Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-29

servant" The editor probably thoaght h''"eei,
then safe, but his Honor the Judge had taken and
kept copies Of the confidential correspondence
and has directly published the whole IN tue o'"oe
To return the letter to Webb. and yet keep
copy of il, was TO palter with him-was gross
deception, after the positive assu.I
ance that he (the Judge would -stfichy rega,a
the confidence which he Webb had voluntarily
repased Webb's object, in asking the return u
the letter, was to extinguish the whoie Tan'a.'
fion-to remove all evidence from the Judge
nower:-Mr Clayton appeared to crafty that
object very promptly aud "very respectfully
hn, secretly defeated it. To deliver up the orl-
oinal. Keeping at the same time copy which
could not be denied, was mockery and perhdy.
Men of lofty sentiment never resort to such ex-
Incidents, whatever NAV he their approximations
of the characters and designs OF those with whom
they deal. They would rather be i')-uted 'hah
onsent to beguiIe and entrap others:-they pre-
fer to depend upon their own general reputation
and uniform rectiiRde, against possible or prooa-
BILE assaults. -
In mast ca ssst entail letters NAV be re-
earded as stolx they ate published; the
embezzlement d eposts of money would not
more distress andihjure the owners stolen YET
ters. whatever NAV be their contents. reject
as much disgrace upon those VINO pur''heu, as
those who wrote them: and the publisher OF them
knowing them to have been stolen, IS as Oad as
the thief
The Judge, in his preamble TO the correspon-
dence. excuses the act OF publication, observing
-.. / would have been faithful to my promise
but for the mans malignant attempt to traduce
me- This excuse goes TO DESTROY all the OBJ.
CATION of confidence as to past " eonhdenuai
intercourse between persons who harpen TO quar-
rel. and cast inveotive at each other. IL would
be better that wrong and hardship should he SUI
fered in particular instances. than that the gene
raj obligation should be notwithstanding more
strictly the rules of homer are observed, the safer
We have often heretofore taken occasion to dwell
upon the ethics of confidential intercourse. -
Whenever ii is admitted at all, it implies the en-
sagemeat of perpetual privacy; the exceptions
to the law are very CIV, and founded only upon
peculiar and the mostfnportant or indispensable
considerations We are not defending Mr.
Webb He did wrong, we think. to address
Judge CLAYTON in such strain; and there are
sentences in his first letter, which he must ma
il difficult to explain away. With regard t" the
whole design and course OF Messrs. Clayton
CambrelenS and Thomas, in relation to private
accounts at the Bank, there was but one proper
on the part of the individuals aSsrlev-
eu-tO uSiy anu Oisuhiu N'N~'
A terrible acciden, occurred in Liverpool on
the 10th of August, by which Mrs. keatsley
and her daughter were killed. wine merchant
of responsibility, named Bismmden, was host
ing an empty rum puncheon into an upper lott;
Just as it was landed in the fourth story. and as
he thought secure, it slipped from the sings, tell.
and crushed to the pavement the mother and
daughter. The one was instantly kliled-thc
other survived but a few hours. The wine mFr-
chant was instantly arraigned on charge of man
slaughter. and though no negligence was imput-
ed aud certainly no malice presumed, he was
convicted and sentenced as the most Ienient pun.
shment 20 one months imp isonmem in The Gas
he. How does this care Of the English law Tor
human life, contrast with the carelessness OF
our laws, or our law officers. on the same point,
as illustrated by the impunty with which nun
bers are yearly sacrificed by steamboat eSplo-
sons?