Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-14

two cents, and then he would proceed TO exhi-
BIZ, his all, stout body, long beard, delicate
hands, SC. to give history OF The cneumstan-
ces tina, brought him to the prison, 10 sing,
& pray for the visiters,&c. sc. Ihe lees which
he collected from ,isiters amounted, some
wears, as we have been informed, to sixty or
seventy dollars. His story, his hymns. ard MS
prayers, were uniformly The same. Alter hav'
ing completed these, however, he was reauy 70
converse and answer any questions proposed 10
him. Every thing he said evidently proceeded
from honest opinions. Never would he &C.
knowledge Tia, he had done wrong in murder
ing the woman; on the contrary, he always ap-
Drared conscious of Innocence, and had at COM
maud many passages of scripture to justify his
course. No doubt he was entirely honest; but
he lsbored under strong religious delusion. lie
was a soldier in the Revolutionary Army, and
drew pension till his dealh, for his SERVICES
therein. The money he collected he dlsttiou'-
ed amongs, his children, with the exec ION OF
what was required to purchase some lew aru'
Giles for his own use a'd comfort. lie hdu oc-
cupied his cell so long, that he had go haoito-
aed 10 confinement, and was as happy IN ms
situation as the rich and free are in theirs. On
one or TWO occasions his keeper proposed TO
lie, him out that he might SIC the village Tor
few moments; but he declined The offrr partly
because he believed this would be contrary 10
the strict letter of the law, and partly because
he was sensible he should return 10 his cell less
con,ened than if he never had left it. His
sense of justice was strong and practical; and
his RI asaning on other subjec:s than religion,
e inced mind above The ordinary mould OF ma
ture Had he been blessed with an education,
and his mind saved from the shock OF religious
ranaticism, Mr.. M'CMsland would have been
as powerful morally as he was physically
Even in his old age, after SO long and enteeb'lng
con6ne ment, his bodily strength was unusual"
" great He could take no exercise, except 10
walk across his cell few feet lengthwise,
which he did regularly Indeed, in all his ha-
bits he was very systematic. He had his hours
for retiring 10 rest, rising, reading his bible,
and saying his prayers. In the coolest winters
he chose no fire; 6ul kept himself warm oy ex-
ercising his body. After Mr.. Dillingham; took
charg- Of the Jail his family taught him to read.
This acquisition he valued highly, and did not
misimproye ii. But his Bible was his chief
com panion. This hs read through in Course
great number IF times; but in all his reading
he found nothing bu, confirmation Of The course
he had taken in the acts tina brought him 10
prison. Mr.. Dingham's decease in July last
was great afAiclioH to him, and may have
been the means Of Shortening his days. lie
regarded him as his best fiend; and when he
was taken away, he seemed TO have nothing ietL
him worth living for.
On the subject of religion alone, MIR. M'Caus'
land, no doubt, was insane; but not much more
so, as We believe, than some others who pass
for the most devout and experiment al chris lans
we have among u.s. These gloomy views OF
religion, which are accounted by many as The
most orthodox, seem TO us calculated 20 pro-
duce that distraction which leads 10 shocking
consequences. Mr. M'Causland was very pious
foo pious, indeed, t" make such ehris'i'n as
is useful in the world. Blu, his errors were
honest ones, and oblained for him what he de-
served-the ply Of all who vlsiltt him. His
case is not withou instruction for all leache's
and professors Of gloomy religion. Well
would il be for mankind wruld thew profit by il.