e
afterwards put IN his gun. Tt.s o,.!y cguscj
growl of determination, md no one Litnc...o
or seemed disposed To shrink fto.i ihe ictsn,o-.
exposure. They knew that theT uaU.6.r
would enable them TO bear down and Gcs'foe
the handfi,l o' marines, after the fr't d scrar..
and before their pieces could he fe.o,Gl.
Again they were ordered - rti4rc; b. ....-
answered with more f:rocity silaa c,.e F-
marines were orGe Sed to IKE ilci afu SOS.
10 be sure aud Nil as MAJ, AZ pos be Ia
guns were presentrd--b'' moi a p,rs,ir4r... ..i-.
except 10 grasp rior. tto ip B.s @rap,. 't'
desrous - avoid 81 "a. ,cucrIol. .... ...-.t
az mus, have Flowed The i.s' ssre OF
gun, Major ,nFigh' odvaaset ,'-! ,.
and. spoke even more fr".is 'u,a attO1.. ID.
ing them TO depart. Again anl vii le ioo,..
directly into The muzzl4s Of the gus, W.
shey had seen loaded with bali. the, iscl.re,
their intention Ito fight ii OUT TINS ,ni.t,
officer then took out his watch, and told !.
men to hold 'her pieces aimed at the consir,s.
but not fro tlll they had orders; then turning
IN he ho L.. Il
hail. give you three minutes 10 de lido, if lt
the end Of that time man remains, lie sh.i
be shot dead" No situation of greater inter-
est than this can be conceived. Al one emi
of the hall, n fearful multitude Of the mo Z
desperate and powerful men in Great ion, wait
ing for the assault at the other, u lailc bani
of disciplined men, waiting with arL.s rtesvn'
ed, and ready, upon the least mo on or sig,i
10 be2in the carnage aud ther ,aii and y.
posing commander, holding up hs ws,e. e.
count The lapse Of three minutes, gne. a
the reprive to the lives of numbers
No poet or painter can conceive Of a specil
Gle Of more dark and terrible sublimny-no
human heart can conceiv, a situation Of moro
appalling suspense. For two minutes not "a
person or a muscle was moved, not 4 sound
was heard in the unwonted st ness al the pris-
on, except the labored breathiaps Of the iniu-
rated wretches, MS they began to pant, between
fear and revenge-at the exprat on nj two
minutes. during which they had laced the min.
Isters Of death. with unblonching ewes, two or
three Of those IN the rear and nearest to tho
farther entrance went slowly out few ao-o
followed the example, dropping on, quietly aud
deliberately, and before the half Of the iut
minute had gone, every man was struck by tho
panic and crowded for an exit; aud tho hail
was cleared as il by magic. Thus the steady
frmnoss Of moral force, and the strong effect
OF determination, acting deliberately, AVID
the most savage men, and suppressed scene
Of carnage, which would have instantly follos-
cd the lenst precipiiancy or exerion Of phr.i.
cal farce