-52 ..;-"
~ Iiiienient for ‘debt.
. ,0 mqi,;r¢ the mr'.:sr accoretplis'tit=.tl
‘red‘t0 lriiii;
i
l l'5.ili2tr'i‘tt)ni's of the inragiiiatiou E’ What are the
causes which, above all others, produce and
secure the prdsperity of nations?’ Sir,_tlley
‘are personal -liberty an_d~ pei's0iia‘l.S€0UF_",)’-4-“‘
The selfish prificiple in tnz_i_n Illll$l'be_Jeg-"lat"
‘cd. Inordinate ambition restr,aIl?<’-(1. '-bf Elle"
"constitution and b)’ 1l1eil«'T‘V-‘*3 5”‘ Y“” glve
:-— an unnatural impulse to_ sordid principles by
arming it with the extta0tdi!}?{l‘Y l?"_.“’°‘j 0f ‘”l'
ifying a fellow-citizeii by placing him to co“-
“ Icaiinot tell wlrat-you and other men .
Think of this life ; but, fpr my single self,
Iliad as licfynotbe, aslive to be
1;, at-,-e_ o‘i'siicli a tliiiig as I myself.” __ ,
_The‘lo"ve ofliberty, sir, is inrplanted in _ev—_
ery bosotri. The depositc is safe. It can nev-
er-'L-e‘ extei’i'iiiii;_ited. It must entlure as long
as tlicliigli pillars of heaven. Tlie 'contlit:oii
oftlie_ enslaved ‘may suppress, fora vvllllth Fl‘?
sacred passion. It niay.c0V8iI‘- _|.l W_.'ll‘ “files:
but those very ashes will preserve it. tan‘, 1
have visited l3osion. Iliave‘se€“_ the ‘“°‘”“
‘irient, thrown up by the heart .'irrd_haiid of pa-
triotism, in iiieinory 0l‘VVi1I‘l‘t*Ll1‘,llll(.l the lirave
men who fellat his side, on Burikeifs Hill. I
have wait, with aLlmll'aflOl] and ecstacy, oi the
icourageiof "our: heroes at ‘the bloody battle 0|
»si,ii,,-“Me,-, mien Bur-goynewas compelled to
stibinit to the arms of_f_reeinen._ Iiliave reflec-
ted on the siifferings, the sacrifices ol the uteri
who achieved our independence. In Illlag.ll}—
ation, I have visited the powerful works which
they have carried by storm. Isce tlici'n_blt»:ed-~
,,,g_dy'mg_’_yeisimiiiing in the eiiiluzycctil
victory. I have asked inysell,_ wliat IS‘ the
cause, the impulse, the nrotive 0! 1lt.|5,5<3_“ (le-
votion,’ and have never been at a loss for an
answer. It was Tilt: LOVE or‘ L’IBERT1‘lf_-'7"
The passion is not like the central a_tti'actioii-
of our earth,pulliiig every thing toivaids 1158“,
but like the sun in the lieaveus, pouring .011
every side life and joy. It is a pa.~‘sIUn Illa!
embraces tltc welfare of our owti coiiuti'y and
of all mankind. With such ideas before _m€'i
I have iiivoliiiitarily excl:iiined—Is it possible
that this holy ti'eastir_e 5ll‘;1ll,'.l)e taken away
from its possessm‘, \-'1tlm,t'u <:_t'ii1ie._it_i€iel>' ‘W
a pecu_uiai_'y obl'ig:3.‘tioii, w’hi_cl'r_nuslprtiiiiena.
lone has prevented him from rlisr:iiargiiig :—
No man in the Union is not-xposetl to the
sliaineful degradation: no matter what lia_v:-
‘been his public services, what his private \'ll'
tues, how often he lias tlisltirlgctl the caption
oftlie enemy of his t:o-intry. that he iirigirt, at
least. liave the uriivilege of livlHJ.'“ l."5‘3‘_‘“‘“‘
I liave ltnovvii iris”-_tti::t:t>s v.'hei’e S0l(llt;'l‘!} oi the
Re'.'olutio‘ii have trot:-.r ll1!§)l‘ls‘t52‘i(‘,tl upon itjcstitr
props;-ss., as v.=e‘.l ;-_g. upon c,~ter:titiori alter Judg-
iiieiit. it is not to he rlisgtiiscil that, li(;l-
wiilisiaiitlirig tliis lilot on otir iiatioiial cliarac-
ter, we ar_E- tliciiiost f'rec,_tlie most liapp_i pyri-
pie uh ea}-th. But what istiiis f:‘ectlrrirr, what
this happiiiessto the wr'etcli \\ ho is doomed to
dislioiior and insult, to iiiiprisoirii_rent and rit-
in, without the least violation ‘of the pei'ial_
‘code of his country, or of the moral law of
heaven. To the siilferei‘, it is the satire as it
he were the victim of the.de:.poiisin of the
‘crescent, or a va-.sal of the Holy Alli=rirce.—
The utipitied mortal may say, ‘ alas tor me, I
have no 'couiitrj.~' !’
A creditor, ’w-iiliout being bound for costs,
may institute ti proseciitiou or action. I-lc-_
may do more-—lic may piostittrte tlieppwer of
the Court, for the purpose of graiilyiiig his
malignant spirit,"by lroltliiig the delitoi‘ to ball
previous.to his trial ; a usage at ivhit-it burnou-
ity must blush ; a usage, wlricli it woiild seenr
vice to em-
plov. Iftlie debiorsliotiltl be so aflf :terl ashnot
to be able to obtain hail,‘ hetnrist languish in
jail un‘ti'l ‘his tiial; H-c may their Ulill-tl'lt a
jii<lr=,"iiie.ii't in his"favoi‘, ahcliiis costs not secu-
‘Is-tliis t-quality? Is :hisjustice'?, It is such
jiisticia, siif-.li'eti'iia!i'iy, that" our ctiiiriiry should
be esliairrerl of. I" a:-;?., If the plaintiff have
free access toour coi.irts, witlrtiut a pledge, or
any strccies‘ of restiaiiit, is it not fairly and
honestly correct to release the debtor fiorn all
ball arid exposure to iniprisouit_ie2rt, l-lillll, at
least, ajudgiiie-.it shall pit’-‘s zzgzriiist liizn : it
is of iro force to iirge that a L‘l'(‘.(lll()l‘ iriay lose
his claim. ' It is a par_ani'otiii_t consitlcratiou
that, in many c:rse.~°,air iniiocent man may suf-
fer a loss of liberty, without trial, and by the
Stl,°_’g8Stl()l)S of a ieniper wholly iualign. In
iligory, our gt)\’€.‘rl‘lmf.’l)l. recognizes an equati-
ty ofrights; but in the present case, the theo-
;y is grossly violated. . _ _‘
Human cliaracter is susceptible of high el-
evation. This fact, the page of liistory abun-
damiy i]l|i§[t'a{l*S. The public laws shpiilo
have a direct tendency to eircourage ant: re-
ward virtue and honor; to make every citi-
zen proud ofbeing an Ante-rican. . Sustain his
dignity, and you will find he will fly to the
hottest post of danger, in the defence of his
country. His scars will be his pridle-A T‘-H’
approbation of an eiiligliten_e‘r._l and getlermlh
public \\ ill be cstccnied iirfiii__i-_t_t_;Qg{,iioi'e~ lioii-
oi-able than Isthuieau or Obf-ttpmn ‘~H‘t’i‘-‘-l‘z_5~
our pro;{i'(:ss in the science of—'>. iiiorals andiir
the science 0f‘g()VCl‘llIi'l€l‘.l, has been splendid;
but I ask, sir, have we arrived at that perfec-
tionthat should make as content to be station-
arv? i am no friend to airy speculations, to
schemes that are visionary; but I WlSll there-
form of —:rliust~s, the correction of erroneous
principles. which still remain a part of our po-
litical iii.~'.i::itinns. 'Pll.llUSOpllel‘s and states-
men have t_lt~n:iiiri(:eil'iinprisoiimeut for debt.
They have declared ‘the ineasure unnatural
and -barharotis'; yet the principles of freedom
have not been able to destroy it. The rich
are too strong for tliepoor-—the nobility for
the yeonianry. Tire system is, in a small tie-
gwe, relaxed in our happy land, yet its form
continues ‘lllLlP.0llS. .It is still a wliirlwitid,
bringing desolation in its train. . -
But, it will be told us sir, that the accom-
plisliment ofour wishes will he the destruction
of credit. Let me demand of the olijectoi',
whether this can be-a inisfoi-tune? Happy
isthat country \vli'ei'e credit is restrained--
where its basis is pE:I‘SOll€ll‘C0tifl(l€ll()e in inor-
al worth and the integrity of -virtue. Honor-
orable industry would then be utrii=ei‘sally piir-_
sued ; nations w_oiild never become insolvent,
and misfortiine would enjoy a broad and glo-
rious shield. Abolish the infamous systeni—
set bounds to the (?lig€l'tl6°tS of speculations ;
and a most happy change will he prod_uced.—-
Of all the miseries which can exist "in free
states. the inordinate passion for wealth is_ the
most iilariniiixr. Entirely to check it, iiiighi
be impossible,‘ lest the spirit of cirterpi'ise be-
come subdued. -Yet iiotlaiiig is so dangerous
and hostile to the liberties of society, as to
place for a Il;t,\i‘iit’l‘il, the persoiial frecdoin of
one citizen at the tliscretioii of another. ffiiicli
conduct is ilrcilisgrace oflegisliitioii. It is a-
like tiiriiccess‘ai'y, LlIl\'v‘iSl’., uniigliteous.
_ éiiurder ofthe first d"egi'ee,'and in otl_iers,about-
~ There can be no difficnlty in forining a scale
"the polilile.
ities, that he has not instituted a suit with tira-
ing forth death, is the till.5pl'lllg ofthai gloom}
-temper which delights to riot upon the vitals
. In the Cl'llllll‘lill code, a i‘adical cliari‘ge_has
‘be'en~efl‘ected.. ~ Eixperieircexlias:denioiistrated3
that severity .a_nd "cruelty prevent not ;t_l_ie“ 'p_er-
.p'et'rationfol7 Cl‘lltlG::; and‘tha't_" the Slll)"S'('Illlll0,n
of iiiildness, in_piiiii’sh‘inent, prodt1ces_tlie most
eiliicacious ,_restilts. ‘_Tht_~. sa_iigui,iiai'y._cod_e -of
.Di—a‘co‘ prepared the way for the liuuiane la-ws.
ofSol_ou. Instead or the horrid_ catalogue of
crimes in Eng'land,’tw_o hundred of which are
‘p'uiiis'lied with derith, tvejhave substituted the
gentler system OlT.S‘,Ullltlljy‘OOllfil]t3lll8lll,Qf hard
labor for it term of yeaiis,' _, while Cglpllfll Pull’?
i’:<linient,'iii sortie ofihe ‘states, ‘is restricted to
to be ‘totally abolished. _Tli'e wisdom ofthe
‘ineasure is llllql'léS.I‘l()llflbl_e- 4 Tlle Pttigress Of‘
intellect and experieircc.isprotluciug an entire‘
change in the clizuacterautl condition ofinaii.
It would constitute soiiietliiiig like an apol-
ogy for the atlvocates of iirrprisoiiinent for
debt,weresoiiie tliscrii'irination used relative to
the conduct ofa dcbt'oi',_tliat he might be trea-
ted in a manner 'coi'respo,udii'rg with the ideas
ofcnlpahility ’whicli tlreinselves might affi.\',——
of olfeirce and ‘ptiiiislimeiit,at least lfl~lllt3 coir-
icuiplation of the mind, although I have noi-
dea that youvcan reduce the scheme to useful
practice_. -Frandiilcirt couveyatice or conceal-
ment of property, liixurious cxtravaga'iicc,l iii-
dolciit habits, neglect of ecoiiouiy——tliese criti-
siitute tl'r‘e_p:'opei- gradations in ‘die shades of
moral guilt. If gentlemen can tlciiuc and
puriisli siicli ,‘.{l'.l(lCs ()f‘()ll't‘llt‘,’(.‘,“-'-v'll_}’ not attt-mp!"
it? Need Iitell _voti,_sir,‘tliat no effort of this
natiiie has been cniployctjl. The besom of
rlespiiiisiii alike sweeps before it the pearl and
Tire honest nr-an arid the s'coi.tnd.-
rel are sacrificed without distinction. If the
friciids of the vintlictive systo;-iii wish that lit-
nocetico l)(2"})l‘UlL‘Clt.‘tl, and only crime chasti-
sed, why not pi'oposc that, previotts to liolding
a debtor to bail upon inesnc process,tlie plaiii-
iitfsliall give pledges ofprosectitioii and stir-
licioiis ‘intent and upon groudl‘ess accusation.
Let his aliidavii be deniaiided as to the cause
ofliis action, one of three allegations at least,
before he be allowed to rct-‘piire hail ;- that the
debtor has been guilty of fraud in the original
trairsai-.tioir by which he becainc indebted, or
that there is rl:rii!1ei'ofliisabsconditig,oiztliat
he is about to anal-Le a fraudulent conceaiinent
or a fiaotliileiit ctiiiveyzitice of his pi'operty.——
’l‘liis would zrppcar like jtrstice in llicprocee-
dingg. It would reqirire strmetliiiig tobc ac-
couiplislicd by the creditor lrcfore he laid vi.)-
leiit liairtls on his victim. It would ll';r‘.l\C him
reflect, iflt did iioflitiiirariizc his fc<'lin=_;s.
It is diiiicult to t-onecivc, upon what priu':i-
ple the iniprisoirini; .-._vsteiir rests for its sup-
port. It is not a piiiii.-siiiii-;:-iii for criuiv.~:.. if 4
so. it would violate, and, in fact, doors vinl«m=,
all the legal forms and corrsiitiitioiial stilt‘-
giiartls of the liberty of a citizen. ts o~er.i-
ti-iii is not siiiiiily coercive. Uiitpirstitiiiz.-i.il_v,
the lioiiorable man will prcseiit his gootls and
chattels. He will bid yoii take t‘5.‘.ei:i alt,’ and
i't->gi‘et.tltttt he has no nrore. Bit» il:-- i1i‘~llUtl-
est will contrive to _eia:'e your '§llt.‘I_".‘t(il ,_.
defiance. It cannot arise iiriiii ':il1.l'3i}lll’.‘."l .2-
greeiiient between the parties, th:-.j_ 2?! '..l
failure, the debtor shall be iiiipi'isor:e'=. .it:li
a stipulation, wlietlier r~.\'pi't=sst—_itlti: it-iplieti.
inust, in law and coiisciczice, be null and tuitl.
it cannot sa-‘izdy the debt. It may alibi-i gi“;tt
ification to iiialignant pI‘(iprjll5lll(‘:L, to :1 viii-
dictive tlisiitisitiriir, to iiifcrual iiecliiiizs-«but.
aflgr an, ¢‘r'u:priznt(t qffiedi cannot .-artist’; the
bond.- The whole, like Sin, iii ;'\liltoii,bi'iii;_-_-
‘*1-1!
ofliuinan rights and liiimati bappirrcss.
i l\"t‘.‘-v-‘.t"ri'r‘.5, .‘n'arr:li 16.
Tr.i.\L or .ltiii.\'so.\'.—'l‘lic Circuit Court
of Olin‘ and 'I‘einiinci' CUE!ltll€:i!Cf:(l its Sess-
ions yesterxlziy tin.-riiiirg. The .§trtli;i'- tl<=iivci‘-
ed a short and pcriirreart chzirge to the graiitl
jury, and their eiiip:iiii‘icllctl the petit jury.
The court roour was crowded to exct-ss, as
well as every avenue lctidirrg to it. About
half past 12. Johnson was brought into court
when the rush and confusioii was so great
that the court was unable to proceed to busi
"tress until after a i;ri2isitlei'tihlt~ time.
The prisoner, appe:-.i'ed pt-rl'cc:l_v calm, and
looked around on the 2!Il(ll‘:ll('..‘) “llll u.ucli
coiiiposurc—-<-ccasionally \\'l}2lll,'_: his fat.-e with
his liaiidkeicliief. lie. wore a liitie t-oat, yel-
low vest, and white r:.i;ivat. llis appearance
«leiroted some t'llI(‘.'llllt-'1.‘ 1 : his tll‘(’SS. After
tliejury were (3lll|)_Zzt’lll('llt;tl, ilit‘. clerk of thi-
(soiiit pi'occed<:r.l to re:.«l tbs; ::=:iictirre:it, wlieii
Joliiisoii stood up an-;l 's::~%.i up his liand with
perfect ()()ll}it’..'S".lt't§_,l1l)’l list;-iii;--E with piofoiind
2lll€llll()ll,\'.i‘.l;’l:l,l_-‘_’ tl:n tr;-.:liitg oftlie lll(ll(:llllf'.‘lll.
“Their the Uh,-rl-: lizwi liiiislietl rcatliiig the
iiidictiiieiit, whiclr coiitairicd eight counts, at
the instant tli:-it .loliiis:ui was called on to
plead to it, Ivflr. {’rir,e, nfcr tinsel for the pris-
oner, reiii:-.rkerl to the Court, that he p‘ci'ci=iv-
t?(lll2l£lll(ll(:llnC:l1I (:(‘:l‘iidl‘t‘.(’.tl several distinct
counts, and he rose for the purpose ofcalling
upon the District Attorney to elect the count
upon which be iiitent.ied- to try the prisoner.
The inditztnient sets forth that the prisoner has
uiurdered several persons, to wit, James Mur-
ray, James Morey, Timothy Mor‘ey, 8llLl_C_}’-
riis Clark. and he wished to know for which
ofihesealledged iniirders he was to be put
upon his trial. Unless the District Attorney
should do this, he should move to quash the
indictiiient. The Court, after a short con-
sultation, overritled the objection and order‘-
ed the trial-to proceed. -
The Clerk their called iipou the prisoncrto
aiisw er guilty or not gtiilty', to \v'lllCll he. replied
in a strong and‘ liriii l1idl1llPl', repeating the
words twice “ I am not _.t§iLiltg.”
The Court then inquired iflre wanted more
council, to ivliich he replied he_ did not, and
was ready for trial. The prisoner was tltcn
l‘elll0\’t‘(.l to prison, and the witnesses ordered
to appearthis iiioriiitig, when the trial would
proceed. The council assigned by the
Court for the prisoner, are .Vlessrs. Price,
Graham and M’Eweii. ’
_ On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Maxwell the
District Attorney, opened the case and recited‘
all the particulars conirecied with the murder
ofJames l.'vIui'i'ay, particulars which are famil-
iar to the public, and which at this tiiiie is not
iiercssary to repeat. 7
Clitrrles Miller was sworn. He was one of
the city watch. On Saturday morning, at half
past 12 o’clock, of the 22d of November, he
was on ditty at Old-slip, and discovered a dead
body in Cuyler’s Alley. The body had on a
red. flannel-shirt a new pair of white drawers
ar_oiind_his’ head, bound with a pillow case,
and a rope around the middle and roundtlie
a‘roi'ind the iiiitldle,ev_fideiitly intended to drag
tliebotly tow-ards t’li'e=-‘riv_c't'. - ' >3 -A _ ,
‘Doctor Stevens saw 'th‘c’,bod y of Mtir_ray,atid
pil. _ Hi’,s‘head'*~was beafevn 'in"'on the left‘ side,
body." The deceased-”a'pp‘cai'e‘d to lia__ve been
in good health‘ froin}tlt‘é"b'l‘o’od in -the lreart,a nd
digested. The decea'se"d'li'ad a rupture."A truss
the .prisoner,‘w.lrich w"a‘s’su,ppoSed to ‘li'ave':beei'i
used by the d‘cceas'ed.~ -.'I‘l're_\_v'oiin;d w'as“about
three iiicli'es"'a‘ii'd :1» half in leirgtli, and two
inches and a half broad. ‘ t ' ‘ ‘
Fulton. front Boston.’ Saw tlie_dcceased and
itecognizctl him as a passeiigc‘i"lie had brought
from Bo.-itnri.‘l He left the sloop in tlreiafter-"
uooii o_fTl1tirsday,'ai’id took his chest. '
Deimis Iliplcyy, inate ’of.,sloop Fulton, “saw
the deceased, and 'r'ec‘o'gni'zcd ltiin'_'.as'a pas-
senger w.lro_cairie from" Boston with him i left
bro’t nothing with him butacliest ' ;' says the
chest in court is the chest ofthe dec’d. ;' knows
it by" a mark o_n_"tlielid-;-described deceased’s
clothes the satire as Mrs. Day does, except the
paiitalootis, wliicli he says were’gi'cyish.
Henry Young. Witness isfstxeward ofthe
sloop Fulton, is a colored man, went to see a
dead body on Stitiday, had seen the deceased
when alive on board the sloop. Deceased left
the sloop on Tlitirsday afternoon in company
with the prii»oiie‘r, who assisted him with ltis
chest, (lescribes dcccnsetl’s clothes more-accu-
rately than either of the other 'witnesses,._
Sloop laid at that time at the west'side ofBiir-
ling slip. VVitn_'cs:; went with the police offi-
cer on E-'mntl:iy,‘aird pointed out J'()llflS()ll,l.‘.()lit-V
rug from Cluireli, as the person who assisted
deceased witli his chest from the vessel.—
Sweats positively to the chest‘.
T/to-nias Hip, is a cartman. OnThursday
the 920th Nov. last, was called froui his SI.'dllt.l
at Burling slip, by two men carrying a chest,
and requested by the prisoner (one ofthe itieir)
to cart the chest to prisoireis house ;on_ari'iv-
ing there he received his cartage from John-
son. Witness went to see the deceased at the
Hospital, knew hiin instantly, to be the person
who wits with Johnson and the chest; recog-
uizes the chest in court.
J'u.’col') Hr1y;.s' stated, that when Johnson was
ari‘cstt:tl by bin: he said ‘t’.-:75: scares me,’ before
l‘la_vs had iiitiiiiatul ‘-vbat his btisiricss uas,aiit!
lici'oi'e lft.-titre, the Stan-:zr'd, saw Joliirsoii.
Gtorge 1:3. If/..’-‘IIJi‘ll()I££f, on Sunday searched
J-oliiison’s cc} ar, and under the floor were
iouiid a llil:-‘.‘< and 2: bloody sheet which were
tzxllillllttl iii Cotirt.
Zeb."/oi: Her.-2:1i2.h.larsliall,corrolrorated the
above fact, he licitig iii the tlarlt hole in the
tit.-Elzir and crawled in and llEltlIZl(‘i‘l the above
articles to l’taytrioiid. He exainiried the bed
room and traced the blood from the bed to the
-tairs, and tfowii stairs to the trap door——tlie
bats were wet, attempts having been made to
v‘v'E't.'~'ll out the l)l0U'tl.
’i"lic Justice, in tzilting the exauiiiiatloir,
stated that liC_(.'t'lU.lltIl|€,(l .,§oliii::oii not to inake
any ctiiitkessi-iii or‘ to admit any fact that could
criiniiiate iiiiriself.
rm. '2“/mi‘;-,'.Kecpei' of the Bridewell, was
called on behalf of the Prisoner to shew the
stale ofhis mind, when he was cxaiiriiietl be-
fore the Police Magistrates. Prisoner went
.i:iil1£~ E‘/."L'-'.i:l2l_‘,7,' ‘J’-.“‘llll [0 the I'l.8
.-aw prisoner often, convcrsetl witli hiin.—-
Prisouer coiiiplaiuctl to witiicss before his ex-
aiiiiiiatioir that the Police had singled him
out for veiigcaiice.
» The rlistrict aitcrneytlieu proceeded to read
the two ei-zaininatioiis ofJolinson ; one taketi
on the Slfld Nov. the other on the Qfrtlr. The
lirst cxauiiiiaiioii. of Johnson, utterly tleiiied
any kiioiiledge ofthe deceased, or had any a-
gency in the iitxirtler. The other examination,
ufilie 2:'iili,given as acltiioirletlged under great
pr-,rtni'batit«u, frilly and iiuvquivocally admitted
the fact oi" his ineeting Murray, of ltis taking
him lioiire to his house, of his going on boartl
the :-loop arid fetching his chest, of his eating
supper, and going out after supper with Mur-
ray, of his retui'uiii-g, of his wisliing his chest
to he carried tip stairs with him, as it had ino-
ncy in it ; of his taking tip [lie-(fll€‘Si, and going
into the clnriiiber, and itlurray going to bed :_
that lie, .l'olinsou, wen! tip into his Vchaniber
aiierwards arid foiintl Itliiiray asleep; took a
k_r=_v out of his pocket, opened his (:llt‘Sl, took
oitt the nioney, and then got a liatchct and
struck I‘-‘ltl|'l"tty twice oti the head aiitl killed
him ;that prisoner carried him down iiitoihe
cellar, and kept hint there next day, and the
:Ie'\'[ night cai'rivr,l the body into the alley
where it was found. 1 That he told his dangli-
t,_»i- what he had dong, and she wept bitterly,
sriying that it would not have liappeiied iflrer
illtilllef had been lioitrc, but she was absent at
£\l('\\'l)lll'gll. The t‘vloney taken out of Mur-
.'ay’s Cliflsl was lllftl‘-v'l| into a closet, and giv-
en !~2lll).s(‘qU8llll_‘v' by the daughter to her broth-
er who luiried it at lllooklyir.
Efirib l~"islici' testliietl that he had known
the prisoner for thii:'c ye.-irs—-did not know
mticli about‘ him, hit in small transactions ;
he never heard zitiyjllring against his general
character. Corn.el»'is i5'cfiu_i/[er had known
J()l‘iliSUll for sc-vei'all;'eai's; appeared to be an
inoffensive man, his but little dealings with
liitii. Jatiies Uuiilttp had kirowii the prisoner
for several years; kletv no harm ofliitn; was
a quiet uiaii. C/i1z.;fr:s S/t.umbci',_'_;' testified to
the good iiciiei‘al cbiractei of pi-isoiier. Sil-
ivestcr Jiidsoii, Gm. ii’arr_y, mid [Jamel Coch-
ran, were sevei':illyh.illetl, and testified ilic
gootl general cliaraqer Ofllle-[)l'lSOllel’. The
testiiriony here closel.
Dr.Grah:i‘in opciiél the defence ofthe pris-
oucr ; and after-the oiitiscl on behalf of the
people, and the prisiner had been heard, the
Court, between t ail 2 o’clock this morning,
charged the Jury,wlli retired, and after air ab-
sence of about 15 innutes, retnrnetl with the
following vertlict,vi7 that the Prisoiiei at the
Bar‘, John .lohnsori,ias GUILTY !—.N'at. ./Idv.
On 'I‘lrursday the Court was crowded with
persons at an early liur’ to bear the sciitcnce,
After the Judges Ira taken their seats, Joini-
sort was told to stain up, and was asked if he
had anything to sit why sentence of death
should not be passe. He aiiswercd, ‘ [am
not the man who can willed the murder, tlzat.’s
all.’ Judge Edwart their passed the follow-.
ing seutence:—‘- ", ‘
Joi-iN J0lI1\'SON2- You have been convict-
ed of the niiir_der oféiines Murray. The cir-
cumsiaiices attendin that bloody Iraiisactioii,
are of an extraordiuz y and most unpreceden-
ted cliara’cter. It a nears that the deceased
was a young man of -xcelleirt character, who
liea<l,'wlri'clr lay towards the water, the rope
had just arrived in (is city, and who, by his
exli-ibiteda ‘cast of the wound, inade by a pt'i_-'
"and;several-'iirinor bruises about the face amt.
the food in the sto'iiiacli','whicli was partia_lly,
having '-been .fol_iri(l-‘concealed in the hoiise 3of
Samuel frlorehouse was mast':er;'o'f the sloop
it oii_ tlie-Tliuijsday preceding‘ the Suiiday
intlustry and frugal_itIy had saved aifew lnin-
- died dolilérs. He’ was bound _.to tliefsouth :_
Havititja brother in Neiv-0rle:ins,lie was piti-
cpeeding lllltliér to eslalilisli liitiisclf in busi-‘
iiess. ' You became acquainted tvitli, and pro‘.-
fe"ssed your willingness and ability to assist
liini‘: ’,You-bi-ou'glit_ liiin-.to yoiirhouse : He
was '21" coiiritr-ym'a'n of yours: You ‘gained his
_con".‘ide_nce : , You ‘iniliiced him to coininit lils
prop’erty"to your safe keeping. A It appears that
after he liad'coit'ii‘iiitte'd liispersoii' to the hos-
pitality7o‘fyoti,r‘dwelling, and to tlicprotection
of.yot_ir ro'of, in the dead hour ofniglit—wliile
lie was-'a_'sleep in your own bed" chainher-—yo'u
first 'l'llle(l['lllSiCllP.Sf, aiidthen had the heart to
tleprive him of his life. _TY'our case.lras been
passed upon by ajury of your cotintryirreii :
able Counsel were assigned for yotii‘ defence :
you were _most fully and jinpartially tried:
and the’ ‘jiii'y liav'e unairimously found _you
guilty'.' lit the jiisiiceoftliis verd,ict,tlieCo.urt
entirely acquiesce; and I do_ not go too far
‘when Isay, that your coiivit:-t_ion' is approved
«ofbyevery ineiribcr ofthis coniniuiiity. The
crime of‘ which you stand convicted, anil_tlie
horrid circiiiiistaiices attending it, have shock-
ed tlie_ feelings of liiinianity. You stood be,-
fore this coninrunity and this audience, an iii-
stance of cold blooded cruelty and depravity
almostunprecedented. Under these circuui-
stances, I conceive it to be my duty to warn
you, ‘that from man you have certainly noth-
ing inor-e to hope. This, to be sure, is not the
seat of mercy: that attribute is vested alotrc
in the liands ofthe executive. But, probably,
from him you have nothing favorable" to ex-
pect. The doors of mercy, therefore, in this
world, are ‘forever ' closed upon yoti. The
scenes on which you now rest your eyes, to
you will soon be closed forever. You will
pass from this state ofbeing, to'auoihe_r—into
the presence of your t‘v’laker—and you will be
sent there by the universal voice of this whole
community. These circtuiistances believe
you to nizrke your peace with yourGod. These
rt:r.iai'ks are not tirade with a View to inflict
«ii‘i'uccessai‘y pain irpoir your feelings, but to
warir you of'your awful sitiratioii, and to ex-
hibit the justice of the sentence determined
upon by the ttiianimous opinion of the court.
It is tlrci'efore Ordei't~.d, That you, John John-
son, for the murder of James lllurray, be ta-
ken from hence to the place of confinement,
and frcur tits:-rice, on I"riday the second day of
_-‘tpril eirsuiiig,lietweeii the hours of 10 o’clock,
in the iiioriiiiig, and ‘:2 o’clock in the afternoon,
be taken to the place of Execittion, and there
be imaged’ by,/tIz.e 716:6/C ~um‘r'l you are dead.-
And it is further Ordered, That the Sheriff
dt.-liver overyctir body to the snr,r1eons for dis-
section. And may the God of Heaven have
mercy on your soul.
While the sentence was pronouiicing,John-
son looked attentively at iheJudge until about
the middle of the sentence, ulien he clasped
his hands, and made an exclaniation which
we could not hear. He then stootlperfcctly
niimoved to the close. After it‘ was finished
he looked round upon the atidience with titr-
concern, took his hat from uiidcrtlie scat,
placed it deliberately on his head, and as the
officers took him by the arms, said ‘I can
walk very well,’—a'nd left the room for his
prison.—Dail_y fldv. ' '
[On thelast page oftliis paper will be found
an account ofa niiraculoiis event, which has
lutclytakeii place at Washington; and as this
story may not be uniirterestiiig to otir readers,
we here give some further particulars regard-
ing it.]
“ Apprehensive that the alleged nriracle
might excite some ciiriosity, and lead to much
speculation, the senior editor of the States-
man, previous to his leaving lVashin;;ton, eti-
deavored to obtain a correct statciiient of
facts in relation to this iuiraculons eveiit.‘—
With that view, on Friday nioi'uiiig' last, he
called on Dr. Jones, a respectable physician
of the city of Wasliingtori, who attended Mrs.
Mattingley.‘ (the lady on whom the niiraclc is
said to have been wrouglit,) during the whole
oflrer illness. He stated her disease to have
been an internal st-.liii'oiis affection in the
breast, which prndiiceil a paralysis’ oftlie left
side, and deprived her ofthe use ofher arm.
He had never known a person stiller‘ more se-
verely than she had for many years. Some
irioiitlis since, he drew up a stateiuent oflier
case at the request of Mr. Coleman, :1 catho-
tic priest, which he presiinied was made the
basis ofthe application to the Prince Holit.-ii-
lobe, althoiigli he was not aware at the time
that such use was to be iuade oflt,‘
The correspontliiig editor ofthe Statesnian
their called at Mr‘. Carbcrry’s, the Mayor of
Washington, and conversed for half air hour
with the family, and with Mrs. Mattingley,
whour he found lying tipou the bed; but who
had been aboiit the lronse that uioruitig. The
day previous, she nle[;llBl' physician at the
door, and aiinoiiiiced her recovery. -Slie ap-
peared to be in good health and spirits; her
voice firm andclear ; and the use of her arm
perfectly restored. She related in detail all
the circumstances of her disease and cure,
which substantially agi-eed witli the accoiitit
given by the Fatlicr Coiifessor, and in the cor-
rcctuess of which M'rs.Carbcrry, and two oili-
cr ladies residing in the family concurred.--
Thcy were at the bed-side at the time the sud-
den restorrition ofhcnlth took place.
Mrs. Matiiiiglt-y slzitctl that on VVcdnesday
nirirning she siipposcil she 'as dying, and so
thought her attendants. She threw up large:
quaiitities of blood, and her speccli was so in-
understaud what she said with her ear nloscto
the mouth of the patient. The Rcv.Mr.tVlat~
tlrews came in mid atliiiiiiisieictl tlic sacra-
tneiii. Tito persons supported her, while she
received it. liirinediately after she had swal-
lowed the consecrated bread, she clasped her
liantls and exclainied in transports of joy-—
‘ My Saviour, wliat hast Ilioti done for me !’
or woi'tls totthat effect. ' The family were por-
fectly a_:l0lllSll€(l. ‘Mr. _Carberry,tlie inayor,
was so overcoiiie that he threw iiiiiisehiiitri H
chair and was nigh fainting. On recovering
froin the shock, he took his sister by the hand,
and said, ‘ Ntiiicy, thy faith hath made thee
whole.’ Ulothcs were luotiglit. M rs. i"ilatting-
ley dressed herself, got out of bed, and knelt
with the fiuiiily in prayer and tliairksgiving.
Such is at bricfstateiirent of this affair. On
Thursday and Friday upwardsofone thousand
persons called at the Mayor’.< to inquire into
the circumstance. Among these were mem-
bers nfcongress, and other intelligent gentle-
tneii. The ladies oftlte house remarked, that
they were not bigots nor fanatics; and they
were firm in the faith, thatthe cure was mira-
culous. Tliey held an argument to sliow,tliat
tlistiiict, that ilie lady at her side could not .
D
the restoration {vas_iiot_ attributable to the in-
tlian tlieiuiiii'er_liate act of_God. Mi's.Mattiiii_r,-
ley r'euia'rked, tlia_t».sli'e_did,no,t deem herself
worthy ofbeing tirade thestibyect ofa miracle,
that she ivas fully resigned to the will or her
Maker, and lia'd_n'eitli_er,a strong wish nor ex-
pectatioii to r'ecov'er. Shedid not ascribe her
miraculoiis recoveryto the Prince Holieiilohe,
the efficacy of’ the consecrated bread, which
to the interposition of God.
told to the author of the letteiiiii the States-
man. That the recovcryjwas sudden and
Sllrpl‘lSll]g, cannot bedoiihterl ;ihiit iliatit was
uiiraciilous, and caiino! be aceonrited for from
"%Hl1|'a| Causes, is quite another point, and re-
sesst~s.—.-‘V. .Y. Sttiicsniaiz. '
From the .M1liotiril Iiilclligencer, .«’l7nrrIi_ 17.
Yesterday the, President of the U. S. pre-
sented toGcn. Jacksoii the Gold Medal here-
tofore voteil to him by Congress, for his- gal.
l‘-Hit dt’ft?nci’- 0fNew-Orlr-.aiis. At the same
'lllllC,JUllge Todd,oftbe Supreiiie CUlll'I,,I(‘. -
rescirting Gov. Sliclliy, of Ky. iteceiveil t re
medal which had been votedio _liiiii for the
capture, at the river Thames, of the British
army under Gen. Proctor. At _half pastll,
Gen. Jacksoir, attended by Mi‘. T.ivingsto,ri,of
New-Orleans, and Jiiilge Totltl, entered the
Presidcnt’s lioiise, where were the Secretaries
ofState, War, and Navy, and a iiuinber of
visitors attending to witness the t.'eremonv.—
The President then prt-seiilcd to the Geiieral
the Medal, with the following Address:
' - GENERAL Jacxsouz In coiiipliance with
a resolution of Uou,gress,ou the 27th Feb. 1815,
I present to you this medal, as a testiinouial
of the high sense entertained by that body of
your gallantry and good conduct, in the de-
fence of New-Orlcaiis, at that important e-
poch, and especially in the very brilliairt ac-
tionpf the 8th ofdanuary. In the perform-
interest, the danger which then‘ menaced that
city, and the whole of the cotiiitry dopeudeiit.
on the Mississippi, and.tlie glorious exploit by
which they were rescued from it. .An incur-
siou by a powerful army of veteran troops,
cnmirrandetl by a Generalofexperience, who
had gained renown in Spain, made a strong
appeal to the patriotism oftlie nation. The
result exhibited an example ofdevotion to the
public welfare, which will be forever ,_distin-
guisiied in the .'-innals of our Union.’ The a-
lacrity with which our fellow citizens of _the
iieigliboring states,’ in obedience to tlie_call
of their governnient, flew to the defeuce__of
their country, proves that they are willing and
ready to encounter every danger, and make
every sacrifice in support of our Republican
systein. The haste with which yoir repaired
to that station, and organized the force col-
lected there ;thc firniness with which you re-
ceived the attack, and the success with which
you repelled it, with a much inferior force, a
great part of whicli consisted of volunteers
and militia, are distinguislied proofs of your
pairioiisin and gallantry, as well as of your
judginent in action.
To which General Jack son rcpli'ed-—-
Sin: Receiving this enrlilein ofihe appro-
bation ofiny country, from you,‘ who were an
efficient and active agent of our Government’.
in those scenes of tlilficulty and danger to
which it refers‘, gives me peculiar pleasure. It
brings to my recollection, on the tocsin of war
being sounded,th:it patriotic ardor which bro’:
voluntarily to the fit.-ltl tliousauds of the brave
yeoitianry ofour coiintry,to SIlpp()Tt'llS eagles,
and to protect .oiir frontier, from the ruthless
savage, and the inroads ofa l3i'itisli foe. In
the name of those patriotic officers and sol-
diers who so bravely seconded my views in
the day of battle, pri'.'zr'.ioir, and of peril, and
who contributed to bring about the happy re-
sults to which you refer, Ircceive this embléin
of-approbation, which the Representatives of
my coitntry, inCongress assemlilctl, have con-
ceived me worthy to possess. That, at a pe-
riod tlie.inost. critical and alaruiing, I should
have been the humble means to harmonize
the discordant materials of every nation and
tongue, and so to unite them, as to make a
sticcessful defence of the city of N. Orlean_s,
against a superior, ivcil-oigatrizetl, veteran
force, and to preserve it from pollution and
ravage by air infuriated British soldierv, is re-
nieiiibered as one of the proudest nionients of
my life. This eiirhleni reminds me of the
t1l'i”t!llll(le\v(’. should feel to a kind Providence
for those happy results. May you pass thro’,
and retire from, the adnrinistratioii oftheGov-
eriirnent with the full approbation of your
country that has hitherto accoinpanied yoti.
fvlay you be blessed in retirement with all ‘the’
comforts heaven can bestow ; and, when life
is finished, he raised to a happy iniinortality
beyond the grave. '
The President then presented toJiidgeTodd
the Medal designed for Governor Slrelby,with
the following Address:
Judge Toni) : In compliance with a resolu-
tion of Congress, of the 4th of April, 1818, I
present, through you, to Gov. SHELBY, this
Medal, as a testimonial oftlie high sense en-
tertairied by Congress, of his gallantry and
good conduct in an action on the 'I‘liames,un-
der Major General llarrisoii, in Upper Carra-
«la, on the 5th day of October, E815, in which
the couibined Britlsli and Indian forces, tin-
der Miijorfletieral Pl‘l)Cl0I‘,\V:‘l'C defeated, and
the British troops made prisoncrsof war. The
patriotism which Cov. Shelby, and the troops,
his ft,-llow-citizens, _l)l1(lel' his coininand, then
displayed, in inarching beyond the lakes, to
meet our then enemy, as well as their bravery
in action, will always be reiiienrbercd with
gratitiitle by their country. _
To this Judge 'I‘o}:in replied in a suitable
nianuer.
CONGRESS. _
Senate, .Mr1.i‘c}i. l2.—Tlie bill “ to abolish
iurprisonuiet for debt” was~taken up. .1‘-Ii‘.
Talbot snbinittetl a new bill, as an amend-
iiieiit to the one origirrally before the Senate;
and the siili_je;:t was then postpmied -to, ill]-Ll
made the order of the day for Moutlay next.
The bill ‘to amend the ordinance of the
state oi‘.-‘.l:ili:nn:i, in relatioii to the navigable
waters ofthe state,’ was taken up in eoniinit-
iee. ' Mr. Talbot staterl that the object Oftllls
bill was merely to place. the state of Alabama
0,, the same footing as every other state in the
Union. Bv tlieaiticle in the act. admitting
her into thd Union, she was prohibited from
imposing tolls or exactioii upon the "?1V'S“'
fiiiei_rc_e of the iiiiagi;_ra_lioii,o‘r 'any,other cause, _
altlio’ lie was, 2l.SS(),Clitl_e(l in her ,min_d_-; but to _
she fully believed to be the real presence, and
, Thus _has this story been related as it was H
quires niore faitli than the senior editor pos-
ilre H o_f R. yvlro had been one ofhis Aids at .
ance oftliis duty, I recollect, ‘Willi profo'iiiid .
5“
Norwalk Chronicler