Southern pioneer, and Carroll, Choctaw and Tallahatchie Counties advertiser. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1841-03-20
ALEXANDER MCLEOD.

of Alexander Mcleod, now imprisoned at
Lockport, New York, and awaiting his trial
upon charge of murder and arson in the
affair of the Steamboat Caroline.
We lay it before our readers because the
important consequences involved in the affair,
have excited intense interest.-NaSh. Ban.
KINGSTON, u. C. Feb. lS4l.
GENTLEMEN:-"I have read in the Kings
ton Chronicle of yesterday letter signed,
"Justice 81 Peace,'' on the subject of the Car
oline, extracted from your Journal together
with your remarks on the same subject, both
of which have so much pleased me, by their
Just views of the case, and the spirit Of candor
in which they are written, that cannot re-
frain from laying before you, and should you
think proper, before the public, the following
statement of facts:
With the right or policy of destroying the
Caroline, have little or nothing to do. On
this side of the line, the right is questioned by
few, and have little doubt the time is not far
distant when it will also be acknowledged by
the thinking and impartial amongst our citi-
zens. Be that as it may, public opinion on
either side is evidently not the proper tribunal
| for a decision of the question; but from the
singular position in which my brother is pla-
ced in connection with this case, his friends
must take deep and painful interest, and this
must be my excuse for thus intruding upon
you; for although it were folly in me suppose
| | can, to any extent, influence mems minds in
the matter, yet consider it my duty to give a
plain unvarnished statement in regard to my
brothers alleged participation in the act for
which he stands committed, as far as am able,
and to correct certain mis-statements which
will be hereafter alluded to.
On the 29th December, 1887, my brother
and myself and thousands besides, were at
Chippewa, for the purpose and with the de-
termination of defending our country against
any attack from several hundreds of rebels
and pirates assembled on Navy Island. In the
course of the day, small steamboat was seen
plying between Schlosser and the Island, evil
IDENTIFY busy in the cause of the occupants
She was rightly conjectured to be the Caro-
line, which it was well known had been get
| ting ready for the purpose for several DAYS be-
furo at Buffalo. ANY patriotic mind can easily
conceive the feelings, which the sight OF this
boat and her occupation engendered In the
minds Of our people, and deep and loud were
the imprecations against her: but not word
of the attempt at capture was made public,
and certain | am my brother was not one OF
those to whom it was made known, or very
probably he might have been one of the party
But in the evening, from the want OF accom-
modations at Chippewa, he rode down To Stan
ford, "a village four miles from the former
place,) where he remained at friends house
till next morning.
!, went to the quarters of some acquaintan
; ces, volunteers from this town, where lay
down for the night; but was awoke about mid
night by one of them who said: "We mus
turn out-there is something going on" We
did so, and proceeded to the mouth of the
Chippewa, where fire was being lighted
Immediately we observed on the opposite shore
a vessel on fire, partially at first, but soon in ;
blaze and moving down the river towards thu
falls. 1t was the Caroline. She had met he
fate. What the full consequences may be
time musttell. remember well, while watch
ed her hurrying on to destruction, and fel
that her fate was Just, likewise thought O
the i'll feeling she was likely to occasion be
tween the two nations, considering the Gauss
which the American border people had espous
ed. She had barely passed on to complete de
g. struction, when her captors landed where
y stood; from several boats. Had my brothe
been there should have seen him; but con
TESS did not look for him. never thought {
his being there, and there he was not. ii
knew nothing OF the burning OF the Caroilne
till next morning; and if am not mistaken
he knew it first from me. The rise of the ri
NOR of his being there. cannot only accoun
for thus: He was active, and sufficiently dal
ing, to assist in that which, in either of on
Navies would be only thought common "cu
ting out affair." and had been round the Islam
5 that day in boat; along with several VIII
were really at the destroying of the boat
Had he been there, feel certain that no fea
of consequences would have made him den
it; but to be stigmatised as murderer on on
side, and foolisbly lauded by some as hero
the other, on account of transaction in whic
he had no share, can be any thing but pleasan
II has indeed been asserted thathe has boa
ted of being at the burning of the boat. L
those who know him and the circumstances,
need say nothing. Tothose who do not, sa
), - ic q prncc falSeh0Od