Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-08-27

In performing this oppressvely painful Duty
SAYS the Boston Patriot,) Judge PuTSAM was
much affected and sobbcd audibly after he had
pronounced the Judgment Of the Court. Inc
prisoner, on the contrary, maintained his uncon-
Germ throughout Indeed there was apparently
not a spectator, who did not suffer more than ne
who was the most interested. TN leaving tne
bar, he put quid of tobocco into his mouth win
the utmost nOnchaiance.
The trials of Joseph ]. Knapp, Jr. and George
Crowpinshild, are necessarily postponed TILL the
NEXT term Of The Court. which will sit in Salem
November g. The Judges are required by Ia"
10 proceed on the Circuit in the western coun'ies
early in next month: and the recent death OF 'hc
Chief Justice has devolved on the Court many ar
duous preparatory duties.
The day of j. F. Knapp's execution Is 10 DC
fixed by the Governor and Council.
The following is an extract from the co"'he'.ee
ment of Mr.. WEBsrERs closing argument IN 'ni'
trial.
..He was not in the habit Of appearing as a
nrosecutinn officer In the course Ut a pr0fessioh-
II life. not now very short one, he bal never
hut twice appeared against a man arraigned tor
any crime. and never before where life was at
stake. He, therefore, regretted to hear the coun-
sci say he had been Brought there to hurry them
beyond the law, and against the evidence. NO
man could carry beyond the evidence. and un-
der this court no one could lead them against
law. Were his own feelings alone consulted he
much preferred being elsewhere. Ii society
were excited, there was cause Tor eXcItemeht'
whoever might be the authors OF the mnrdcr'
there was in it 50 little that we ever heard OF IN
New England before, so incomprehensiole' tha'
who that valued the security Of his c"n repose on
his own pillow, did not see in 1t case calcu,
lated to terrify the community? 1t was cruei
murder; it was dispasslonate murder; all de-
| Iiberate; all skiIfu. And now that the facts
were exposed, it astonished by the absolute want
Of all stimulant except money; it was done IN a
spirit which calculated so much blood against so
much money. Under our New England exam
pie, murder had received new Character
Let him who portrays il not make it Il Muloch:
let him not give the knitted brow, the blood
shot eye. but the cool face, face of an internal
spirit of another stamp, about his ordinary bust
ness: there was no more rushing Of the blood to
the face than ii there was none In the heart ct
man. They might see the perpetrator entering
the house: he treads the rooms; his feet sustain
him up long flight Of stairs; he steps within the
room. the victim is asleep before him; his back
is toward him; the moonlight is shed upon him:
his grey hairs are visible; the temples are seen:
the murderer strikes the blow; he raises the
ar IN and strikes again: he iecOmposes the cluthes
he feels the pulse-he descends-no eye has
seen him-hc is master of his own secret, as he
hinks-and he escapes. But he is mistaken
There is not a place in the universe where he
WHO has that secret, can repose 1t and say 1t Is
safe. 1t is in the general administration of Pro-
violence that the secret Of murder shall not es-
cape detection. When thing Of tins sort hap
pens, it draws attention; thousand intelligences
are directed to the spot. they burn upon it. to
discover q train II circumstances leading to the
discovery. But a man cannot trust himself with
such a secret; the human heart is not made capa-
BILE of holding it; the secret which man is master
of. masters him, and like the evil spirit leads
him where it will; he has vulture which he can
not alav; he feels that his Utmost soul is read.
and he feels that his thoughts are almost heard:
there is no remedy but confession-unless 1t be
suicide-and suicide is confession. The slight
est circumstance often lights upa train which
sheds light upon the whole thing. When muir
der was committed Of an alarming character,
which was to be developed only by circumstanc.
es, was it wonderful that there was excitement
1t was the duty of the Jury to investigate the
circumstances-tU see who they were who had
done t-resolved to do no more than Justice
Bat there might be, and uDhappily for human ma
ture. there was, counter excitement The
enormty of some crimes so astonished men as
to subdue their minds. and they lost the desire
for justice, in morbid admiration OF the great
criminal-and the strangeness of the crime
This had arisen in part from the writings of one
who had affected not only the imaginations. but
the principles of the young, by making crime at
traCttye.