Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-06-15

81 do not know" replied he, sit is
some electioneering story, no doubt,
which | can easily explain. | only re-
gard that It should give him or you a
moments uneasiness.''
1T shall cause me none" replied the
confdng girl, 81 cannot believe any
evil Of you"
lie retlred-sought the nature OF his
charge and 10 his inexpresSible astonsh-
ment and horror, learned that he was
accused Of the murder and robbery OF
his friend! In state little short of des-
traction, he retired 10 his room. recalled
with painful minutcness all the circum-
stances connected with the melancholy
catastrophe, and for the first time, saw
the dangerous ground on which he stood
But proud In conscious innocence. he
lelt TO Withdraw at that stage of the can
vass. might be construed into confes-
sion of guilt. He remained a candidate
and was beaten. Now for the first time,
did h. feel the Indebtedness of Il con
demned and degraded man. The tribu-
nal of public opinion had pronounced
against him the sentence Of conviction !;
and even his friends, as the excitement
of the party struggle sub sided, became
cold IN his defence, and wave ring IN their
belief of his innocence. Conscious that
the eye OF suspicion was open, and salts
fled thar nothing short of a public inves-
tIgation could restore him TO honor, the
unhappy young man surrendered him
self 10 the civil authority, and demlnd-
ed a trial. Little did he know Of the
NAL gritty Of man or the fatal energy
of popular deusion! H. reflected not
that when the public mind IS mbued with
prejudice, even truth itself ceases to be
mighty. Many believed him guilty, and
those who, during the canvass industri-
ously circulated the report, now Iabored
with un'lring diligence 10 collect and ac-
cumuIate the evidence which should SIS
tain their previous assertions. But ar
rayed in the pdnoply of innocence, he
sood firm and confident of acquiral.
The best counsel had been engaged
aud on the day Of trial, Hamilton stood
before the assembled countrY-an ar
raigned cuIprit, in the presence of those
before whom he had walked with honor
from childhood.
As he trial proceeded, the confidence
Of his friends diminished, and those who
had doubted became confirmed in the
prisoners guilt. Trihes light as air, BE-
came combinations strong as proofs off
Holy Writ to the Jealous mind Of the |
audience, AMI one fact linked TO another |
10 curious coincidence, until the chain of |
circumstances seemed ir- |
resstlbIy conclusive. His recent init |
macy with the deceased, and even the .
attention whirh friendship and hospitali- |
Y had dictated were ingeniousIy insis' ed |
lpon rs evidences of deliberate plan
If wickcdness-long formed and grndu-
,llv developed. The facts, that he ac-
:ompanicd the deceased on his way-that
ne lost the path IN country in which
ne was supposed to BE- famliar-his con
Iuct on hearing of the death of his
'riend-thc moncv-thc knile-cauSed
he most lncrcduIOuS 10 trembe for his
ate. But when the breast pin of Ham
lion, found near the boIy Of the muir
cred man was produced and a pistol
Known 10 have been that OF the prisoner,
vas proved 10 have been picked up near
he Spot-but little room was left even
or charity 10 indul &c "a benevolent doubt.
Nor was this all--the prosecution had
sill another witness-the pale girl who
at by him clnsping his hand in hers,
vas unexpectedly called upon to rise and
1--WE testimony. She shrunk from the
lnfeelng call, and buried her face in her
,ro, hers bosom. Tht blow was not
for none but the mvrmidons
# party vengeance, who had even vIO-
ated he sanctuary Of family conilenc :,
ream ID that any eliminating circum-
tance was in the possession of the
,oung lady. At the mandate of the
curt, she arose; laid aside her veil, and
iSclosed a face haggard with anxiety
nd terror. In low tremuious accents.
,roken with subs, she reluctantly depoS-
d that the clothes worn by her brother.
N his return home from that fatal jour {
Iev, were torn, soiled with earth, and {
loody! An audible murmur ran thro'
he crowd, who were listening in breath l.
ess silence tho prisoner bowed his
cad in mute despair-the witness was ;
orne away insensibe the argument
rocecdcd. and after an eloquent defence,
he jury brought in a verdict Of GUILTY!
The sentence Of death was passed.
The summer had passed away. The
and OF autumn had begun to tlnge with
1ellow hucs the magnificent scenery OF
he forest. II was evening. and the clear
lonnbeams were shining through the
ra'cs of the prisoners cell. The I'M
Apply man, haggard, attenuaed and
eart-hroken, was lying upon has wretch
d pallet, rejecting alternately upon the
arly wreck of his bright hopes, the
our Of ignominy that was Just approach
~. and the dread fulurity into which he
houlI soon be plunged. 1t was The
sason with which his marriage with {
llmra was to have been solcmnized. c
With what pride and JOY he had looked
orwar I'd to this hour! And now instead T
f the wedding festivities, the lovely I
ride, and the train of congratulating c
riends. so often pictured in fancy. he re-
lized letters, a dungeon, and disgrace
Al deaihl The well known tread OF the