Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-03-20
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED WEEKLY.

sorts and sizes, from the skeleton Just I'M
hi.ched from the pillow, to The saucy, fat,
impudenl pony, with reached main and
bob.tail, and tho sleek and long tailed
pampered horse, whose coat proclaims his
breeding, all tied TO the staggering fence,
which constitutes the boundary of the
street. Behold the motley nssemblage
within these limits hurrying TO and fro,
with RAPID strides, as il life were at stake.
Who is ne who slips about among the
"greasy rogues," with outsiretched palm
and shaking as many hands as the Mar.
quis La Fayette 1t is the candidate for
! election and he distributes with liberal
hand that barren chronicle of legislative
deeds, denomnated the last of laws, upon
which are fed people starving for lnior-
nation. This is mere register off the IL
ties of ac.s passed at the last session, but
il is caught at with avidity by the sove-
reigns, who are highly offended ifthey do
not come in for share OF the Delegate s
bounty. The purchase and distribution
of these papers IS sort OF carmen neceSSa-
rum, or Indispensable lesson, and Il fire.
quently happens that member OF tho AS
sembly who has been absent from his post
the whole winter, except upon the yeas
and nays, acquires credit for his industry
and attention to business in proportion to
the magnitude of the bundle he distributes
of this unInstructive record.
See now he mounts some elevated stand
and harangues the gaping crowd, while
a iackass led by his groom is braylng at
the top his lungs just behind him. -
| The jack takes in his breath, like Fny's
Snorer, nth the tone Of an octare Raie,
and lets ii out scith the profound depth 81
a trombone" Wherever candidate is
seen, there is sure TO be a jackass--snre-
ly, his lcng cared companion does not
mean to satirize the candidate However
that may be, you perceive the orator IS
obliged to desist. overwhelmed perhaps
by this laundering applause. Now the
crowd opens TO the right and left TO make
away for some superb animal at lull lrot,
some HighHyer or Daredevil, who is thus
exhibited ad captandum rn}gus, which
seems the common purpose OF the can
didate, the jack, and his more noble COM
petitor. But look-here approaches an
object more terrible than all, II we may
Judge from the dispersion of the crowd
who enScoace themselves behind every
corner and peep from their lurking Noles,
while the object OF their dread moves on
ward with saddle bags on arm, pen be-
hind his ear, and an inkhorn at his button
hole. Lest some of my readers should
be ignorant of this august parsonage,
must do as they do in England, where
they take shaggy dog, and dipping him
in red paint, they dash him against the
sienboard and write underneath this is
the Red Lion. This is the sheriff and he
is summoning hisjury--" Mr.. Buckskin,
YOU, sir, dodging behind the backsmith's
shop, summon you on the jury" ah
luckIess wight he is caught and obliged
10 succumo. In vain ne begs TO be let
off," yop must apply to the megls-
trates," IS the surly reply. And it,
reader, you could listen to whot passes
| afterwards N the court house, you might
hear something like the following colo
ouy-Judge. What is your excuse,
sir 2" Juror. 81 am a lawyer, sir
Judge. "Do you follow the law now,
sir ?'' Juror. "No, sir, the law follows
me-" Judge. "Swsar him, MIR. Clerk"
All, there is a battle /! y see how the
crowd rushes to the spot" who lights
" part 'em"-" stand off," fair play"
-" let no man touch"-" hurrah, Die"
Fat him, Tom" An Engshman think
ing himself in England, baw Is out, sher-
| if. read the riot act"--a Justice comes
up and commands the peace inter drmd
silent leges he is unceremoniously knock
ed down, and Justice IS blind as ought to
be the case. Two of the rioters now at
tempt TO ride in at the tavern door, and
for awhile all Pandemonium seems broke
loose. To complete this picture, ! must
like Asmodeus, uuroof the court house,
and show YOU a trial which had the good
fortune to witness. 1t was during the
last war, when the vessels of Admiral
! Gordon were making their way up the
Potomac to Alexandra, that negro wo-
man was arragned for killing one of her
own sex and color; she had been commit
ted for murder, but the evidence went
clearly to establish the deed to be man.
slaughter, inasmuch as II was done I'D
sudden heat, and without malice afore-
thought. The Attorney for the common
wealth waived the prosecution Tor mfr
der. but quoted British authorities TO
show that she might be convicted ofman-
slaughter, though committed Tor murder.
I The counsel for the accused arose, and
in the most solemn manner, asked the
court if it was n thing ever heard OF, that
an individual accused Of one crime ana
acquitted, should be arraigned Immediate
ly for another, under the same prosecu-
lion OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
went the British cdnnon--Brihsh author
tiles exclaimed the counsel; British da-