Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-06-01
Il. Ontario M.ssenger-Extra. Of May Is.
~" LIE MORGAN CONSPIRACY

Oh was was heio I'D 'uis 'h'hs "
dhln were of the most interesting eharac.
in ", have not had time to PePare a iuli
r', .,'ho,,,e statement, bu, shall do so, and
i'a .'s !, in the next Messenger, unless we
7S' in some oil the neighbouring papers,
5'a "" IAN lime the following abstract OF the
~: Il events, will in some measure satisfy
F;n,sn,. curiosity Of the public.
DC " Tnssda, morning the 18th inst, MIR.
"a, the District Attorney and MIR, Spsn-
WI, ." social Commissioner, produced The
w. II The Supreme Court, upon the case
o2uI'L IA been reserved for their advice, on
nnt .';I of Eli Bruce. in which the objections
ne ;,r,sdiction OF the General Sessions of
we're oserruled, and that Court was
80 ,'-.J 10 render judgement against the defen-
W., ~, A, the instance OF one OF the counsel for
.- 5.r.pdan,, the motion for judgement was
s..Ssd On "Wednesday morning The mo-
,s made. The special commissioners
l' '',I 70 the Court his desire TO produce
-' ''s., in aegrava,ion OF the punishment Of
Bucr: and called =. :,
Eoaq B Hopkins, who being sworn, testified
l';" Ss,tembrr 1926, Eli Bruce was Sheriff
.r,,s cevn'y of Niagara, and that the witness
-, HE deputy. They bo,h resided IL ,he
-, roekpor,. Some two or three weeks
,.o-s thu abduction Of Morgan, he was inform
IA, R,.ee and others. that il was in contem-
lion 10 remove Morgan from Batavia, where
I. ,b,p was, directly across the Country, 20
r,ri,,on, 10 carry him 10 fort Niagara, and
'E;u,r,Iy to put him on beard BRITISH man
fv., On one particular night six or eig3t
A., b,rorr Morgan was carried from Batavia
,ar,r,DIsigua, Bruce called the wi,Ge,s up.
f.,r, ais bed, and told him Tia, he expected
V,ry,, immediately, and That w'tnes, must
.,s,are cell in the jill for his reception. A
Fl wa, pointed out for that purpose, which
-, in. most secret aud retired in The jill and
,5i.h did not communicate with any other
tn. wi,uess prepared this cell a. cordingly;
70, Morgan did no. arrive
TIA, witness was a. the Installation Ct the
C5,Dter Of Royal Arch Mssnns at Lewiston
,r,br 18Th Of September, aud was tnrn lntorn>
d hat Morgan had arrived and MAS confined
n For, Niagara; this was generally known a
ropg the Masons assembled there
IN answer TO oss-interrogstOries by the
counsel foe the defendant, he stated that he
had not disc 10 sed the facts TO which he now
r, fled untilrtcently, when he had communi-
c,r,d them TO Mr.. Spencer a, Lockport. Tra'
/. had considered himself bound bv his mason
e obligations, not 10 dis lose them, until his
no right 10 withhold them. That he had been
unhsb2y ever since the occuIrrn,e, and found
10 peace ii mind until he had revealed II
The council for Bruce then requested some
!clly in pronouncing the jndgemen, Of he
court 10 snsole them To meet & explain he 'es-
imony thus given to which request the court
rcsdrd. No testimony Of any kind. however,
u, produced on their par,, in exploration,
rm relation tn the subject or the witness,
q epl VIVA: Eli Bruce himself awure as a witt
r,ss on the trial Of John Wni'ney and James
ellis, by whnm he was produced, and which
sslmnuy is hereafter particularly detailed.
On SATURDAY. nigh, after the trial of Whitney
aid ellis was concluded. The court proceden
10 pass Judgment on Eli Bruce. We shou {
amju,icr to our own feelings, and 10 the uni
,t,sal sentiments Of crowded auditory, if we
alto charac,eriz- the remarks Of Judge How
ell, preceding the sentence, as one OF the hap.
pe,r specimens Of dign'f-d Judicial elnqsence,
ever heard within the walls Of our court nouse.
lie felt and spoke as Q man, ympathising with
The suftiings Of fellow b ing, whose char
,clsr in life had hitherto been most respec;a'
De; who had filled most responsible OH e, and
Sho had wife and helpless family 10 share
Ah misforunes and his disgrace. His former
Character and the Information derived from his
Nlghbors, he said, induced him helir,e that
Bruce was no, depraved mao, bu, one who
would revolt from the commission of what he
d,rmed any offrrce against the laws, His
conduct was to be accounted for, only, on the
ground, that he supp 'sed himself bound BY The
o>uga;ion, he had entered into, with The ma
'o1ll paternity u commi, the outrage he had
F'peuaed Nothing, said the Judge, could
he more falacious; no principlr COLD b. more
eaaSrrOus in any community having an organ
,i'l government. n sc, e men, BE- their num-
Nrhrge or small, had right TO combine them
selves together in anv association, for purposes
ao'lIe TO the provisions Of law. No man had
a'ght 10 Withdraw his allegiance from his
,1lnirs and IT'S goyprnmc nj while he lived un-
Qt It's projections; no citizen could, by any act
y hts, enter inro any obligation TO do any act
'orO'daen by he law Hi, obligations TO obey
ae laws At his country, were paramount TO all
'eNh he could possibly form. Inc outrag"
'len the person Of William Morgan, had
S0Sh that there was a lamen;sble aud mos
S1aSs'oar deiusion on this subject; and il,
|'aGe the solemn duty OF Courts OF Justice
asPel Il, and to ,eaca all men, and parli-
'4,Irly thOSe who ipbnlush This l,t,l error