The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-06-12

respectable society with merited con-
tempt. No honorable man would harbor
so loathsome a villain. We do not mean
to say that man is exempt from this vice
far from it-but what we do sny, is,
that no man of moral dignity would Ell
,ler be guilty of tho crime. or tolerate
the scoundrel who should be. What then
must we think of those ladies belonging
to the church-willing Witnesses against
Miss Jane Clifford, and particularly de-
sirous of screening Mr.. Avery from the
guilt of being murderer and iai--and
and this, at the expense Of the character
of a worthy female. ~
While we are on this point we will
quote sentence from popular female
author of the 18th century-Mary Rob-
inson. Woman! that cruel tsrturer
of her own frail sex. Sas made more har-
dened profflign,es by her vaunted and
fastidious purity, than all the arti Of the
the destroyer-(man.)"
How glaringly has this fact been ex-
emplifed in those ladies who have been
induced to "compass sea and land" to
get here with their testimony " cut and
dried" for the term of ten years past
and how lavishly did they deal it out a
gainst the character Of Sarah Maria
Cornell, though at the sane time the
character of this unfortunate girl WAS SO
reprehensible. these same persons who
testified with such eviden. strong feeling
against her, were her intimate associ-
ntes--ay, members Of the sane church.
Melhought at the time it hal been well
for these ladies to have hear rtened to the
gentle Nora iof the exemplary Jesus
You that are without sin frst cast
stone at her," Oh "tell it not in
Gath publish it not i'm :he streets of
Askelon lest the "Infdel," triumph
and say--behoId the religloni'ts ! They
not only murder our character with
shameless 'slander, but they war with
one another Behold their conduct and
injustice. With all people Of common
sonse and discernment il is a by-word e.
reproach in our land" If such are the
burning and shining lights" who are
"to convert the Hea,hen and the Infidel
to the utmost parts of the earh,"it were
better that such lights were hidden T" un-
der a bushel n'
That Mr.. Avery's friends should feel
sore in the thought OF his guilt and con-
sequently manifest much uneasiness, was
not to be wondered at. They doubtless
felt that his guilt was as terrible thrust
under their " fifth rib )" and ,,hey must
have felt pity and sympathy for him.
We know that as Mr., Avery sat day af-
ter day, week after week, and his bosom
like the troubled ocean sending up con-
iinually mire and dirt "-leaving IN leg.
ible characters on his yisage the index
Of the s.orm and convulsion within
rcnding with fury uncomfortable, and
tossing the sinner man to and fro ms
a wreck upon the oceans rage We
know, we say--that it was impossible
not to feel sympathy for the miserable
mortal. But should this justify the
course taken by the prisoners friends /?
Methinks this must be answered in the
negative. Then what in extenuation,
can you say for yourselves =? What think
ye to gam by holding Mr.. Avery up in
another point of view, than the one in
which circumstances so strongly concur
to place him Are ye blind to the effects
of such course of procedure ! Do -ye
not see these acts recoiIing on your.
selves, in the fresh impetus given to the
feverish excitement existing on the oc-
casion Do you not see that strength
aud vigor have been given to the already
deep-rooted prejadices, which have
spread SO centagiousl y--shall / say a.
iarmingiy ? throughout the community
Do you not see that through this career
Of criminal zeal to rescue Mr.. Avery
from justice, ye become identified or i'm
plicated in his guilt Do ye not see that
your sect-ihe innocent with the gul,y-