Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-08-14
lew NOUDB { nj,
Secretary # tie Treasury
COMBINATIONS Ev HLoitsaic!

!
We lay before our readers The following thrilling de-
scrp,on from the Toronto Correspondent Of the New
York Commercial Advertiser. 1t pains the heart Of
humanity 10 witness such scenc-SiIcen victims are
ct fell swoop condemned TO the galows, among
whom are fonr .gmercGrS-and that degraded relic Of
barharous age is preserved part Of the sentence
The bodies OF these unhappy men are to be f"dttrtd!
1t Impossible 10 read the pathetic speech oi young
Miller, Of our country Cien, without The deepest
emotion.
i, TOO much 10 ask Of Sir George Arthur, and OF
Lord Durham to spare these men-lf not all, at least
pafl-if not the subjects Of Great Britain at least the
citizens Of the United States. AT all events, commute
their punshment-ii you cannot give them back to
! their miserable flmIes.
We call upon the American Press to speak out upon
this occa5on-lo nn It's voice With own-and lay its
illusions before Sir 6. Arthur, shall do hS la.
COMIC appeal Why not forbear, and the blood al
least of the Americans? Are you assured, that Irnpu
nily will only encourage further designs on the part OF
! our coun,ryinen: You deceived. The Govern
ment of this country faithful To the laws OF neutrality
and determined 10 respect your rights 10 Canada
The great body OF the People too on the same side
/ They do not want your Canadus They have other
lands to sa,iac their ambition and their desires They
do not approve Of the ucs of the few misguided nha
bi,an,s of the Frontier who mPced by the sympnlh;es
OF vicinity or the feelings OF affinity, have taken up
arms against your Province.
Snare then these wrc,chrd and INSTEAD Of slrik
ing an awe by your severity bind together by yonr Gle
mcncy nations who were never better disposed to
preserve all The relations Of peace The outrage of the
/
at the hands of Lord Durham will contribute 10 sootie
the Indignation which it exciied-and raise monu-
ment TO his character, noble than column, which
! is cemcn;ed by blood
(Corre,yondcnce ofMs ~ York Commercial 7drcriisrr
! ToR0STo. Aug e. lc'5
SIXTEEN PERSONS SENTENCED TO DEATH.
Previous the departure Of the boa, IN Saturday frnIn
Niagara had barely time 10 inform you that sixteen of
the Stale prisoners had bccm that morning sentenced TO
dcalh fOu: Americans, and twelve subjects Of the
Queen.
On Friday several pleaded guilty, and William Ycks
was tried and acquitted On Saturday, William S Wit
son was tried and acquitted The law OF England to
hirh treason REQUIRES that when bill OF indictment is
found the prisoner mnst be furnished with copy of the
BILL and with list of all the jury that have been sum
monpd attend, and len days must elaPse before the
trial can be brought on.
bill ofindc n, for high treason having been found
al the close of tie week against Jacob Bpaner Of whom
! hav before spoken he could not be tried forthwith
consequently, the court determined 10 adjourn over inr
the coming Ten days. and 10 postpone The farther trials
until BeaiDpr's case could be brought They there
fore rave notice that the prisoners who had been tried
should he brought up for sentence, together with those
who had pleaded guilty
About one o'clock the jury which had been out with
the case Of Wilson, returned with verdict Of mt guilty
The Cuur, then directed the sheriff bring in ihuse
teen prisoners who 10 be sentenced. The sheriff
expressed doubts of the proprely OF bringing in
large number at once. The Judge very properly re
marked that there danger; that 1t the civil Force
was not sufficient. detachment OF the military were at
hand About half past o'clock, the prisoners
in attended by military and civil guard and were seat
ed in the jury bcS.
was favored with very eligible scat being close
both TO the bench and the prisoners was surprised 10
Snd 80 many of the prisoners very young nen-sone OF
them boysand two or three looked more deserv
ing the ordinary chastsemcn Of parent than the heavy
penalty a5ou, TO be adjndsed them Two three
handsome and with few exceptions, nothing unfavora'
Bile conld be drawn from their appearance They
all well dressed-Ser in suit Of black. He had been,
Won i'll recollect Jaw student at Maysvle in Chau
tauGuc county. and would probably have defended him
.cC had not his counsel offered, the outset plea Of
insanity.
Alter the crier had made proclamation f7 all persons
10 keen silence while his Lordsh7 the Queens Justice,
pronounced the sentence Of DEATH, Mr. Justice Jones
called over the names Of four American czrns who bad
been tried under the act Of the last session OF the pro-
yinciol parliament. The frs, Linus Wilson Miller.
After brief pitulaon OF the evidence, he asked
whether he had anything to say why sentence OF deah
should not now be pronounced on him.
After pansing few nts he spoke in fine melo
dious voice, in substance as follows:
"hY LORD:
"Your Lordshp has asked whether | have any thing
tn offer why sentence of death should not b. pronounc'
ed against shall with the permission of your Lord
ship offer few remarks, not however with belief tina,
| shall be able by any thing that might say, In turn
aside the impending fate that awaits me.
sin reference 10 the statute under which have been
tried am under the full conviction that it is uncons.i.
utionai; and in this opinion believe am sustained by
some of the legal gentlemen present am OF OPT
nion that no statute affecting the life of an individual
whether subject not, BE- considered the NV "i
the land until shall have received the sanction OF the
sovereign know, my lord that under this act others
ho We suffered and have 10 suppose that my