The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-09-18

for they spake IN low whispers IN their
own guttural lnngunge--perhaps discus
ting the impending fato Of friend or
relative, who had como under the iron
hand Of the law, or concocting schemes
Of deadly vengeance upon seme blood
sucker opposer. Amidst these juntos,
the female sex, as in all societies, SEEM
ed to hold paramount place and fam
cied could observe in the eager voices
and energetic gestures of those excited
women the incentive to some act Of des-
perate violence, from which even their
rugged auditors seemed TO recoil.
Obeying nod from the sheriff,
bustled my way through posse Of Con.
stables, Peelers, Processervcrs---et hoe
genus smne, and obtained seat OH the
bench, from whence could distinctly
observe tho whole proceedings. The
trial was for crime whose frequent re-
currence cas-! stigma on our national
character, and strongly evidences the
imbecility aud misrule which has ever
characterized the Anglo Irish Legislation
A party Of nocturnal depredat0rs had
attacked and cruelty murderad an un-
fortunate driver who had rendered him
self peculiarly obnoxious to the people.
The prisoner at the bar had been iden-
tilted as having been concerned in the
outrage; and his trial had excited con-
siderable interest, from the fact Of his
formerly having been respectable far
mer of unblemished reputation I; but who
by series of expressions and misfor-
tunes, had been redu :ed to poverty, and
driven, by tyrannical agent, from the
hearth of his fathers to wiring from a
cold and selfish world miserable susie
nance for delicate wife and FIVE help
less children.
! observed HIM narrowly as he stood
erect in the dock, with folded arms his
dress bespoke him of the better order of
peasantry /; his age might be thirty-fve {;
tall, muscular, aud athletic, his open
brow ingenious pbisiognomy bore no
traits of cruelty or ferocity but there
was in his dark sunken eye, a wild reck-
lessness, and on his lip fi:tle curl of de-
fiance and contempt as the Clerk of the
Crown, in his loud nasal twang, charg-
ed the prisoner, " not having the fear Of
God before his eyes," with :" willfully
killing aud staying" &c.
The first witness called was a thin,
ferret-like figure with a small restless
grey eve, indicative Of every evil passion
who had turned approver in order to
save his own life his direct evidence
was clear and conclusive, but as he turn
ed 10 indemnity the prisoner in tho dock,
I saw the wretch quail under the smile
Of whitening scorn with which his victim
recognized him. On his cross examina-
ton, he reluctantly admitted that he had
been she organizer ofmany illegal meet
|Ings und aus vr -:-i-~>a--slat he had
becn convicted horse steaIcr, perjurer,
coiner, md in short, that he had been
principal or accessory in the most afro
cious crimes. Every instant, as the prIs-
oner's counsel, by some ingenious home
thrust, shook the validity of his testinno-
ny or, by an unexpected foorer,"
destroyed his credibility with the jury, a
buzz Of applause ran through tho court
which the temperate dignity Of the chief
Justice (Bushe) could scarcely repress.
At length, weary Of dragging further to
light this disgusting spectacle Of mornl
turp p,tude, the wretched man was per-
mittcd to leave the table, amid curses
and cxecrations-" not loud but deep"
The next witness who appeared, had
been farm servant of the deceased; his
lounging gate and vacant stare gave a
most unpromising air Of stupidity. The
book was handed HIM" Neil Sossen-
augh"-(no English) )--said he, with an
appealing look to :he Judge. " He
speaks English, my Lord" said the OPP
posing counsel---and turning to the wit
ness, asked him suddenly, if he had new
er spoken English II" Never, yer On
ner," was the unguarded reply. +" Then
my fine fellow, it is high time you should
bcgin-take the hook, sir J" Seeing he
had fairly committed himself, he procee-
ded with that repugnance common to oil
the lower classes of the Irish, to give his
evidence, in what he considered a for
eign tongue. Little was elected from
his testimony, though he had seen the
whole transaction from his fock-hed,
which was placed in the corner of y
kitchen, and he became 50 bewildsred
on his cross-examination, with the ques-
tions respecting the relative situation of
the room, and the persons in il, that he
floundered from one dilemma to another
until his entire evidence became t,ssue
Of absurdi.ies. ss
Tie case for the prosecution having
closed a host of witnesses appeared
ready TO provo an abb for the prisoner |;
but his counsel, prudertly conssnting
himself with one or two Of the most re-
spectacle Of these, eudeavored to cstab-
lish the point with the jury, but evidently
with little effect; and the fact Of the