Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-10-31
Brnhinin Nlutinccrs BiOwn from the Guns


A late number of Frank Lcslic's Illustrated
Paper contains an engraving of the above terri
bic mode of punishment as inflicted upon the
Sepoy mutinecrs in India accompanied with the
following remarks:
1t must not be supposed that the British Gov
crnmcnt adopted this extraordinary manner OF
execution from motives of cruelty on the CON
trary, it was dictated by humanity and respect
to the religious preudces of the guilty parties
These men were Brahmins and considered that
the touch of the hangman was pollution to their
souls as we'll as death to their bodies so that the
method of blowing them from the guns was adopt
ed to prove to the natives present that the Coy
ernment had no desire to iniurc caste or religion.
To those wrctches who had signaliZcd themselves
by numbering women and children, this boon was
denied, and they were condemned to die like dogs
10y the hangmRn rope.
At the execution the pieces of artillery were
placed so ms to form two lines at right angles ;
the victims were dashed across the muZzlcs by
strong ropes Some of them were to the last de-
hant, and upbraided their desroycrs with every
tauntng cpthet, and called on their gods to wit
ness that they died for their religion Others
were stricken dumb with horror, and but for the
bonds around their persons would have fallen to
the groand others again sued for mercy, and
cndeavorcd to gain favor by exposing the names
of the conspNtors. Upon these men the native
spectators hcapcd the most unmcasurcd condcm-
nation. After the victims were secured. the
commanding officer directed the port fires to he
lit Il moment of intense excitement cnsucd the
demand ready was heard then fire. and every
piece simultaneously Numbered forth-thc smoke
cleared away, and nothing was lett OF the CON
dcmncd but Writhing, scOrchcd fragments OF hu-
man bodies u fearful stencil filed the air, and u
sickcnng palUr came over all who witnessed the
scene.
Jusr SnNrmnNrs.- We take the sunjoincd for
chile and timely remarks from an address dcliv-
ed before the Alumni Association of Columbia
College, d. c., by the Rev, Robert Rylond, Pres
ident of Richmond College, Virginia. Their
source not less than their intrinsic weight com
mends them to the thoughtful regard OF Southern
men:
Let us suppose that the South, under some
strong pruvocatiOn and in some moment OF eN-
ctement. shall consent TO break oil from the
Union. what consequences will ensuc? The Con
sttution of the United States IL at once with
drawn from the protection of your now legallzcd
rights. The public opinion of the whole civilized
wcrd is arraycd against you. The literature,
the genius, the philosophy, The legislation, and
the commerce of the age are all combined to
weaken your social influence. The whole Allan.
tic coast and the extended region bordering on
the free States are open TO aggression from those
States. Your slaves would decline in value to
the amount Of two hundred millions of dollars !;
your lands would be subject to an equal deprec-
alton. The mere agitation of the subject Ol dis
union from this cause, would awaken such a splr-
it Of insuhordinntiOn among your slaves as would
transform the whole South into one widespread
and terrible volcano.
In this critical posture Of affairs, imagine war
TO break ont between the two rival sections aud
what would there be to uTcVcnt such catastru-
phe? The very causes that might lead to dis
union would inevitably produce hostility Hdcef,
the dtsUIiiOH Of these States Woaid UStD be Fdr.--
How, then, would you contend with the double
danger, when mans foes would be truly those
Of his own household? OF all the forms Of ma
tiona conflict, either a civil or u scryilc war is
the most horrible What then, will be the re-
suit when both shall be combined in one long
death struggle and nothing but the determination
of the weaker party can restore peace? Beware
then. OF those rash counselOrs who would plunge
you recklessly into the fearful vortex Rebuko
those politicians of every creed who are contnu-
ally eXasperating the public mind and urging
measures that tend TO weaken the bonds Of union.
Withdraw your sanction from men Of every class,
editors, essayiss, moralists, lecturers and orators
who strive to promote jcalouses between the
North and the South The time has come when
true patriots Of every grade should pour oil on
the troubled waters, and show their magnanimiy
by ioIbearancc. our glorious Union grew out
Of the spirit of compromise 1t has often been
preserved and ccmentcd by the same spirit Aud
surely such temper in great people is FAR
more dgnihed than that Of clustering and
bullying dcmagogism. Form part, # God shall
in his wrath visit our sins upon us and leave rs
to destroy our unity and glory | shall next to
the preservation of the Union, pray that the
South may be innocent of the crime of beginning
the work Of destruction.