Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-10-30

OF the burning Of the steamboat; went away
about 9 o'clock; was met on his way TO Chip
pewa near Niagara Fails about 10 A. M. by
Judge Mclean and DR.. Foote, who had come
down from Buffalo to Chippewa the previous
evening, and had when there vainly inquired for
! Mcleod both then and in the morning; was
fired at in passing Navy Island, and reached
Chippewa about II, returning that afternoon by
Stamford TO Niagara (not the FalIs.) Such,
with some impeachment OF the witnesses for the
! prosecution, is the case for the defence.
! Now we have not doubt that Mcleod is or
! will be acquitted; we believe that the Morrisons
have meant 10 testify truly; we have not doubt
! that many OF the witnesses of the prosecution
committed perjury, and would have sworn any
thing TO convict Mcleod and enlbrol us in a war
with England-and yet the abb raises many
difficulties in our mind. How strange that so
active partisan as Mcleod, who had Just been
round Navy Island on lookout for the Caroline
who must have known that an expedition was
on foot to destroy her--shoud start of at
o'clock oil dark night over a heavy road TO
Stamford, sioy there through the eventful night
without any visible motive, and start back for
Chippewa next morning 1t seems marvellous
TO US. The current hypothesis that he was on
terms Of special intimacy with Lieut.. Morrison's
oldest daughter, is entirely unsupported by facts.
! hat daughter was then young girl, was mar.
lied 10 another man nearly TWO years aherward,
was deserted by him, and ailerward became the
paramount Of Mcleod Nothing like this existed
in 1881 or could have existed in her fathers
house.
And now a word respecting the character and
conduct Of this trial, which has already excited
very general remark. That the defence Of
Mcleod has been thorough and mastery none
will doubt who are acquainted with The industry
and vigilance Of the junior counsel, who have
nearly employed the summer in getting it up, and
the distng uished legal ability, acuteness and
forensic power Of Mr.. J. A. Spencer. Nor
do we believe that any one who attended the
trial-we will no! speak for others-could be
less than satisfied with the ability, energy and
eoquence with which the prosecution was sus
tanned. We Go not regret that Judge GridIey
ruled throughout very strongly and obviously
in favor OF the prisoner. That prisoner was a
stranger among u.s. exposed to strong National
preludices on every side, on tral for what is
grave offence in the eye Of the law, but which,
if committed in obedience to his lawful superiors
and in Wording off the (ootslep Of invasion from
the soil of his country, can hardly be regarded
as implying moral culpabiIity. We rejoice,
therefore, that he received more than fair, IA.
vorable trial, and that the result is almost neces
sarily his acquita.
But the conduct Of leading advocates on his
trial is deserving Of severe apprehension While
between the two District Attorneys on the one
hand, and the junior counsel for the defence on
the other all was perfectly courteous, the con.
lllcts OF Mr.. Spencer with Messls. Hall and
IowIey evnced an acrimony and passion which,
as between a District Attorney Of the United
States and admitted leader Of the bar on one
side and the Attorney General OF the State on
the other, cannot be too earnestly reprobated
We can hardly be mistaken in the conviction
that the original error in this case was Mr.
Spencer's. He entered upon the trial, not merely
in the conscious importance with which Rob Roy
exc!aims, My foot is on my native heath-my
name McGregor I" but in spirit Of bitterness
towards his leading opponent of which no pr.
vate grieIs' can justify the manifestation in such
a forum. Almost every observation made by
him from the outset embodied an attempt at
sarcasm or Sneer on Mr.. Attorney General
This was for long time unregarded as it Ger.
tainIy was unProvoked by any thing occurring
on the trial
At length bitterness provoked retort, and the
monotony Of the later portion OF the trial was
relieved by the alternate bursts Of passion which
were rather more interesting TO the audience than
accordant with tie dignity Of the Court OF pro-
motive OF the ends Of justice.
Judge Grjdley, WHO might have checked this
unseen!y display by seasonab,e admoniton,
only walked up when the original and TOO for,
nidabe offender could be whipped over the back
OF others, After allowing Nh Spencer to cross
examine the witness for the prosecution in a
manner and temper which said plainly and in.
te"tjonaly to every one, Il know, sir, you are
peruring yourself; and | mean to make you
prove it.! the Judge put down Mr.. Hawley upon
his undertaking to treat Lieut. Morrison in the
same cavalier manner, with an energy and de,
csion which, il put forth little earlier, would
have been productive Of the happest results.
As it was, the Judge commencing at the wrong
end, only wrought himself into a fit Of passion,
and, in soon alter denying to Mr., Haw!ey the
privilege Of explaining language which had been
held disrespectlul 10 the bench. committed an
error for which he a(ierward atoued by proper
apology.
From the Charleston Courier.
4 MISUNDERSTANDING WHICH HAS
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