Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-09-17
TIE TRAGEDY Ar PALMYRA. MO.

- lew weeks since. the telegraph apprzed us Of a ter
fblo tragedy thai had taken place IN tia lown Of Palmy-
IA, Missouri. A man by the name Of Wise, a deputy
postmaster, discovered an improper intimacy between his
VIE and a pefson by the name vi Hart, by means Of
breaking open tho seals of the letters, which passed
through hls hands. The 81. Louis papers since come
tn Maud, 9iHo a full history of he allif,-bnt the story -
short, and Is soon told. The in1ured husband shot tis
sedncer oi his wife. was arrested Tor murder, and is now
on irlai for The crime. The evidence elected, leaves
lllilo or ~ room for doubling the guilt of the man and
The woman. Wise. l. seens. possessed himself ofa very
voluuilnous cDrresp1nde uc,, which had passed b.lween
his vito and llart. These leilers were pro luced IN tho
mai by The counsel for the defence and the style and SEN
tlmonl nra pretty much the saine as lhnse which marked
The corfesponiencs, that pas ed betWe n Mr.. Vir rim
IA My cs and lipyt, whn. IL will BIO remembered, mt the
same fate. in Richmond, some years since, AS Hart
dad, and Tor n like crime. The Bali more Sun reviews
tho lettet in a spirit 80 fully according viii our own views
OF the matter, that we que, in part, of what il says WI
tho subject. f
'IIari, pretending t, the sinceres, 1--we fpr the lady and
admiration for her mental qualities AID tho purity Of her
aool, shows himself 10 be n gross and depfaycd
wretch. lndulging in sensual illusions AMI descriptions
that would seem calculated to shame The cheek Of a wan
TIN. The lady, however, answers il all In the m0st SEN
timenial style Of literary aflectaiion. Her morals have
evidently been based upon such examples as are To be
found IN some Of Bulwet's earlier novels. Byron's loose
tancies. and her intellectual ambition seems TO be 10 give
play IN a pfuiont Imagination in lanIna 20 of affec ed
warmth and passion. The devel ,pnei,ts. made BY tis
correspondence, have no tendency 10 excite sympathy for
any party, except the husband, whose Ito stands ia dan
ger from his act. s
The unlY good, that may come from them is the addi-
tinnal confirmation, II any Is needed, of the immortal and
cofruptlng character ot must OF the publications Of the
day, styled, by courtesy, light literature. but which
nre a scandal and disgrace to the press, Thousands of
these llbidinnus novels aud Omances. reveling in abuml-
nable pollution and having no one single quality in them
selves to recommend then. except their c~teapness, arc
annually published. Falling intl the hands Of young and
inexperienced persons, and constituting their chief mental
food, is II any wonder TINT the errors, they exalt into viz
ines, should soon cease t, alarm and hially corrupt
Familiarity with such thoughts and descriptions, as are
the chief eXcltemeht of such publications., do-s irreparable
mischief, not only destroying The pesce eft entire tami-
lies. hut injnring the social relations in The worst man
ner. Good bbuks are the best companions that tho
young can llave-bad ones are the worst ass Iuiates they
can nrm." Hrs
At las, dates all the evidence hal been given in, and
the summing up Of COUNSEL had commenced. There Is
hardly any d ruht, I'VE should infer from wla, the 81 Louis
papers say, that Wise will be acquitted. The affair has
caused no little excitement in Missouri where the parties
are well known. ef