a RARE St : NIE A fT be AMERICA ae § Parsi XE OT. ST speak his thous his, 's every Freeman’ sright.”’ meas Brureroxts, SEPTEMBER 1,1817. er LER ELECTION. AT a large and respectable meeting of the democratic citizens of Centre coun- ty, held at the house af Join .lankin,in the borough of Bellefonte, on Wednesday the 27th August, 1817. PAUL WOLF, €sq. was nominated chairman, and JAMES CRAWFORD, esq. secretary : Resoryep, That this meeting recom: mend to the democratic citizens of Centre and Clearfield counties to meet ai their respective places of holding town. gr mem : 74 ship meetings on Saturday the 6th of September next, for the purpose of choos- dng township delegates ; and said dele- ates when chosen, to meet in the bo- rough of Bellefonte on Saturday the 13th inst for the purpose of forming a county ticket, to be supported by them at the en- suing election, and do such other busi- nes as they may deem necessary to ensure success. ResoLven, That the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the chairman and secretary, and published in the Amer- ican Patriot. "PAUL WOLF, Chairman. JAMES CRAWFORD, Secretary. Copy of a letter from a gentleman in Mead- ville, to the Editor, dated Meadville, August 1, 1817 Dear Sir,—On Saturday the 26th ulti- mo, at this place, was executed George: Speth Vanhollandt in conformity to the sen- tence of the Court and the Death Warrant ¢nt under his sufferings. He was con- of the Governor, for the murder of Hugh Fitspatrick. In his trial all the rules of criminal jus- lice were strictly observed. There was no vielation of any of his rights or privale- ges. The testimony may be ranged into ‘three classes, either of which would have been sufficient to have convicted him. ist. Positive---that of the wife of the de- deceased. 2d. Presumptive---that of the men who followed and took him. 3d. A His own confession when he was first taken, and afterwards, before two jus tices of the peace in a voluntary manner.’ And, I might add a fourth, viz. his involun- tary confession when he wis brought back to the house of the deceased ---Some per- wound was as though he had been struck twice---the prisoner claimed, “ So help me God, I struck ‘him but once.” The next morning after conviction, he was brought into court to receive sentence of death, which was delivered by the pre- sident of the court in a very feeling and im- pressive manner, and at which the whole ‘audience were greatly moved, During his confinement he exhibited no. signs of contrition, but rather appeared to increase in a hardness of heart that betrayed a total absence of all moral feeling From his conduct and some of his expresssions, it would seem he had his doubts of a future state. On the morning of theday of his execution, he tampered with his guard to bring him some arsenic, but was denied it. « Then” said he, «I will resign myself to my fate ; I will die like a soldier,” but added, he would first break the neck of the hangman. At 12 of. clock he was taken from: the goal to the place of execution. At his own request he Was permitted to proceed on foot after the waggon, in which was his coffin, The Platform of the gallows was about ten feet high. The executioner first ascended it. the prisoner sat down at the foot of the stairs and took some whiskey and water. On seeing the hangman aloft, he exclaimed sd n the man that would take the life of another for money.” He ascended the platform with seeming indifferenice. A terrible pause ened Few ofthis vast assembly ever beheld such # sight! To beholda man in the prime of life, dressed in the attire of the dead, and about te make atonement with his life to atc son observed that the appearance of the! Up agaiugt him, and His charsetey, dike immediately ex-. Q owl ithe justice of his cotawy for the murder ot dow creature, andticit 10 enter the ube seer world and meet that judge «fio whos¢ lace the licavens und the Earth ts' all otic day flee away as the hunted Hart from belore its pursuers,” was, of ise, stifficiently awful and affecting; but what added still more to Wie awluness and hor- vor ¢'irring solemnity of the scene, was to sce the blasphemous and unaffected object of attention, in the last moments of his ex- istence- -on the brink of eiernity, strug- gling to wreak his vengance on the bang. man ; for, just as he was preparing to fus- ten the rope to the beam, he sprang at him with the fury of a demon, and precipitated | hira to the ground, jump :d afier him, but missed him. Addressing himself to one of the guard, he said, * bad it not heen for the d —=n’d rope I would have jumped on him” He was again taken up, and; the rope made fast. The sheriff then told bim to make his time, and if he had any thing to say he should be heard.” He replied, « | am an assassinated man. I am inno- cent. I dic for the crimes of another I hav e nothing more to say. The Rey. Ti- mothy Aiden hasmy papers, he may speak if he pleases. The Rev. Timothy Alden, president of Allegany College, then delivered a very appropriate discoursc; in the midst of which, the prisoner finding it to bear hard on him, turned round, and said, ¢¢ stop, sir, you have said enough on that subject.” At the conclusion of a very fervent prayer to the throne of grace on his behalf, the Sheriff asked him if be was ready. # Yes,” said he, % my time is spent---ma God have mercy on my soul.” At that instant, and precisely at 1 o'clock, he made his exit, and passed into that cosawry from which no traveller ever retulns. : George S. Vanhollandt was about 37 lyears of age, of the common size, and ve- ‘vy athletic. He possessed a considerable share of cunning, and a retentive memory. ‘He was of an irritable temper,and mmpati- \tinually accusing the judges, jury, and wit- nesses, and prosecutors. Indeed he ap- peared to have a geucral malice against mankind, and it was mecct he should be removed. by this example of severity we ought (© ‘profit by, and remember the injunction -- #4 Take heed lest ye be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” : Er ———_cy We shall lay before our readers next ‘week, a full statement of the transaction relative to the exchange of the $ 8,000, Its great length precludes its inscrtion in this day’s ‘paper. It places the conduct of Mr. Findlay, asit regards the exchange, in alight the niost honorable and correct, I; is thus will fall to the ground, every charge which his enemies may be able to scrape ' the diamond, the more it is rubbed, be mad the brighter to appear. wn od After the manner of the Indefiendent Refiub o dican. 4 We had almost forgot to mention, tha, our little town of Bellefonte, last week, was, to use the appropriate language of Di Sutherland, «literally running over” with runners trom different quarters of the states electioneering for Joseph Heister. So ma- Dy were they, that to have counted them correctly, would have been almost as hope- less a task, as it would be to count a flock of’ Sheep in full gallop over a set of bars. CS A host of runners from Reading and elsewhere, arrived in this place on Sun- day last, no doubt « Joaded with pamph- lets dictated by” the vital spirit, and his aid from Marcus Hook. Their busivess appeared to be to circulate reports for the purpose of injuring the election of Mr. Findlay. They exhibited a paper as their authority for the fabrications—-being inter- rogated respecting it they gave vague and unsatisfactory answers. They have pro- ceeded westward, Citizens be on your guard against these wolves in sheep’s cloathing”—their object is to devide the democratic party--the assertions of Heis- ter’s runners should be taken «for just as much as they are worth”—a few days will determine their real value. My readers need not be surprised if I should, ina few days lay before them a statement which will leave no room to doubt that the editor of the Advertiser received by one of the runuers above mentioned, who resides in Reading forty dollars in addition to his former receipis tor the prostitution of his press. Ifa man can obtain the first office in the eift of the people, by Bribery we may shortly bid adieu to cur liberties. Ly. Gazelte, Er > Extracts from the correspondence obi commitiee, appoinied by the gongenti at Harrisburg, for thiscounty, © © Extract of a letterfrom Franklin { Vepan go county) dated, July 4th, 1817 “« We trust the election of Willian Findlay, esq. is sure, the daring attempts of designing men to the contrary notwith- standing. We have the pleasure of giv- ing you a favorable statement as respects this county. Our majority will be abou! 500 : allowing 50 votes for Mr. Heister— There being not many federalists in, this county, the opposition will be trifling.” aa Extract of a letter from Uniontown, (Fay- ette county) dated July 15th, 1817. « The voice of this county is nearly unan’ imous for Mr. Findiay-—his majority, will? probably, be not less than 1800. The conviction that the « welfare and prosper: ty of the state” is inseparably connected with the election of Mr. Findlay, willlead us to use every homorable exertion in his favor; and we indulge the pleasing expec- tation that the united efforts of his friends in every part of the state, will be crowned with triumph.” Extract of a letter from M:Keansburg, Schuylkill county, dated July 26th 1817. “ Respecting this county, as it stands now, Mr. Heister would have a small ma- jority~but, if the minds of the people should continue changing as they have for six weeks past, you may rest assured Mr. Findlay will have a majority .~=In M