Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-08-22

ana tilat u iofsook my party death
would be my portion. Thus situated,
what way was there for my escaped
] appeal, my Lord, to the lancers,
whether ! did not use my best exer.
tons to stay the hand of the assassin.
| appeal to every individual who was
present at the attack upon the lancers,
to say whether | did not do every thing
in my power to prevent the death oil
any one, or the loss Of any property.
" am here, before your lordship,
convicted as felon but appealing to
my own conscience, avow TO your
lordship and to this whole court, that
cannot consider myself guilty Of a le-
lonious act-yet if il is my fate to suf.
fer death, | must bow to the mandate
which DEGREES it,"
The judge asked the other three the
usual question, and nothing being said,
he proceeded to pronounce the sen.
tence, preiacing it with some pertinent
remarks, particularly addressing him
self to Miller. He said that il was ap.
parent that his education should have
led him to a different course than to be
found with band Of individuals, and
with arms, too, whose aim was to sub.
vert the government Of country with
which he was not connected, and one
which was at peace with the U. States,
OF which he was a cltizen-that the
view he had taken Of the constitutions
atty of the law he had transgressed,
was not sound, and that it was as much
the law of the land as any under which
the province was governed.
The judge then ordered Linus Will
son Miller, Geo. Cooley, Norman NAL
lory, and William Reynolds, to be ia.
ken to the jail whence they came, and
that on Saturday, the 25th day of Au.
gust, they be taken to the place of ex.
ecution, and there be hanged by the
neck until they are dead.
Mr.. Solicitor General Draper then
moved the court that sentence be pas.
sed upon the following persons, convic.
ted of high treason Samuel Chandler,
benjamin Wait, James Gamble, John
Grant, Murdoch McFadon, John James
McNutty, George Buck, David TAYLOR,
James Wagner, John Vernon, Carrot
Van Camp, and Alexander Mcleod.
These persons were separately ask
ed whether they had any thing to say
why the sentence Of the law should not
be pronounced against them.
In the case Of Benjamin Wait, his
counsel moved that the verdict be set
aside on the ground that Mr.. Wagstaff
me OF the jury, was not liege SUBJ
ec., but citizen of the United States,
Aiter few remarks from the Solicitor
GENERAL, the court decided that it was
low too late to interpose that Plea
)ne or two others made few brief re-
marks, when the judge proceeded to
us painful task.
He told them that in all probability
mercy would be extended to some OIL
hem. but 10 whom no one then knew
hat the jury by which they had been
RED had recommended some of them
o mercy, which OF course would be re.
PRESENTED in the proper quarter.
lie urged upon them all the import.
nee of preparation for another world,
md then pronounced the following sem
ence, CATER calling each by name:)-l
: That you and each Of you be taken |
% the jail from whence gu came, and |
hat on the 18th day of the present
month Of August, you and each of you |
be drd~n on hurdle TO the place of er-
scutton, and that you be there hanged 6u
NE neck until you are dead; then vour
6od'es are to be quartered: and may God
hare mercy on your souls"
10 this last expression, there were
several who responded Amen" One
OF the ballltis, stout fellow, who stood
close to me, leaning on his staff, burst
INTO flood of tears, and assure YOU,
this soon became contagious.
1t was scene | pray | NAV never
again be called to look upon-Sirteen
telloU beings rhom an earthly Judge had
limited life Of three aceekSi and these
men in the prime Of life, many or them
with the blood of youth courslng in
their veins-their average, think, is
not more than twenty five.
Correspondence of the National Intelligeneer.
Barn COFFEE House., MORGAN Co. VA.
DEAR SIR: Agreeably to my pro.
mise to give you some account of my
Vlsil to the Virginia Springs before |
leave the Old Dominion, as am now
at the last watering place at which |
purposed to make any stay, you will
please to accept this as a brief settle
ment OF my epistolary account. After
visiting the scenery of Harper's Ferry
so graphically described by one whose
name is identified with the 4th of JULY.
| called at the Shannondale SPRINGS
and the Sulphur Springs near the Ope-
quon, called Duval's. | had heen n,