The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-11-23

0oee' HoS " 4 syCHO(OSlCQt HeQ1C1ne.4
from the San Francisco Herald.
John Mitchell, the Irish Patriot.
John Mitchell, the Irish exile, who escap.
ed from Van Dieman' 8 Land, arrived here
on Wednesday afternoon, accompanied
by his wife and children, and is now lodr.
ing at Jones' Hotel. No words OF ours
can express the delight with which we wei.
come this gallant and sterling patriot to
the shores of California. Since Robert
Emmet offered up his pure life on the scaf.
fold in vindication of his country's rights,
no such man as John Mitchell has ever
flung himself into the breach in; defause
OF Irish independence. sz4 :
The circumstances Of the case are brief
ly these: Mr.. P. j. Smyth, OF New York.
(himself rebel of l848,) went 10 Van
Dieman's Land with the express mission
TO rescue some one or more of the Irish
State prisoners. Nothing could hayebeen
easier than,to escape, ii they could have
thought Of doing SO clandestinely, and
without regard to their promise; but, In
order to discharge themselves of that obi.
CATION, they felt il necessarysto formally
withdraw their parole before the proper
authority, and present themselves To- be
taken into custody. The parole is tesihe
effect that they would not escape from the
colony so long as they held q s.ticket of
leave" which gave them species Of lib-
erty within a certain designated po}ice
district; but this "licket Of leaye'' is4a
thing which may at any time be taken
away by the convict authorities or resign.
ed by the prisoners.
Now. while Mr.. Smyth was in Van Die.
mans Land, and before any movemsnt
whatever was made by any of the prison.
ess. the local government, by means ,of
some of their eaves-dropping detectives.
had learned his real views, and Mr.. Smyth
was actually arrested, held in custodyDr
three days and most ignominiously abused,
under warrant directed against John
Mitchell. Mr.. Smyth, in short, wasaaken
for MIR. Mitchell, under the false and inso.
lent assumption that Mr.. Mitchell waszab.
sconding, whilst he was all the time living
quietly at his cottage in Boihwell, and was
under parole of honor not to. abscond.
This was gross outrage on Mr.. Smyth,
and an outrage hardly less gross nrMr.
Mitchell. He now. at length, resolved 10
avail himself of Mr.. Smyih . offers of.as.
sistanoe, and leave the island, not clan.
destinely, but openly. AccordinRly he
wrote and despatched the following 'nofe
to the Lieut.: Governor, Sir VIM. Denis6n;
boutwell,, June 8, 1858.
SIR: hereby resign the sscomparafive
liberty" called "ticket of leave,'s and re-
woke my parole of honor. shall forth,
with presentmyselfbefore the police msSis.
trate OF Boutwell,, at his police office; show
him this letter, and offer myself to betalttn
into custody. am, sir. your obedieEt
servant, JOHN MITcHEI4
The next day, the 9th June, Mr.. Michel
and Mr. Smy,h rode in together to the
township Of Boutwell,, went 10 the police
Office door, dismonnted, and walked IN.
They found the magistrate in his i6om,
The police clerk was with hint . consta.
ble was in the adjoining room, and ,anoth-s
1 er constable was as usual on guard at the
door. The police barrack and watch.
house stand opposite.
i Arrived in the magistrates room, Mr..
| Mitchell handed him an open copy Of the
above note, and requested him to read it.
The magistrate cast his eye over It mo-
ment. and then looked up TO Mr. Mitchell,
who deliberately desired him to observe
the purport Of that note, and took the trou-
bic of twice explaining TO him that The
parole was at an end, and that he had
come to be taken into custody AS the
officisl seemed still either bewildered Or
frightened, the two gentlemen put on their
hats; Mr.. Mitchell wished the magistrate
a good morning, and they left .ihe office.
Immediately when they turned their backs,
the magistrate made loud uproar, and
he and some of the constables rushed out,
calling on them to stop, and commaa1dr
ing every one 10 stop them. Theropsta-
bic on guard, however. had his handa co.
cupied in holding two horses; the other in
habitants of the town looked on laughing,
. and we'll pleased; and. in short, the fFo
fugitiyes mounted their horses and rode
off. They found no necessity to use, ,-or
even to exhibit arms. though both we're
well armed. sssa .,~ss.
Alter they left Boutwell,, however. The
i true difficulty commenced. Mr.. Smyih
, changed horses and coats with Mr.. Mitch.
, ell, and they parted and rode different ways
, through the forest. Boutwell, is the cen.
, trail police district OF the island, and be-
J tween il and the sea extend several lines
OF ponce Slau0nSs 10 al OF Wnicn 1ntelllv
) gence was instantly conveyed BY mount
ed express constables. Mr.. Mitchell re-
/ mained six weeks after that day ia ths is.
land, without being able to get on bosrd =
5 ship, though one was Immediately placed
4 at his service by patriotic ship owner Of
Sydney. Alter many hundred miles riding
and in several DISCUSSES, he 1t length got
off under an assumed name. in Brit;sh
D vessel. which, at Tahita, wis forsunaaely
|. overtaken by the American barque Julia
d Ann, bearing his wife md family. under
i Mr. Smyth's escort, To- San Francisco. al
1 Tahits Mr.. Mitchell was transhipped and
: now stands free on American soil. =,
s. or Extract from the argument Of
: young lawyer before Mississippi justiss: