Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-14
From The G9dins, (.Ns. } Chronicle.
HENRY MlCAUSLAND:

for IS long years, mas oeen Cohhheo =" ~
county Jail a, Augusta. Many, too, very ma
nv, prompted by curiositv, have looked through
his iron grares, and beholding the stately form:
grave conn,enance, and long white beard o.
him who has not seen the sun nor an oo]ect !"
The world without for more than one genera
ton, have listened 10 the simple, we'll commit
ted story of the the tragical circumstances
which brought him there. They WIZ see nun
no more. The old man is gone. His body mas
al, length left he dark, damp dungeon IN wnicn
i, had been immured for more than thiro OF
a century, and death has kindly set his spirit
free forever He died on Friday, the 2lsi olt:
aged 70 years.
The circumstances that cut him oil forever
from the society of man, and that consigned
him to prison for life, we're peculiar. and 60 ia'
TO show how mistaken views OF religious du'y
NAV sometimes drive people 10 the most shock
ing extremes. MCausland was an inhabitant
Of this town at the time ofimprisonmenI HIS
devotion 10 religion, or what was IN y, ana
perhaps now is, by some. considered religion,
operated so powerfully on some peculiar pas
sion as to render him on that suhJec' partially
insane. On al other sub ects, except religion,
he was, and TO his death remained, perfectly RAJ
,iopal Instances, we believe, are. on record,
Of mental alienation confined 10 subjects opera
ting on other passions OF the mind. In inns
state of religious ianaticism, he imagined that
he was called Of God TO make burnt offering
and sacrifice, For ZINE he struggled against
this fancied, but, as il appeared to him, real al
vine command. At length, however, ne yield
ed under the persuasion that he should obey
God rather than man. 10 The execution oil MS
supposed du'y he sci fire to the church III TINS
place. which was consumed. This was his
burnt Offering In his conflict With the splr,
it as 10 The necessity Of making a sacritce,
he was reminded OF the sc,iptural declaration
thai, without the sht dding of blood there is no
remission of sim 1t was plain, then. to him,
that in order 10 have his sins RENTED he
mus. shed human blood He knew 'hat for so
doing he would have 10 suffer capital punish
mem: but this would be 10 suffer for Chrisrs
sake, which would be highly merltorious on
his part, and give him stronger claim on the
blessings Of heaven hereafter. These consider
ations led him to seek jor victim.
There was female-a married woman
residing in the back part Of the town, who as
he interpreted ihr scriptures, had sinned against
The Father, against the Son, and against he
H.ly Ghvst,i that as he thought, or as.the splr-
/, had re called the secret to him, had gwen
birth 10 three illegitimate children. These
three. ogre pended to the number OF persons
in the TRINITY, against each OF whom the OIL
fence was therefore severally committed The
Lord directed him to choose her as the victim
for sacrifice.
Accordingly he selected his time, and in
/ he sill hours Of night, launched boat into
the Cobbosse CoDtee stream and made hi way,
not,wiihou much difficulty and fatigue, for he
had rips 10 encouule, in his passage, tn the
residence ofthe woman, who was then confined
TO her bed by sickness Arrived at The house,
he entered without ceremony. A female at
tendant was string near the bed, watching the
sick female. Without saying much, he pro-
,eeded to the bedside, and noticing large
butchers knife, recently whe,ied pending from
the csiling:a. ;he head Of the he'd, with one
hand he seized the head of tie woman, and
with the other took down the knife and drew
il with single fatal stroke across The throat
of his victim. She bled," said he to US few
weeks ago, with q smile t.at sometimes &C
compaies an act Of conscious duly" she bled
like a calf !" He tuck no instrumen; of
death with him, and when he discovered the
knife near his intended victim, ne knew it
was provided by Him who sent him, to
cHdOic w iuih' "iS Soiu'H'SSiou.-
The woman died Immediately; and having made
buhra burnt Offering and sacrifice, he was will.
ling TO abide all the consequences which might
follow the execution Of mere human laws. We
b. Iese he made no effor, TO conoei i himself az
ter the commission Of this uurderous act. I'm.
media,ely he Was arrested on the charge Of
murder. The charge, il proved against him,
or acknowledged 10 be rue by him, would subs
icct him 10 the penal IF death. When brough'
into Court, the indie meni being read, and he
being i" errogs,e! ar you gully or not gull
"? Gully" he replied. The Judges appre-
heuding that in the preparation of he deed he
had MOI acted under tie irHuence OF sane
mind; proposed sha. ne should plead not "guil-
~" in order thai the Jury might bring in
verdict TIA. he was'uo, guilty by reason of in.
sanity, which would aver the sentence Of dea;h.
The Chief Justice, therefore, remarked to him,
that he was under no obligation to plead "guil-
,y." 1.-THE Government had charged him with
a crime, the burden was on the Government TO
a A