The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-09-04
From the Provi,lenec Herald.
Ephrai'n X. Avery.

Mr.. Ediior--Next TO the slip ofpaper re-
ferred to in my last, found in tho trunk offs
VI. Cornell, after her death, would offer a
rmark on the letter addressed by her 10 her
sister, Mrs. Rawson. LET any person read
that letter, and then, If he can, unless void of
cendor or common sense, fomo TO the conclu.
sion that the writer was a altuated ~ feelings
OF hostility towards Avery or hsl formed a
conspiracy against him. Size no doubt
thought il requisite TO make her sister ac.
IquainIed with her condition bot, how did she
do IL? Did she proceed in manner that
bore the least indication of desire 10 inlure
her seducer? Did she roll against him !:
Did she threaten 10 expose him 10 the world |?
Did she show recklessness of feeling, and
destitution Of all deicacy, that might have
been expected of the low, degraded, prosti
tuled and malignant being she is represented
TO be? No, nothing Of this sort character,
ises hor letter. On the contrary, she could
not have manifested more camncss, mere
tenderness, or higher regard for the inter.
est and reputation OF the man, had he been
her equal, and at the same time her intended
husband, the object other love. She enjoind
secrecy on her sister, and seemed rather to
prefer that her letter should be- destroyed,
ask you sir-I ask every member of this
community, what is there in that letter tina,
could lead any person TO the conclusion tha,
Sarah Marah Cornell had entered into q
conspiracy against Ephraim X. Avery?
She is called an arlful and designing girl
and represented as having been capable o.
planning and executing almost any desperate
undertaking and yet, when you come to ex
anime the plan Of conspiracy, il is said ELI,
had formed and executed, they are all 81
bungling, clumsy, and 80 very i'll conceived
that il becomes necessary that such a trail
: of circumstances should Ianspire at specih,
times, as render the entire transaction almos
miraculous and maae her out, q person in
:. spircd viii knowledse ~ iatufs nsenls. q
IS one, deficient in common sense fher ob
- ect was revcDge--If her movements wer
r the fruits Of conspiracy Why did she en-
1t join secrecy? Did her sense OF shame die
T" tate The injunction? Still she could han
herself for rrenge, according to tho conclr
sion Of Avery's friends n her object wer
revenge, and sho was an artfu. designin,
and shameless creature, as her character
painted out, why did she rot suffer the affa
to become public? why not call on he
9 friends TO assist her operations? /? To dra
a him before the public as a fornicator, and ii
the charge upon him, by vrtuo of her solem
oath. Let the champions Of that miserabl,
man come forward, and offer a solitary rea
I son, why Sarah Maria Cornell did not adop
such a course-Why she refused. to the last
10 give publicity to The name Of him she i'm
picated-Why she impaired only to two or
three persons whom duty seemed to poin.
out as its proper repositories, and evcn to
them, as secret. Lot them, say, account
for the existence Of these facts, and show the
world, 'beHorc they say ony thing farther
about conspiracy and revenge, why Sarah
Maria Cornell chose rather to kill herself for
revenge, than live not only to be revepgcd,
but TO witness and enjoy the fruits ofher vcn-
geance. Then, and not till then, can they
account for the letter in question, as ono Of
the elements Of conspiracy.
1t viii be recoIlected that we are not now
examining testimony on legal grounds, and
taking advantage of legal qs'ibbies and tech:
nicalitics, as in a case of lifo and death. This
has already been done al Newport and A.
very has received oil the advantages and
benefits that such a course could cnsue 70
J any man. We have him now at the bar OF
reason and common sense; and shall there
fore pursue tho track they appear to point
out and although shall eventually call up
the letter on "ycllow paper" which the Court
rejected, I shall now, for special reasons, in
troduce that famous document that bears the
J appollation Of he sphinx ieiier;" and respect
, ing which our investigation ough. to DO close
y and discriminating.
This letter, il will be rccollectcd, was found
!. in the trunk Of this unfortunate girl. II wsi
J, identified BY Mr.. Orswcll, Engineer Of the
, : Steamboat King Philip, as one taken by him
o on board the boat, at Providence, and from
G bin found It's way into Miss Corpell's hands
: And Mr.. Orswell, under oath, indentiios E
a X. Avery, as the person who delivered him
0 the letter. This letter boing subject oftht