Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-01-18
From the Buffalo Comnci cal Advertiser.
A PRISON SCENE.

TOpOlis, ne stopped, iQr an hour or two. al
Auburn. lmpelled by motives OF curiosity,
he repaired 10 the State Prison, and went
The usual rounds, with the view of conlem
plating, in his "low estate" one whom he
had known and moved with in pnlny days
Of proud and golden prosperity. but was
now within those gloomy walls a convict
lelon, condemned TO years Of silent Toll, side
by side with villains of every hue Of crime
In secluded port Of the immense building,
he found The object of his search, aitired in
the course particolored convict dress, soied
and dirty, bis hair cropped closely TO his
head, and his small, yet dignified form, bent
painfully over his task. His countenance
was deadly pale, save where, upon each
cheek. small deep hectic spot told the irou-
bled workings Of his unquiet mind, while
his unshaven chin, with beard OF weeks
growth. contrasled strangely with his high
iUarble.ike forehead and altered features,
imparing a wildncss 10 his appearance,
which befted the gloomy scene around. 1t
was Benjamin Rathbun, the Forger He
was occupied in shaping the beechen blocks
OF which jolner's planes are made and
steadily wrought at his new employment,
his delicate hands. unused TO manual labor,
plying bnsily and dexteIonsy the tools OF
his work bench. As the visiler gazed upon
the sad spectacle, through the narrow open
ings the dark passage from which the con.
victs are watched by the guards of the prs
on. unseen BY the prisoners, another visitor
stood by, similarly occupied, who had been
employed by the man they were contem-
plating, as one Of the superintendent Of his
two thousand laborers. when engaged in
carrying on his gigantic operations The
latter stood silently intention the scene, until
be burst into tears. and turned away. The
irrepressible sympathes which arise in the
human bosom often in defiance Of the stern
decisions of justice, and often lavished upon
unworthy objects, which some redeeming
traits have endeared 10 US, overpowered his
feelings. and he left the Prisoner 10 the "peo-
! Piled solitude" oftbat populous dungeon
Nor is il 10 be wondered at. that the hu.
initiation Of this sometime "GiIard Of the
West" should produce. in the public mind.
a feeling Of regret. mingled with conviction
that the Wholesome though harsh correc.ves
OF Justice, must be visited as well upon the
loEiest as upon the lowIiest heads, that are
alike sheltered under the DER canopying
ggis Of our laws. The conviction which
had settled upon almost every mind, that,
through the influence OF friends. the ingen-
uity OF able counsel. and the clubbing tech
nicaliiies OF law. be would at the close Of
his prolincted trials, ultimately escape con-
viciion, had prepared the community to ex-
pect such q result; and when the verdict
which has linked his name with infamy was
finally recorded the public. as well as pris-
oner and friends, were taken by surprise, and
scarcely believed il real Ii was stagger-
ing blow at the high hopes he had evidently
cherished from the close OF the former trial,
in this city. which had resulted in his ac-
qui,nl upon the indictments on which it was
founded Placed again at liberty, after his
long incarceration for want Of bail he was
once more actively ranging the scenes of
his former enterprises, and planning busily
| for The future. The ambitious schemes
which once more swelled his restless bosom,
and gilded the hitherto darkened prospect OF
cxis,ence--none but himself and confden-
lial friends can know, But these building
hopes and bright antcipalions were sudden
y blasted. and sierner visions lhronged con-
fusedly bcforeh him. His gnominious doom.
with its ublect toll, its lonely hours Of pain
loneier of remorsefu thought. its careless.
scathing shame---lay with sickening, dead
| y weight upon his heart.
Nv~, tho prison scene, where a.
mid the clnnk of letters, and the rattle OF
chains. and the harsh grating of dungeon
doors. he commenced the routine of his
monoionous task. And what maddening
reflections have been his, in the few weeks
which have since succeeded What lonely
yearnings for the fortified delights of social
life once more. the fortified esteem and con-
fidence ofthe wronged community in which
he had striven to build up his fame AID
conscience, like reproving angel, pointing
with her moveless finger TO the past. has,
through his waking hours, been a silent yet
haunting monitor whose mental scour-
gines have been more terrible than the physi
cal ills which have borne upon his frame.
It is sad lesson-ihe fate OF BENJAMIN
RATHBuN
The Patriot Question in MT ShclL--l
The following brief paragraph from the De-
troit Free Press, presents the whole merits
ofthe patriot question;
"The people Of the Canadas are compos.
ed of persons who were born thereof tor
les who fed there from the old thirteen
states during the American Revolulion-or
Of cmigiauts VINO, prefeTIiny u.s~~-AhisalI
TO republican government. have since SET
tied there. Those who were there at the
time of the revolution might have had their
liberty ifihey had joinsd our fathers then.
The sons oil those might have had their
freedom durinu The last war III thew desired