The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-07-15
THE LAST DAYS OF JEFFREYs..
ny AGA Ely.

BY MAcAuLEy. II
On that terrible day which was succeeded !
hy the Irish Night, the roar OF a great city
disappointed of its revenge had followed
Jefffeys to the drawbridge Of the Tower.
His Imprisonment was not strictly legal
but he at FIRST accepted with thanks and
blessings the protection which those dark
walls, made famous by 50 many crimes and
sorrows. afforded Kim against the fury Of
the muititudes. Soon, however, he became
sensible that his life was still 70 imminent
peril. For time he flattered himself with
the hope that writ Of Habeas Corpus would
liberate him from his confinement, and that
he should be able to steal away to some
foreign country, and to hide himself with
part of his il-gotten wealth from the detes.
cation Of mankind but, till the government
was settled, there was no court competent
to grant a writ Of Habeas Corpus and as
soon as the government had been settled,
the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended.
Whether the guilt of murder could be
brought home to lelfreys, may be doubted.
But he was morally guilty of so many MUIR
ders that. il there had been no other way OF
reaching his life, a Retrospective Act Of At
tainder would have been clamorously de-
manded BY the whole nation. disposition
TO triumph over the fallen has never been
one Of the besetting sins OF Englishmen
but the hatred Of which Jefreys was the
object was without parable. IN our history,
aad partook but TOO largely OF the savage
ness Of his own nature. Inc people, where
he was concerned, were as cruel as himself,
and exulted in his misery as he had been &C
customed to exult in the misery OF conyicts
listening to the sentence OF death, anu oil
families clad in mourning. The rabble
eangregated before his deserted mansion IN
Duke Street. and read on the door, with
shouts of laughter, the bills which announced
the sale of his property. Even delicate
women, who had tears for hlghwaymen anu
housebreakers, breathed nothing but VEN
geance against him. The lampoons on hlm
which were haWked about the town were
distinguished by an atrOclty rare even IN
those days. Hanging would be too miId
death for him; grave under the gibbet too
respectable resting-place; he ought 70 be
whipped to death at the carts tail ne ought
10 be tortured like an Indian; he ought to
be devoured alive. The street poets por-
toned out an his joints with cannibal fero-
citv. and computed how many pounds Of
steaks might be cut from his gell-iattened
carcass. Nav, the rage Of his enemiss was
such that, in language seldom heard m Eng
land, they proclaimed their wish that he
might 70 10 the place Of wailing and gnash-
ing of teeth, to the worm that never dies,
10 the fire that is never queRched. They
EXPORTED him to hang himself in his carriers,
aud TO cut his throat with his razor. they
put uo horrible PRAYERS that he might not be
able TO repent, that he might die the same
hard hearted, wicked Jelreys that he had
lived. His spirit, as mean in adversely as
insolent and inhuman in prosperity, sank
down under the load Of public adherence.
His constitution, originally bad, and much
impaired by intemperance, was completely
thSSfhheeRtea a. 1 cruel internal disease R6
the most skiIful surgeons Of that age were
seldom able to relieve. One solace was lett
20 him, brandy. Even when he had causes
10 try and councils 10 attend, he had seldom
gone 10 bed sober. Now, when he had
nothing to occupy his mind save terrible
recollections and terrible forebodings, he
abandoned himself without reserve TO his
favorite vice. Many believed him to be
bent on shortening bis life BIS excess. He
thought il better, they said, to go oil IN
drunken iit, than to be hacked BY ketch, or
torn limb from limb by the populace.
Once he was reused from state OF AFFECT
dependency BY an agreeable sensation,
speedily followed BY notifying disap-
pointment. A parcel had been left for him
at the Tower. II appeared to be barrel Of
Colchester oysters, his iayorite dainties.
He was greatly moyed,-for there are mo-
.Es H. II
are pleased 70 think that they inspire il.
Thank God )" he exclaimed, a have still
some friend. left He opened the barrel !;
and from among heap Of shells, out tambled
stout halter.
II does not appear that one Of the flatter-
ers or buttons whom he had enriched out Of
The plumber of his victims, came 10 comfort
him in the day If trouble. But be was not
left IN utter solitude. John Tutehin, whom
Ne hal sentenced 10 be logged every fort
night for seven wears, made has way into the
Tower, and presented himself before the
fallen appfpssor. Poor Jelfreys, BUNDLED to
the dust, behaved with abject ciyility, and
called for vine. = 1 an glad, sir," be aid,
ssto zee yol." " And am glad, answered
the resentf8l Whig, " 10 see Your Lordship
III this place" +" served Inv master" said
JeFress: II was bound IN conscience 20 do
20" " Whcre was your conscience" said
Tu.chin, "when YOU passed that sentence
on me AT B0rchasier@ 'It was set down
~ my Instructions answered JcHreys, iaw-
n.agly, "liai I Was 10 show no mercy To-
men ike YOU, men u parts and courage.
When | went back u court, | was repri.
manded for NJ ienity." Even Iutehin,
acrimonious as vas his nature, and great a.
we're lis wrongs. seems 10 have been little
modified BIZ the pitiable spectacle which be
had a. FIRST contemplated with yindictiye
pleasure. he always denied the truth d
the report tia; he was the person who sent
tha Colchester barrel 10 DE Tower.
A more benevolent n4n, John saarp, the
ex,ailsut usan IL NnrWirh forced himself