Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-11-20

ana the paper was OF the same quaiity anu ~"
lOr with some found in drawer in his bedroom
at Moorside. TWAS proved that he had Deeh
drinking with some dissolute pcrsons-poachers
and the like-in public house in the neiShoor'
ing parish all Saturday, till we'll on In the a',er-
noon. when he left them in a state of intoNita-
ton, and was then seen running along the NIL,
side in the direction of the moor. Where he passed
the night between the Saturday and the Sabbath
he could give no account, except once when, IN
asked. aud as if speaking tohmseIf. he was over.
heard by the TAILOR to mutter, "oh. that fatai
p,yht. that fatal nights And then, when sud-
denly Intercepted. ..where were your" he an
swered ..asleep on tie hill land Immediately re-
lapsed into a state of mental abstractOn.-
These were the chief circumstances against HIM,
which his counsel had striven to explain away
That most eloquent person dwelt with affecting
earnestness Oh the wickedness of putting any evil
construction OH the distracted behayiouro OF the
wretched man when brought without warning up.
on the sudden sight of the manged corpse OF the
beautiful GIRL, whom all allowed he had most
passionately and tenderly loved; and he strove
to prove, as he did prove to the conviction OF ma
nv-that such behavior was Incompatible with
such Guilt, and almost of itself established his IN
nocence. All that was sworn to against him, as
having passed in that dreadful room. was IN truth
for him-unless all our knowledge OF the best
and of the worst Of human nature were not. as
folly. to be given to the winds. lie beseeched
the Jury, therefore, to look at all the other Cir
cumstances that did indeed seem to bear hard
upon the prisoner. in the light of his innocence.
and not of his guilt, and that they would all fade
into nothing What ma,tercd his possession OF
the watch and other trinkets? Lovers as they
were, might not the unhappy girl have given them
to him for temporary keepsakesF Or might he
not have taken them from her in some playful
mood, or received them--(and the brooch was
cracked, and the handspring OF the watch broken,
though the glass was whole)-to get them repair
ed in the town, which he often visited. and she
never? Could human creduli'y for one moment
believe, that such man as the prisoner at the
ba, had been sworn to be by host OF witnesses
and especially by that witness, who with such
overwhelming solemuity, had declared he loved
him ms his own son, and would have been proud
if heaven had given him such son-he vino had
baptized him and known him well ever since
child,-that such 4 man could rGO the body OF
her whom he had violated and murdered: ii.
under the instleatiOn of the devil. he had violated
and murdered her, and for moment were made
the hideous suppostion. did vast he'll mold thai
demon whose voice would have tempted the vio-
lator and murderer--suppose him toth-!yea that
reed were. as a man of tenderest charities, and
generosity unbounded,- In the lust oflucre, con-
seauent on the satia,ing of another lust-to rob
his victim ofa few tinkets! Let loose the Wild
est imagination into the realms o! widest wick
edness. and vet they dared not. As they feared
Cod. to credit for moment the union OF such
appalling and such paltry guilt. IN That men who
now trembled not before them. but who seemed
cut off from II the seDSibiitles orti, liz. by the
scythe OF Misery that had shorn him down.
But why try to recount, however feebly, the
line of defence taken by the speaker. who OH that
day seemed all but inspired: The sea may over
turn rocks, or fire consume them till they split IN
pieces: but IA crisis there sometimes Is III mans
destiny. which all the powers ever lodged
in the lips of man. were they touched with
a coal from heaven, cannot avert and when
even he who strives to save, feels and knows
that he is striving all in vain-aye. VAIN
as a worm-to arrest the tread OF Fate a
bout to trampIe down its victim into dust All
almost beieved---that the prisoner
would be acouitted-that virdict of" Not Prov
en- at least if not of Not Guilty" would be
returned-but they had not been sworn to do
Justice before man and before God-and, it need
were, to seal up even he fountains OF mercy IN
their Misunderstanding. and easily set ALLOWING,
by such spectacle as that bar prescnted-a man
already seemns u belong unto the dead.
In abou: quarter Of an hour the Jury return
Ct, to the bnx--and The verdict. having been seal
ed with black wax. Was handed up to the Judge.
Who read. I'VE unanimously find the prisoner
guilty." He then stood up to receive sentence
of death. Not dry eyewas in the court during
the JUDGES solemn and affecting address to the
criminal-except those of the shadow on whom
had been pronounced the doom. ''lour body
will be hung in chains on the moron gibbet
erected on the spot where you murdered the vic
tim of our unhalow ed lust. and there will yonr
bones bleach in the sun, and rattle IN the wind.
after the insects and the birds of the air have de-
voured your flesh; and in all future times. the spot
on which, Collaborating ard God-fcrsaken. YOU
perpetrated that double crime, at which all hu
manity shudders, will be looked on from aiar by
the traveller passing through that lonesome wild
with a sacred horror!;'-Here the voice of the
Judge faulered. and he covered his face with
his hands: but the prisoner stood unmov
ed in figure. and in face untroub!ed--and
when all was closed, was removed from the bar.
the same ghosllikc and unear'hly phantom. seem
lngly unconscious of what had passed, or even OF