The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-07-19
miarellaaeguf.
THE CONDEMNED SOLDIER.
ATTEND! Thy doom IS spoken"
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crease of crime it will Je admitted that there Is
a striking change in the grade and character OF
the criminals. y ..csrtain order OF things has
made State offences frequent :nt-cnactncntS against
treason are now Il dead letter in the statute book
-''the headsman'S axe r'iS;> III the armory OF
the towcr-'noble lords, and gentlemen 0t
ancient" seldom appca, at the bar OF justice
and rarer still, does capital punishment tal! upon
any, removed by birth and fortu"c from the
lowlier classes OF the community.
That this change is attributable to any re
formation in the principles Of the upper ranks,
would be questionable inierence--aid 1t Is
referable to a single cause. In our days the
hig-born and the wealthy have small induce
mcnts to violate the sairtary restrictions Of the
law-and however the moral code may be III
t?inged, the criminal one i respected. |" breach
cs of privilege and horCr ;.rStocralc Delinquency
is generally comprised-aud loss OF character
and caste are the sevccest penalties Incurred 10y
the ottends;s.
There are, however, and within our own re-
collection, some melancholy exce:'ticns TO be
found. Men Of superior ,ank have occ;si, Haiiy
presented themselves as crinlinaIs--aiId, as H."
well.beins Of society demanded, TIE impartial
hand Of Justice visited their offences with Gnnii
gated severity.
OF the few unhappy Case onc may De rcmem-
Sercd with lively regret. For no crime were
there mere numerous aloipgiStS-tor 10 punish
ment a more goueral sympathy willie TIE
sentence WAS accorlant to the law, the stefn2,l
ctlic lamentcL that justice required victim
ike Major Alexander Campbell
This unfortunate gcntleN WAS the drsccn-
dant Of an anci.nt family i'll the lligI:In'.~.--.
Having entered the army at an early asr, he
served under Sir Ralph A6crcrombic, and IL
Egypt particularly distinguished himself IL
va, transferred 60 the t%,:.yr>t U,aviH, ;!o;1
a Highland corps, and promotion t" Il hl"Het
major, as it WIS said, had g;vem oi;.;.r2 to ia"
regiment. Certain it is, that between tAcs' V!!;
GERS no cor.iial;tr existed Little pains were t"-
ken TO CONCEAL mutual di-Ehe-tiriatnt and
an.ry alterations tool; pncc--;iul the temper
of Campbell. coH>titptionay warn, was often
rritascd by the coo contradictory ~i't ot lis nN-
fortunate Uc,n.
The twenty.tir,t regiment WIS 4uartercd III
Newry when the h.lf:vcary inspection took
place, and. as senior o:.;c.r, Major Campbell!
commanded on that occasion. Alter dinner, IL
tie course of ofconycr,ation, Capt. Boyd asserted
that Campbell had gvcn an order Incorrectly Oh
parade. and a hot amd teasing argument rc'u!t'
ell Unfortunately, that evening. u" EitS> table
lad been deserted for the theatre, where the
officers had pa;ronizoi Il aliay--;,'rd the d#Nn-
tants were left rcrtkcr Mt Il noni"Gt when tn"
presence Of iu3irious fri"id might l#T" easily
nvertcd the catastrophe. Heated with wia" and
exa<pnratcd bv what h" conceived iro' >~"i.;'i
insult, Campbell left the table, i9>lcn"d to h
partmcnts, loaded his pistols, returned, sent 70"
CAPTAIN Boyd. b@ougn, him to am inu"r mc->-
room. closed the door, and, without the Irc>cl3c,
Of friend or witness, demanded II t@Ht >,,t;,tlc-
ton. Shot' were promptly i;,rchaA% d--;i'd,
by the first fire, Boyd fell, Iaor'alty wo"~dt,.
The dvinr man was removed to his barracI-
room. and Campbell l,>tcwcd from the sce!e Of
blood The storm Of passion quickly s"b.dod,
and Tie bosom Of the wrctchcd hoHc:d" WAS
tortured with unavailiny rcmo:,c. IN aSta,c ii
mental pbrcnzy he rushed to the chanIb"r where
his victim lax. supported by lis distracted VII
and surrounded By his infant family. Upon hi'
knees the homicide Suppcatcd pardon, and urG i
Boyd to admit that every thing WAS fa'r.' In"
dying man. who<e su't"rngS wore intense, to the
repeated cntrshties OF his opponent replied -
''Ycs-it was fair-but, Campbell, yoa are q ba'i
man-vou hurried mc,"-and shr't!y afterwards
expired in his Wits arms.
When the melancholy event WAS communira-
ted, at the solicitation oi his friends Campbell
left the :owm No ATTEMPT WAS lnAl" to arrest
him-and hn might have rerar;nel in partial re-
tirement had he LEASED. But his high spirit
could not brook conccalmcnt, and contrary 10
the entrcatics Of his family and IT," opinion Of