The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-05-28
bis speech was cut short by vile taunt. and

These wretcbed tneh had slept soundly thro'
the night, and with the stupor of heavy fatigue
hanging about them, heard too late the tramp
of their pursuers, and forgetting 10 their sudden
alarm the secret pannel, sprung through a win.
dow, and endeavored to conceal themselves in
some of the out buildings-but vainly: tbey
were soon dragged forth, and knew that from
the jaws Of the bloodhound Jefreya, death was
to be their only release.
And now, without any delay, the prisoners
were brought to trial, the Lady Alice being first
placed at the bar, charged with treason, in con.
cealing or harboring persons disaffected to the
king. and known to have been concerned in the
late insurrection.
Many of the Jurors were of the most respec.
table men of Hampshire, and all shrunk from
convicting an amisble and exemplary fetnale,
for a crime (if crime it could be called,) which
certainly arose from the purest and noblest
emotions of the heart. But Jeffreys was not
to be so robbed of his prey.
Witnesses, forestalled by his vindictive spirit,
appeared against her, and those who would
have testified in her favor, were so put down BY
the bold.faced cunning of these hirelings, as to
do more injury than good to the cause which
they came to sustain.
The Lady Alice was then called upon for her
defence. In modest and digniaed manner
she addressed the Court She began by saying
that she knew not the men who had sought her
protection, nor had she asked for what offence
they were thus hunted down; it was enough,
that famished and weary, they required her as.
sistance, and that assistance she had freely rem.
dered them: yet for this, gentlemen" she con.
tinued, al am arraigned for treason! Has
charity, then, become crirnes Is it capital
offence to relieve the wants of our suffering fel.
low beings; and must the cold voice of pru.
dence overcome the Divine precepts of Jesus
No-God forbidw
She was here interrupted by an insolent le.
mark from the Judge; and if allowed again to
speak, it was only to draw upon herself his
coarse, unfeeling ribaldry.
The jury retired, their sympathies more than
ever excited for the unfortunate LADY.
Their consultation was too long for the pa.
tience of the judge. He grew furious at their
delay-stamping and swearing like madman.
He sent messenger to tell them that if thew
did not instantly return, he would adjourn the
Court and lock them up all night. Thus put to
the torture they came, but came only to say
they doubted whether the charge had been made
out. Jefreys expostulated with them vehe.
mently, and after another consultation, they
gave reluctant verdict of Guilty.
This was received with demoniac ioy by Jef
freys, who Immediately proceeded to pass sen.
tence, which was, that the most unfortunate
Alice I.isle should that very afternoon be 5,su.
ed dlire!
This dreadful sentence caused universal hor..
ror, and moved the pity even of the most deyo.
ted supporters of the king The Judge was
overwhelmed with petitions and prayers for
mercy; but the only mercy he granted was
few days delay ere the dreadful sentence should
be accomplished.
During that time the royal clemency was
eagerly solicited. and many persons ofthe high
est rank interceded with James for the release
of Alice Lisle. Ladies of the court entreated
his mercy. Feversham, flushed with recent
victory, pleaded for her; and even Clarendon,
the brother.n.law of the king, spoke in her be.
half.
1t was all in vain.
Scarcely less cruel than his Judge, James
was inexorable, and only SO far showed his
clemency as to commute the sentence from
burning to beheading!
But peace-peace. that the world can neither
give or take away, went with Alice Lisle into
that dark, cold prison. to which her enemies
consigned her. Those damp walls, in whose
crevices the Shiny lizard made its bed; though
they shut her out from the world-from friends
from freedom--they could not imprison her
sou., nor crush the spirit of the myrtyred Alice.
as it ascended in prayers to the heavenly throne.
Divine love and holy trust in the promises of
her Redeemer illuminated her dark dungeon
with the brightness of heaven; and when led
forth to the scaffold- was swallowed up
in victory.
Alice Lise was beheaded in the market place
at Winchester, Ammo Domini, 1855.
The gold mines of California were first dis.
covered by the Jesuits concealed their discovery
from the Government, and the suspicion that
they had done so perhaps had something to do
with their expulsion from Mexico. In 1859,
Don Jose Galvez, Marquis of Sonora, undertook
an expedition into California to ascertain the
truth of the reports respecting the gold, ssin the
rivers, in the soil, and in the rocks" He was
accompanied by the celebrated Don Miguel
Jose de ARENA, who, discouraged by the fruit.
less search of few weeks recommended the
abandonment of the enterprise, aud for contend
ing that the Marquis was insane for proceeding
II,..,,,, ;,fo pr,eon ,,,1o.> L.