The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-07-31

"us' hppehr 10 you Haitefiilr ueyohd
measure, as an evidence of The high
standing Of our clergy. l refer to The
admission of the chiefground of defence
for the prisoner. The true spirit of The
most essential part of This defence, con-
vered this pious sentiment, that Rever-
end clergyman who dismisses vicious
deprnved girl into eternity with his own
sacred hands, is not TO be convicted on
ordinary legal evidence. II was proved
that our brother had maintained re.
spectacle standing in the church, md
that he had shown himself invariably
I" humane, peaceable, and continents"
whenever there was no temptation to the
contrary; and witnesses were collected
from every quarter TO make known the
past life of Miss Cornell. TO drag all her
failings into view, and consequently TO
prove, by implication, that she was un-
worthy { protection by the laws. But,
why was not the past life of brathcr A
very investigated, and why was the well
known verdict of SANDER entirely over
looked Obviously, because there was
one law for clergyman of our church,
aud another for n wretched and friend
less girl.
"The world was not her friend, nor
the worid's law" Dearly has she paid
the forfeit for her sins, and she is now
TO be regarded with deep commisscra-
ton. She was possessed of strong pas
sions and The most acute scnsibili,y, and
these qualities of mind; together with an
attractive person, were the causes of her
ruin. She "loved the methodist people
as her own soul !" but in an evil hour
she lost her self command, and was
driven with scorn from the bosom of the
church. Repenling, and oppressed with
mental anguish, she threw her arms
round the neck Of female friend, and
wEPT BITTERLY; but she was spurned
with disgust. With misery and disgrace
before her, she left her home with the
hope of relief; but her life was wres,ed
from her by violence her mhngled form
was suspended from stake and left
bleaching in the winds.
But let US turn away from this melan-
choly sight, and view the sage body of
worthless who were assembled in Boston,
and who returned brother Avery Gun
spotted" 10 the world. This was a rash
and thonghiless act, but there were some
reasons to influence the Conference, and
among. the most prominent was the APP
parent probability of suicide, not nssun-
ing that Miss Cornell destroyed her life
for the sake of revenge, which is the
mcsi stupid and preposterous supposI'ion
that ever hurled defiance at common
sense, but argaing that she was inAucn-
ced by the fear of disgrace, a strong mo-
tive, indeed, IN this instance, for she had
long been fami milarized TO the loss Of her
character, and she was accustomed to ac-
knowledge her faults, freely and without
reserve. Whatever nigh have been her
failings, the habit Of faIsehood or decep-
ton was not among the number. OF all
persons she was the leas, inclined TO the
work of conspiracy. The truth flowed
spontaneously from her tongue. She
had sometimes been lcentious, but this
was in consequence of the strength Of
her passions, not the frailiy of her prin-
ciples, md after euch period of indul-
gencc she was afflicted with the keenest
remorsc, and could find relief cnly by nc
knowledging her faults and imploring
forgiveness.
One word more to palialc the pro-
ceedings of the Conference. Had bro
ther Avery been inclined TO lcen,ious-
ness, he would have selected some grave
and pious maiden who would have en-
tered on the road of vice with prayer and
praise, not girl who hnd been some
times liccniions; however attractive she
might appear.
But whatever might have been the
true reasons Of the conference, land ON
this point they still maIn!ain the most