Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-13
ANDRIA GAZETTE

n II J. .
From well written article in the Hartford
Daily Review, we select the following hasty
sketch Of Miss CORNELL, Of whose murder the
Rev. Mr.. AVERY has just been pronounced NOT
guilty.
SARAH MARIA CORNELL.
Though the name ef this unfortunate young
lady il familiar to public. vet knowledge OF her
oriyia, early history, aud the incidents Of her
life is limited to small circle of friends and &C.
quaintances. Though there is nothing very 70.
mantle in her life yet It has been checquered and
even,ful, aud her death tragical. Descended. in
the maternal line, from Of the most opuient and
respectable families in Connecticut, and favored
with an uncommon degree Of personal beauty
and vivarity. with the well improved advantages
Of education, she might have become respectable
and even distinguished in the higher walks of
life, had she escaped the artful and insdous snare
Of the enemy OF her reace and the adversary of
her soul.
It's supposed her waywarjness and departures
from the paths Of female honor and virtue may be
traced to their origin, and their causes found in
that common enemy of peace aud piety, Reli-
oious Fanatlcism. A very brief memoir OF her
life and glance at The fatal mistake, whicli. pro-
baby, laid the foundation Of her miserable life
and viulent death, may be both interesting TO the
public. and warning to others alike expnsed. to
a, old the rock on which the unfortunate Maria
perished.
Sarah Maria Cornell was the daughter aud
Youngest child Vi James aud Lucretia Curncll Of
Providence, II. |. and was bora about the year
1908. Her mother was the daughter OF a res
pectab!e and wealthy gentleman Of the City Ut
Norwich. The early history Of her father is un-
known; but, at the time Of his marriage, was in
the employ of her father, % n jonrneyman paper
maker, and the marriage was clandestinely So
lemnized without the consent, and probably the
knowledg OF the lady's parents. The Opposition
Of the gentleman TO the marriage OF his daughter
with MIR Cornell. was considered. by him, rs
sulhcicn, reasou sad Justification TOR excluding
her from his family and partially from his boun'
ty After the marriage, Mr.. Cornell moved his
wife into the Western country. The precise
length o! time they remained in the country is
u nkno~n, but they subsequently returned and
took up their residence in Providence.
Before the birth Of Maria, Mr.. Cornell separa-
ted himself from his family. and lett them depcu,
dani for support upon their own feebe exer'ions
aud the kindness and charity of their connexions
and friends. The desertinn OF their husband and
father, in great degree broke up the family,
scattered them in difierent directions and drove
them for shelter into different benevolent fsmi-
lies in Norwich aud lis vicinity. The want OF
parental care aud instruction, which the unhap-
ms even, occasioncd, may have contributed to
form the character aud habits Of Maria; but there
is no evidence Of the least deviation from the
most rigid rules Of female propris,y, prior to the
nur hal wear
Maria resided was visited With revival OF reli-
sion, and she, prufcssedly, became subject of
the work.
With temperament naturally ardent, and a
high flow of spirits, it Is not surprising that she
should De wrought up 10 high degree OF feeling
and excitement on all subjects in which she
might take deep aud abiding interest, partIcu.
lar, in the all absorbing subject Of the salvation
of the soul But there is d line where religion
and piety terminates aud enthusiasm begins; and
il is supposed BY those most cOnversant with The
facts, that Maria overstrpped this line and wan.
dered away into the mazy and unexplcred regions
of religious fauaticism. Having lost sight of the
simple precepts and spirit Of the gospel and com.
mi,ted herself to the guidance vt vivid and per-
verted Imagination. it 10 not irrational to suppose
that the most eXtraVagant notions and conduct
| would follow.
Soon after this she became wanderc:, and is
known TO have sacrificed her chastity: and not
improbablv in the first instance. on the altar OF
heated and misguided zeal There is degree
in religious fanaticism, at which virtue loses its
beauty and crime its horror, and at this point Ma.
ria is supposed to have arrived before the founda
tion Of her virtue gave way. The reins Of moral
and religious restrain, being loosened, and the
mirror Of the imagination having ceased to reflect
the deformi,y OF vice, nothing was left to regu.
late her connexions and associations IN the world
but the impetuusity Of her passions, unrestraned
even by the tender warnings and entreaties of q
mothers love. Away from her friends, rowing
from place to place without the pole star Of vlr.
tue to direct her course. it IS astonishing that the
evidence Of her infamy was SO long concealed
from the public view; and that she no sooner fell
victim 10 her vices
But kind providence followed her to most OIL
the manufacturing villages and towns Of New
England, and at last to Fall River, where, 10 q
retired place, she found the bounds she could
not pass" Nothing 10 farther from US, and