The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-08-28
From The Providence Herald.
Erhraim X. Avery.

~
| think, conc lusivcly. that, oven admitting thl|
character Of Sarah NJ. Cornell to be as ba 9p1
represented, tic fact afIjrdedno apology, tef
Avery, because his conduct in relation toher
and the church, in attempting, successfully |
to shield her from evil consequences, and
connivng at her continuance in respectable
society, proves him as destitute ofmoral good
ness, Us she. could have been. have said
that am not the champion Of Miss Cornell's|
virtue, aad should not attempt to prove her
cbastc but do say, and believe the publlc
-wifi sustain me in saying, that in no court
ever before holden in the United States, wos
suchananomalous mass oftestimony admitteas|
as that received to prove her character bad,
or such conclusions arrived at by simpr
means. One Of the last species oftestimory,
to which, I should consent to resort, to prove
the character Of person, either good or bad,
would be that given by man Of the pross
sion of Doctor Graves. II is enough for me
to say Of him. that tho line Of practice, 10
which, he is engaged, is, Of all professions,
,he most confirmed gambler not excepted,
the most disgraceful in ITSELF and .he most
demoraizing to society. will not believe
the man, who, by volunteering his services
for The secret, safe, and speedy cure Of a cei-
tain disease, or, perhaps offering a sure prdl
ven,ve. gives his sanction to debauchery,
and encourages the practice Of vice, to hl his
pockets. What he says, for aught know,
may be true but I comes not well from his
mouth, and is, in my humble opinion worth
but little.
Doct. Graves states that Maria SnoD Cor
nell, not Sarah Maria Cornell, confessed TO
him that she had intercourse with three df |
fc.cnt men. .--Ono or two females make sim |
lar statements. Who knows that this waa
Sarah Maria Cornell? Who knows but ilI
was Maria Snow Cornell, who is still ivng,l
and just such character as they describe
Did any witness identity her? Vas any
witness required to identify her' Not oncl
And even admitting there was no mistake,l
lhai tight Was thoro 10 admit marc aaassl
work as valid testimony, and permit WI |
ncsses to relate a thousand tales Of horrsr,
and eall up a thousand scenes Of iniquity,
which for aught the Court and Jury knew,
and for aught they know now, might be ap
plcablc TO Maria Snow Cornell, or some
other person? But who arc the witnesses
that testify to tire general badness of this
girls character? Of Doct. Graves, I have
already spokeh--let him pass. Next conn
whole posse of females --and what do the I
know about il? Why simply, that Mis-
Cornell made to them, confessions of th
facts 1t may have been so-or they ma
have heard from her, some hints to this i'm
port, and their envy, prejudice, jealousy, mv
have conjured up the rest. AT any rate, {
they believed such things Of her, moro e.
pecially ifthcy knew them, the fact that tho
still continued to associate with her, as con-
panons in society, and sisters in the churer,
Goes NOT speak much in their favor. BIT,
where are the men that carried on this intc'--
course with Miss Cornell? Were they u,-
known? Did the male company that Mss
Cornell kept, with whom she rode, and drinI-
ed, and on whom, she so lavished her favois.
escape the Argus eyes of these female gos
sips? Were no other persons acquainted
with the circumstances Could not the per-
,.,,sb .to hno 1aI fhx, La
lords ofthe tayerns, to which she SO frequent
ly accompanied her paramours, "a tale ua-
fold" and give damning facts to copfrm the
stories ofthcse Abgails? Have these para
moirs all died or vanished within the short
spsce Of three years, and their very names
sunk into obivion' Let any person believe,
If he can, either that this unfortunate girl led
for so long time, a life Of prostitution. with
out her companions in guilt being known |;
or IL known, or unknown, that the champions
Off. X. Avery, who have well nigh searched
heaven, earth and hell, for Witnesses, woult
not have dragged them forth 10 tho light Of
day. r~-
Bot again say, admit ter character lo'
chastity bad, Of what avail is his answer,
il only renders the supposed intercourse OF
Avery with her, still more probable. Whrc
would such man be most likely 10 seekAis |
victim? Among the daughters ofchasdy
whose spo,less innocence, and yirsuous pm
ciplcs would be likely to resist his insduu'
attempts? No--Most assurcdly wouldbe
single for his base purpose, just such a rr-
son as Sarah Maria Cornell is representa-