those of the Jury, to whom it was addressed. I sincerely wish, this defence had proved successful, not from any desire to save you from the punishment which awaits you, and which you so richly merit; but from the desire of saving my country from the foul reproach of having in its bosom so great a monster. From the peculiar situation of this country our Fathers felt themselves justified in subjecting to a very slight punishment, him who murders a slave- Whether the present state of society requires a continuation of this policy, so opposite to the apparent rights of humanity, it remains for a subsequent Legislature to decide. Their attention would long ere this, have been directed to this subject, but for the honour of human nature, such hardened sinners as yourself, are rarely found, to disturb the repose of society. The Grand Jury of this district, deeply impressed with your daring outrage against the laws of GOD and man, have made a very strong expression of their feelings on the subject, to the Legislature; and from the wisdom and justice of that body, the friends of humanity may confidently hope, soon to see this, blackest in the catalogue of human crimes, pursued with appropriate punishment. In proceeding to pass the sentence, which the law provided for your offence, I confess I never felt more forcibly the want of power to make respected the laws of my country, whose minister I am., You have already vi olated the majesty of those laws-You have profanely pleaded, the law under which you stand convicted, as a justification of your crime-You have held that law in one hand, and brandished your bloody axe in the other, impiously contending that the one gave a license to the unrestrained use of the other. But, though you will go off unhurt in person, by the present sentence, expect not to escape with impunity. Your bloody deed has set a mark upon you, which 1 fear the good actions of your future life will not efface. You will be held in abhorrence by an impartial world, and shunned as a monster, by every honest man-Your unoffending posterity will be visited for your iniquity, by the stigma of deriving their origin from an unfeeling murderer-Your days, which will be but few, will be spent in wretchedness-And, if your conscience be not steeled against every virtuous emotion; if you be not entirely abandoned to hardness of heart, the mangled, mutilated corpse of your murdered slave, will ever be present in your imagination : obtrude into all your amusements; and haunt you in the hours of silence and repose. But, should you disregard the reproaches of an offended world; should you bear, with callous insensibility, the gnawings of a guilty conscience; yet remember!-I charge you, remember! that an awful period is fast approaching, and with you, is close at hand, when you must appear before a Tribunal, whose want of power can afford you no pros pect of impunity; when you must raise your bloody hands at the bar of an impartial, omniscient judge!-Remember !-I pray you, remember! whilst yet you have time, that Gop is just, and that his vengeance will not sleep forever. BEAUTIES OF THE DRAMA. THE OPERA DANCER: A DRAMATICK PROVERB. M. DU PAs, and LA FRANCE: DU PAS in a Powdering Gown, taking off the Powder before the Chimney-glass. Du Pas. La France! Has the tailor repaired my dancing dress? La F. Yes, Sir; but he has no orders for the new breeches. Du P. How, no orders! What does he mean? I spoke to him yesterday at the opera. La F. I know it, Sir. Du P. What more has he to say? Du P. What people ? La F. Why Those that give orders. La F. They say, you have had already two pair of breeches, for that dress; and as for three, it's too much. Du P. They say all that, do they? La F. Yes, Sir. Du P. Mighty well. It is Sunday to morrow, and I shall not dance: I shall go into the country: tell them that. La F. Yes, Sir. Du P. Three pair too much! I'll have a dozen. Order my carriage from the coach. maker's, do you hear? La F. Yes, Sir. Du P. Ha, ha, two pair! I'll give them a lesson-Somebody knocks; see who it is; -They shall repent. Enter the CoUNT. Count. Is M. Du Pas at home? 4 Du P. (without turning) Who is that? Count. I come to request you would give me your opinion on my manner of dancing, for I wish to dance in an opera. Du P. (dinfully) You! Count. Yes. Du P. (without turning) You are not tall enough. Count. That is of no consequence, Will you see? (dances) Du P. (with a side look) Pshaw! Wretch ed! Count. Yet I have been told-Look at this. (dances again.) Du P. (regarding him through the glass) Pit iable ! Count. But, Sir Du P. Talking is in vain. You are not what we call a proper subject. I must like wise tell you, you have not a-a talent, a ge nius. Count. But in this style, for example. (dances.) Du P. That is all main strength. I'll not undertake to prepare you for the opera, not even as a figurant. Count. I do not wish to dance at the opera, Sir I would .Du P. What, go on the stage at Lyons, or Bordeaux! A soaring ambition truly ! Oh, fie! Count. That is not what I mean. I speak of a private opera, in the country. I am the Count d'Orville. Du P. (astonished) Sir! That is a different affair. Of the Count d'Orville I can only ask pardon. Did you know how I am persecuted-If one listens to these kind of people, one can never get rid of them. Count. That I can readily believe. Du P. Let me see once more. (to La France, after throwing off his powdering gown Take that away. Count. Let me have your sincere opinion. (dances.) Du P. Upon my word! Go on! Vastly well! The head and shoulders quite at their ease! No restraint! All grace! Charming! Ay, ay; that is dancing! Count. Are you really satisfied? Du P. Oh, excellent! Excellent! Count. I am glad of that. Do you ap prove my style in this? (dances.) |