St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-02-18
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Truth.

The following beautiful illustration
of the simplicity and power OF truth,
is from the pen of 5. III. Hammond,
formerly editor of the Albany state
Register. He was an eye witness OF
the scene in one of the higher courts ::
4 little girl nine years of age, was
offered as a witness against prisoner
who was on trial for felony commit
ted in her fathers house.
"Now, Emily" said the counsel for
the prisoner, upon her being offered
as n witness. IL desire to know if you
understand the nature of an oath!"
al don't know what you mean, was
the simple answer.
There. your Honor" said the coun-
sci. addressing the Court, "is any
thing further necessary to demonstrate
the validity Of my objection? This
witness should be rejected. She does
not comprehend the nature of an oath"
"Lct us Sec" said the Judge.
"Comc here my daughter"
Assured by the kind tone and man
ncr of the Judge, the child stepped to-
ward him. and looked conlidlngly up
in his face, with calm, clear eye,
ard in manner SO artless and frank
that went straight 10 the heart
"Did you ever take an oath ?" in
quired the Judge. The little CIR
stepped back with a look of horror
and the red blood mantled in a blus\
all over her face as she answered:
"No, sir"
She thought that he intended TO in
Guirc if she had ever blasphemed.
81 do not mean that" said the
Judge, who saw her mistake, meal
were YOU ever a witness before 7"
"No, sir; | never was in court be
fore" was the answer.
He handed her the Bible open.
ADO you know that book my daugh
tcr?"
She looked at it and answered
=" Yes, sir, it is the Bible"
DO you ever read it?" he asked.
Eyes, sir, every evening"
"Can you tell me what the Bible
is ?" inquired the Judge.
at is the word of the great God,
she answered.
"Well, place your hand upon thi:
Bible, and listen to what | say;" anC
he repeated slowly and solemnly the
oath usually administered to witness
gS.
"Now." said the Judge, "you have
sworn as witness, will you tell mt
what will befall you if you do not tel
the truth.
81 shall be shut up in the STATE
Prison." answered the child.
Anything else ~ asked the Judge
al shall never go to Heaven she
replied.
.'How do you know this p asked
the Judge again.
The child took the Bible, and turn
ing rapidly to the chapter containing
the commandments, pointed to the in
junction, "Thou shall not bear falls
witness against thy neighbour
learned that before | could read
HAS any one talked with 20
about your being witness in cour
here against this man 2" inquired tn
Judge.
"Yes, sir" she replied "My mott
or heard they wanted me to be Wi
hess, and last night she called me
her room and asked inc to tell her I'll
Ten Commandments, and then "
kneeied down together and she prayt
that | might understand how wicke
it was to bear false witness agains
my nei ghbor, and that God woul
help me, little child to tell the trut
as it was before him. And when
same up here with father, she kisse'
me and told me torcmembcr the Mint
Commandment, and THAI God woul
hear every word that | said"
"Do you believe this ?" asked tn
Judge, while tear glistened in hi
eye, and his lip quivered with emotion
Eyes, sir" said the child with
voice and manner that showed her col
viction of its truth was perfect.
God bless you, my child, said tn
Judge, "you have a good mother
This witness is competent, he contin
ucd. "Were on trial for my life
and innocent Of the charge agains
me, ! would pray God for such wit
nesscs as this. Let her be examined.
"She told her story with the sim
plicity of a child, as she was, but Their,
was directness about it which car
ried conviction of its truth to ever,
heart. She was rigidly cross-examin
ed. The counsel piled her with inf
mite and ingenious questioning, bu
she varied from her first statement il
nothing. The truth as spoken by tina
little child was sublime. Falsehoo,
and perjury had preceded her testimo
ny. The prisoner had intrenched him
self in lies, till he deemed himself i'm
pregnable. Witnesses had falsife,
facts in his favor, and villany ha,
manufactured for him sham defense
But before her testimony, falsehoo,
was scattered like chaff. The littl,
child for whom mother had prayc,
for strength to be given her to speal
the truth as it was before God, broke
the cunning devices of matured william,
to pieces like potter's vessel. The
strength that her mother prayed fol
was given her, and the sublime and
terrible simplicity-tcrrible | mean to
the prisoner and his associates-witl
which she spoke was like revelation
from God himself.