The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-14
or not. am willing, and intend to call your a.ien-

4
post. on which have assumed. Because that esi-
dence sustaining the latter Is not IN any degree sus-
ceptibe Of dispute Every word of evidence gwen on
the part Of the prosecution has gone TO esiaoish our
case, and what is yet will only comprise VIVA.
| has been shown already. But the point TO whieh
call you now is that Alexander Mcleod had no more
TO do with the destruction Of the Caroline, or with he
killing OF Duree than either ofyou, gentlemen OF hs
iury And speak with knowledge Of the facts, and
will satisfy you that what have now SAID y iu'y anu
| literally true.
| confess that am somewhat surprised by the re,
suit Of the trial which We have seen, .t,,oa
much greater strength on the part OF the
will saw 10 the Attorney General, II am honored
with h audience will say to his associate, tina, am
tonished al the feebeness of their cause conducted
/ "a /, has been by such an array OF talent. Whhont
making any exirayagant prctensons TO that sort Of
skll in matters Of this kind yet would venture tear
Iessly 10 the argument on the evidence, as y
Is now before you, without the slightest dread OF
verdict against my client But am not at liberty 10
oay at hap hazard in such as this have here
10 defend man whose life dear To him as yours
is 10 you, and to whom you are bound 10 give iai
trial patient heating, and faithful and Impartial
verdict Just much fine American citizen
ask no at your hands because he is foreigner
We expect nothing whatever from your hands on ac-
count Of the difficulty in which your verdict may
place the Governments of the two countries We
ask only that you will listen to the evidence, cautious
ly weigh IT, and then pronounce whether Alexander
Mcleod is a murderer or not.
First, then, we will lay before you mass Of evil
dence taken by commission under the order Of the SUI
preme Court and which, singular as it is, have been
attended in the execution by gentlemen on both
sides And here let me remark that the opposite
counsel have enjoyed all the advantages which per-
feet know ledge OF whole case, from beginning to
end could afford, whilst we have been kept IN pro-
found ignorance Of them yes, had they enclosed
their case in the hecaiombs of Egypt II could not
have been vigilan:ly concealed from our
view.
None of the new witnesses who relied on to
hafn thn and
There may be few EXCEPTIONS but believe my az
serton will be found 10 be correct. And permit me to
add that, in my judgment, if this case were tried as
often as the moon changed, new witnesses could be
found prove the strong as II has been now
presented on this trial. But the commissions have
been returned and the evidence will be read before
you. With great deal Of pains and perseverance,
my respected colleague succeeded IN finding some men
more or less who on board each OF the boats
which formed the expedition against the Caroline,
Twelve of our witnesses are of this descnptio ..
First, on the part of the defence, we have Colonel
McNabb, who proves he issuing of the orders to
Captain Drew, the individual who had charge OF the
expedition. Colonel Nc Nabb states that the expedi
ton, when planned, was profound secret, unknown
to any except himself and two confidential OH
GERS The party collected the shore and went on
board the boats and then the purpose OF the expedition
declared, when the party was on its way to accom-
plish its object
When the expedition returned Col. McNabb order
ed list OF all The men engaged in the expedition to be
made out, intending 10 besow upon them some mark
of appreciation for their hardhood and successful
duct of the expedition And here let me say, that
however may regard This transaction the Provn-
cal Government ofGreat Btitan looked on that a
gallant achievement. But whether they righifuy or
wrongfully appreciated the undertaking is perfectly in
different to
To return however; in the list thus made out the
name of McLcod-eilher Alexander or Angus-does |
not appear Col. McNabb also says that he
the shore when the expedition embarked and that he
A.. II
Then every boats crew was acquainted with each
other and they respectively testify that Mcleod
not among them. And it was surely likely that the
members OF every little party would know each other
This is in substance the evidence which we have ia
ken on commission and that will be first laid before
you in defence You will listen to that reading |
with attention. although 1t may not he SO satisfactory
the evidence of witnesses who would be before you
personally.
But we will also produce before you living witness
who will speak of what they know. By Mr.. Ha-
rion will show that the Raynock of whom Will |
spoke being present with Mcleod, between the
9Th and 18th January, was absent in Europe and
could not possibly have been present at the place and
on the occasion described by Wilson. With respect
to Qumby we will show you that short time ago a
letter received by the postmaster here from a
gentleman of responsibility in Warren county, Penn
syvana, who hearing of Quimbys intention To come
here as a witness and knowing his character, wrote
warning to his worthessncss; and acting the
information, wrote 10 two worthy citizens there, who
have here to speak of Qulmby chaia cter This
Quimby you recoect is the fellow who sold his load
of hay and went to get payment before daylight from
the commissary.
We will then show you, gentlemen, that Mcleod
at Chippewa, in Davis tavern, the day of the
destruction of the CaroIinethat he went bed ear
IT, he atigued, having been of the party
who rode round Navy Island. He remained in bed
till sun down, when he rose. We will then show
you that he went in company with Mr. William
Press then living at Niagara and was Keeping the
| &c HnmiItnn House " in Hamilton Canada and IN his
| company Mcleod left Davis tavern and rode to STAN
ford about five miles distance in very bad state of
the road where he got out Of his wagon, concluding
that he would tarry night with Capt. John Har
rison, a retired British officer in Canada He left
Chippewa in company with Mr. Press after dark on
that day. Well, he got out and went into Capt, Nor
rsons, and we will show by that gentleman evidence
that Mcleod came to his house-that they sat and
conversed till about midnght-hat then they retired
to bed--that he (Capt Morrison) early in the
morning as was his custom-that Mrs. Morrison
and their son, little boy of 10 years OF age.
that the lad went down to the gate in front OF the
house-that he saw there two gentlemen, who stopped
they passed. and asked the lad to call his father
that Capt Morrison went down. and there found some
| one whom don't now remember, with Col Came
ron, who lives at Toronto, and is elderly gentle
man. and is not able to be here-that these gentlemen
asked Morrison if he had heard the news and on
ceving his reply IN the negative they told him OF the
burning Of the Caroline, and gave hun as trophy a
fragment of the boat which they had found i'll the ed
dy below the Falls.
/ Capt. Morrison returned TO the house and found
| Mr. Mcleod his toilet and to him he told the in
,elligence he had just received. Mcleod wished TO
90 imnedin ely but was prevailed on by Mrs. Morn.
son to remain tor break ast-Mrs Morrison will show
this, and also that Mr.. McLeod's boots, which had
been wet were placed at the kitchen fire, where they
remained all night, and in he morning were put on
dry by him Mlss.Morrison also, step daughter
believe OF Mrs Morrison is also here She is in
tegent lady, and she Will corroborate the testimony
| Of her relatives.
To to the testimony OF Press to show that he
cannot be mistaken in the day, he says he was al
Chippewa but once that winter. He lived at Nigga