DEMOCR.iT 1VB SESTIXEL.
B iciiari) vrniTB:::::""""""":iiKfRY
c. nkvixe
WHITE DEVINE, Editors and Proprietors
E3ENSBUHG.
THURSDAY MORNING:::::::::::::::MARCII 30.
V. B. PALMER, the American Newspaper
Agent, is the only authorized Azent fir this pajcr
in the cities of Boston, New York and Philadel
phia ami is duly empowered to take advertise
ments and subscription at the rates required by
ns. His rceeip's will be regarded as payments.
His offices are Boston, Scollav's Building: New
York, Tribune Buldings ; Philadelphia, X. W.
corner Third and Chesnut Sis.
FOR GOVERNOR,
WILLIAM BIGLER.
FOR SUPREME JUDGE.
JEREMIAH S. CLICK.
FOR CANAL COMMISSIONER.
HEXRY S. JIOTT.
Canal Commissioners.
Oa Frida)' last the Board of Canal Commis
sioners, went upon the new Portage Railroad, at
the foot of plane Xo. 4, for the purpose of viewing
the damages done to property by the construc
tion of that road, and to hear complaints gener
ally, of persona injured by the operation of the
public works.
After passing rather hastily down the road
they halted at Jefferson, at the house of John
Brawley Esq., when after partaking of the com
forts of his abundant table they remained, atten
ding to business, until the arrival of the "Western
train in the evening. They then left for Pitts
burg. A number of persons, some for themselves, and
some in a representative character, had assem
bled at Jefferson, to present their claims, but
from the imperfect notice which had been given,
of the requirements expected from applicants for
claims, by the Board, a considerable amount of
suitors were ruled out. Perhaps we might as
well say here for the benefit of the public in fu
ture, that the Commissioners require, in every
case, where damages to land are claimed, that ten
days notice on them personally, must be given,
at the time and place of taking testimony in the
several cases, and a diagram of the premises,
must also be prepared and submitted.
Gen. Ross, and Capt. Phelps were present for
a short time at Jefferson,' and the good feeling
and friendly intercourse that prevailed, showed
ho- general is "the popularity of, and how highly
appreciated are the present Canal Board, and
their agents, in this quarter of the State.
Rag Money.
Our Democratic readers, and no doubt, many
others, will rejoice to know that we are likely
soon, to getrid of that disgusting currency known
by the name of relief notes.
A bill has passed the Senate, which will doubt
less become a law, by which it is provided that
relief notes after having been paid into the State
Treasury shall not again be put in circulation.
About the dirtiest thing of which we have any
conception, is one of those filth-bearing rags now
current among us. Disgusting alike to sight
and smell, and so small in denomination that the
most loathsome beggar may have possessed them,
it is dangerous to persons susceptible to disease,
to touch them.
We are glad to believe that their days are now
well nigh numbered, for the additional reasons
that the progress of the influx of foreign bill.
which the enactments of the legislature have
hitherto been unable to prevent, will be cut off,
and the millions of specie now hoarded up in un
productive coffers will be forced out, and made to
answer the design of its making. As the cur
rency now is, every man ii holding on to his gold
dollar, his halves aiid his quarters as if they were
only made to keep, and he will wait, and put off
bis creditors, until - he can obtain some twelve
square inches of maleablc dirt in the shape of a
relief note, with which to pay an honest debt.
Millions of small coin are annually struck at the
mint and put in circulation, yet what do we sec?
Is it any plentier? Xo, it sinks at once out of
sight, to the very bottom of the pockets, while
the light refuse of paper, the unsubstantial cheat,
the mere apology of money, is every where thrust
foremost. Our Democ-atic Legislature will make
themselves the more apprecial.nl by the people,
the sooner they provide for the banishment of the
trash.
Another Sunday School.
We have been requested to state that the M.
E. Sunday School Society, will meet at the M.
. Church, on Sunday the 2nd of April next, for
th purpose of organizing a Sabbath School. All
the frieudsof the project are invited, and especial
ly children.
Graham's Mauajxe. -Wc have received tLc
April number of this valuable Magazine. It
would be needless for us to s tak in terms of
rrabe of this number. Graham has left n.. thing
undone. In keep up the w ide spread reputation ,
of his magazine. The present -number is beauti
fully embellished with fine tteel engrarings : it's
reading matter shows a high or.lei of talent in
it's coniriburors. Published in Philadelphia, No.
1S6 Chesnut St. Terms $3.00 per annum.
New Advertisements. O.i the 3d April next,
James McGinley, will dispose of his extensive
stock, consisting of horses, cows, carriages. Bug
gies, sleighs, harness, t:iigle and double, also,
& great variety of household and Kitchen furni
ture. Those wishing bargains, will do well by
Attending Justice of the Peace, William G.
Wilson Rags Wanted Spring Millinery Goods
--S'keritJ" Sale Executor's K, ,'?.
School Bills before the Legislature.
The Common Schools are inter-woven wiih the
rcat and beautiful institutions of our Corxmon
wcallh, and are alike necessary to forward the
advances of civilization ar.d progress of liberty,
when they are managed judiciously ana receive
that attention from the public which they most
undoubtedly require. In this State they have
been in successful operation since, we believe, in
1834, and have proved to Le vastly successful
in every section of the Commonwealth, but while
they have been eminently successful, there are
many imperfections to be remedied, that re
quire the prompt action of the Legislature to per
fect this great system of education.
Xo less than 500,000 youth uceive their edu
cation through this institution, which at a single
glance displays the care and caution necessary,
in those imparting knowledge to the rising gen
eration, who in a few years will compose our Le
gislators, and perforin the eluties of government,
for a generation only visible in the future. We
say there is care and caution necessary, in those
whose office it is, to instill education into the
young, and that none but those possessing the
most satisfactory quulifielions should be permit
ted to perform the duties the Law imposes upon
the Teacher. It is true that in a great many in
stances it is almost impossible to get Teachers
possessed of the requisite qualifications, but, we
believe, that if the proper means were resorted
to, Teachers capable anil well qualified could be
secured in nine cases out of ten in most of the
counties in the State, and that the Directors of
School districts are solely blameablc. Sometimes,
and we fear in too many cases, Directors are elec
ted who arc utterly ignorant of the duties de
volving upon them, and when this is not the case
they are not sufficiently interesic-el in the welfare
of the subject of education to see that the Teach
er is capable of conducting the School, but on
producing a certificate regularly made cut, he
is permitted to proceed capable or incapaple.
A great many young men aspiring to colleges,
and other institutions of learning, find themselves
bereft of the means so essential to the young, ar.d
they cast around them for some honorable cm
ploy wherewith to satisfy their wants ; school
teaching is the only employment that becomes
r.aturnl, and they assume the eluties of a Teach
er without pertaining the least interest in their
employment, save the mony to Le aid them for
services that should have been performed for the
scholar as well as for the Teacher. This is a de
plorable state of affairs.
The Legislature should pass the bill that has
been submitted for their ccnsideraiion, by the
Committee on Education; it provides for the
appointment or election cf a county Superinten
dent for each county in the State ; this is much
to be wished and will have a salutary influence
upon the Schoels: it, if we are not mistaken im
poses upon the Directors the duty of supplying
the schools with a regular course of books. This
will be a decided improvement, as under the law
as it now stands upon our statute books, each
Teacher introeluces books which he is acquainted
with, and that without consulting the interests
of the scholar, and iu many cases every 3-ear pro
duces a new kind of books. The establishment
of Normal Schools is a subject that should com
mand the attention of every friend of the Com
mon Schools in the Commonwealth, as well as
the professional Teacher, for whose elvation no
scheme could be more available. - Such beings as
quack school-masters will be driven from the
communities which they have imposed upon, and
the man who has cultivated himself for the du
ties of a Teacher and received a diploma from
the State Normal Schools, fill his place. Direc
tors of School Districts will apply to the Nor
mal Schools for Teachers, and will not be troub
led with the examination of every quack that
makes application for a school. We sincerely
hope those Bills may pass.
Lt. Strain and his Party.
It will be remembered by our readers that the
U. States Government despatched a party for the
purpose of Surveying a route across the Isthmus
of Darien, and to discover the practicability of
building a Shin Canal across the same. The
Party was under the command of Lieutenant
Strain, and was conveyed to Central America
in the United States sloop of war Cyane, Cap
tain Ilollins, and anchored in Caledonia Bay in
the early part of January. The Indians were
not all together satisGed that they should pass
through their country ; arguing that the nature
of the country forbid the forwarding of the ob
jeet for which they had came, and that if God
had wished a Canal he would have made it, with
out having white men to molest Indians ; "God
made the country fit for Indians, but not for
white men ; and why (they asked) cannot white
men let poor Indian have their own poor coun
try, and enjoy it in their own way ? Indians ne
ver go into the white man's country to disturb
him ; why should white men come into poor In
dian's country to spoil it by making canals, and
spoiling what God has intended only for Indi
ans ?" The argument had no effect and the
Captain informed them that he should proceed to
carry out the orders of his Government ; the In
dians then consented, but affirmed that the w hite
man would not live to cress. And added that if
God would allow the white men to cress, they
would not interfere.
Lieut. Strain set out o;i his mission as soon as
the necessary arrangements were made. The
party which left the vessel consisted cf twenty
seven in all, viz: Lieut. Strain, Messrs. Pruxton,
Maury and Garland, of the Navy ; Messrs. Bogs,
Ketllewell, Mayo and Ilollins, of the Survey, and
the balance volunteers and flicked men. After
an absence of five or six days, five of the Tarty
returned for provisions, with which they were
supplied, but on returning to the place where
they had rarted, they found nothing but a letter
from Lt. Strain, stating that they should return
to the Cyane, as it would be impossible for them
to overtake the Party, they followed after for
some time, but were finally obliged to re' :rn
again to their vessel without ascertaining the
whereabouts of the explorers.
Some Indians reported a few days afier, that
the Part y had arrived on the Pacific side, but the
information has been proved incorrect, and it is
now currently reported that the entire Party has
been destroyed by wild beast or natives and it
is supposed by the latter.
CT'John Ilogan, of St. Louis, defines his posi
tion in the Missouri Republican, on the question
of School Directors. !
Whiskey Pool.
Shortly after the Canal Commissioners had left
No. 4, on the A. P. R. R., on Friday evening last,
as two sections of a boat were descending the
plane at that place, the tugs, or chains which
fasten the trucks to the rope, gave way and the
sections were soon made a singular wreck at the
foot of the plane.
The boat was loaded with whiskey, gin, dried
beef, apples, crackers, &c, all of which were very
carelessly poured and scattered, a libation and
offering to the beautiful earth. Such was the
flood of spirits, that the like has never been
known before, even in the history of the outpour
ings in Maine.
A pool was formed in which the lame and kalt
might easily have bathed, and come away rejoic
ing. The meaner animals soon came to claim
their share, and all the drunk pigs and fowls that
feasted around have not yet been numbered. It
is not true that all No. 4 was drur.lythat the
houses reeled, as well as man and other things,
for whiskey, the good creature of God, has never
been so fur away, that our citizens of the plane,
became disused to the vapor, cr could be effected
by a sudden inhalation. Etherial draughts never
effect the neighbors of the senior Editor.
With what depression of heart will this event
strike the sons of Bacchus throughout our good
nation, when it reaches their cars ! 7pu-;.3r! lost
forever in the eleep bosom of the-eanTi now bur
ieel ! We presume however, that likerBishop
Bruno's arrival in hell, it will be evidenced by elif
ferent emotions. We once hearel a man say,
better in God's earih than in his imri,e.
Removals.
The moment has arrived for those that intend
taking advantage of the first of April to change
their locations to be "up and a doing," and we
would remind those who are subscribers to the
Democrat and Sentinel for fiar through the noise
and confusion attendant on such oeeasions,
they may forget there is such men as printers, to
notify us properly as to their new location ; those
writing to us will be very careful ia mikjng out
their address, so that there will not I even a
probability cfa mistake in entering it down on our
list. A great many mistakes occur in t nt", vi ay:
subscribers call at the Pe.sl Office and not finding
their property they bring charges against the
printers, when the whole secret lies in the sub
scriber not having attended to his duty p:nperlv.
To those who have acquired the habit of sub
scribing for a new paper, whenever they change
their location, without paying for any, .pimply
by not lif.ing them, and the Post Master acting
in his official capacity, very carely returns them
marked conspicuously with the reason vat lifted,
because they have moved elsewhere to perform
the same mana-uvre, we would say, in the lan
guage of a cotemporary :
"Those that move off in our debt, wi'd find
their names in print, in a manner that they will
not admire ; and the paper containing it will le
sent to the place where they move to, for the edi
fication of their new neighbors. All of you that
intend to leave the county this fpring had better
take warninar. 'An honest man is the noblest
work of Goej, and those that move off in debt to
the printer, are not honest. Remember this."
Liquor Law.
A bill on the principle of the Prohibitory Liquor
Law has passed the House by a vote of 50 to 43.
The bill provides for the submission of jji nt?
tion to the vote of the people at the election, next
fall. It restricts the right of jsearch within rea
sonable bounds, and w hile it takes from the State
the revenue derived from licenses, it allows the
unbounded domestic use of the fluid, the spirit of
the law aiming at the demolition of all such un
sightly appendages to real estate, as sign posts,
aud convenient bars. Well the "jror drunk
ard" will no longer have the landlord to
blame, and the landlord may walk abroad re
lieved from the load of damnation so often
heaped upon him heretofore, guilty or not guilty.
The War.
The Liverpool Albion, of a late date, says:
"The Hag of Napier floats from the Fisguard at
Woolwich, preparatory to its appearance in the
Baltic at the head cfa fleet cf fifty men of-war,
in the proportion ofthree-fourths British an I one
fourth Freuch, being nearly three times the force
wherewith Nelson Hyde Parker, fifty-two years
ago, overcame three times any possible resistance
now likely to be experienced in the same waters.
This appointment and these preparations were
alone needed to give the world an assuvarce of
the earnestness and energy with which the two
great Western Allies are resolved to prosecute the
war to the most immediate and decisive issue.
No more temporizing : action is the word, action
commensurate with the greatness of the nations
engaged, and befitting the magnitude of the stake
to be played for, that stake being the peae of
Europe, to be purchase-d only by the instantane
ous annihilation of the disturber's power of at
least aggressive mischief."
Bold Robbery. The slaughter house c f Mr.
G. C. McKee, of this place, was entered on Tues
day evening of last week, between the hours of 9
and 12 o'clock, and robbed of one side of beef,
two whole calves, seven or eight hams. 70 or SO
pounds of sausage, 25 or SO pounds of candles,
and several other articles, amounting In x.U to
about one hundred dollars. The robbers effected
an entrance by boring a hole through, thtrback
door and raising the latch. No clue to the per
petratorsof the robbery has been discovered.
llol. Standard.
A drunken woman recently exhibited herself
stark naked, at the Rochester Railroad depot.
OCT" A slanderer of the fair sex undertook to
prove that Satan was a woman named Lucv Fir.
It is stated that the Panama Railroad will be
completed by the first of August.
Some people in Philadelphia are still very cross
at Senator Price.
GCTIt is a sign of vulgarity to say cf George
Washington, that he was "a good egg."
CTNow is the season for plauting trees fj uit
or ornamental.
The hotels in St. Louis arc completely over
crowed with strangers.
Tho State House at Columbus, now building
will be a magnificent structure.
Cayenne Pepjer, Esq., is the author of .the
sonnett, "2 a burd settia on a Fens."
K7TheNew York Catal will not probably
open till 1st of May. j
NEWS AND MISCELLANY.
Unpleasant The weather.
$y Coming down Price of Hour.
IC7A line of steamers between Boston
and
Baltimore is talked of.
dThe lumber business is very active at all
the depots on the Susquehanna.
D7A letter has lately appeared from Hon.
Jere. Clemens, cxplanitory of his course on the
Nebraska Bill.
John W. Forney has became one of the propri
etors of the Washington Union.
BCTIt is thought that the Washington monu
ment company have found a clue to the perpetra
tors who acted such a conspicuous part in break
ing the stone sent by the Pope to the Washing
ton Monument.
VZT Plenty Sales.
fcy Moving A great many of our citizens.
ySharp Mrs. Pilkingham it is supposed
she is labering under indigestion.
ySorc A certain Paper about sundry court
Proceedings. Were they not satisfactory.
"As their Loco-Foco opponents are notorious
for their rottenness and corruption." All-?.
This comes with a bad grace from the aliove,
but we presume the creature who penned it judg
es others by Lis own propensities.
"Three truckling demagogues who have been
placed in nomination by the Loco-Foco I'rty."
Allehar.im.
How important this fellow would make him
self! We see the cloven foot and we have came
to the conclusion, that it is perfectly naturcl.
C7'The Nebraska Bill was refe rred to the com
mittee on the whole, in the House of Represen
tatives, which has caused considerable rejoicing
on the part of the enemies of the Bi!.
DC?The New York Herald sums up the circula
tion for the week ending March I81I1, at the enor
mous amount of 53,20.
This is even surpassed
dv the l mladeiphia L.crfjc r, winch has rea
winch has rcac.icu
54,402, and is tho largest etaiiy circu;a;ion i:i
the world.
CCTPrtsidcni. Walker has met sr. me .-ad mis
fortunes, and the last tv.c. mnts state il at he is
retreating with the Mexican tro :..s within nine
ty miles of bis main body.
It is taid that Walker, the
noted Utah chief.
is about to commence war again.-,
because they will not i.ermit him
. the Mormons,
to own as ma-
Tiy wives as Brigham Young.
Erigham Young in his annual message, decla
red himself very much gratified at the prospect
of having the Pacific Railroad built.
CC7"Ceurt meets at Holiidaysburg on Monday
the 21th of April.
The people of St. Louis are agitating the ne
cessity and practicability cf bridging the Missis
sippi. CTT'The annual State Election in Rhode Island
takes place on the 13th April.
CCT'Thc first poet Laureate of England was ap
pointed in. 1251.
CCTAd vices from Mexico state that Santa An
na had taken the field against his opponent.
CTThe whole amount of specie coined in he
three great mints, during the fiscal 3-ear, reached
38,725,830, which consisted of no fewer than
174 4 13,021 pieces.
7There were 1,223 wild cats killed in Ken
tucky, and their scalps paid for by the Common
mon wealth, in 1853.
"Altogether they constitute a ticket which, in
point of strength and popularity, is peculiarly
fortunate." Allcghanian.
We congratulate them upon their "peculiar"
fortune, and hoje the mis that will be attachctl
by the people this next fall, will satisfy the Al
legkanean of their "strength and popularity."
VyCol. Benton saj-s if Phonography had been
invented 40 years ago, it would have saved him
just 20 years labor.
CyOn the books at Williards Hotel Washing
ton in the following recent entry, "Mrs. Lewis
and husband, Buffalo."
Judge Richardson once said that everything
was foreknown, except "what would be the .ver
dict of a petit jury."
07Long words, like long dresses, frequently
hide something wrong about the understanding.
We rather think they indicate something wrong.
0C7They have a "Sore Head" ticket in Provi
elenoo. Politics is the mother of many a queer
wrinkle.
EXECUTION OF DAVID JEWELL !
For the Harder of Samuel Mitchell, on tue 5ti of
July, 1852.
The execution cf David Jewell, for the murder
of Samuel Mitchell, on the 5th of July, IS52, took
place at 2 o'clock j-esterday, in the jail-yard, in
the presence cf a deputation of several hundred
persons.
At about eight o'clock in the morning, two of
our volunteer companies, the Jackson Indepen
dent Blues, under command of Capt. Alex. Hay,
and the Duquesne Greys, Capt. Campbell, assem
bler! at their respective armories, having been
previously commanded by the Sheriff to attend
the execution, and at 9 o'clock they proceeded to
The crowd was so dense at the back entrance
to the jail, that a portion of the military had to
be stationed there to preserve order, and keep
the way to the door clear ; and it was only by
charging upon the crowd, with arms presented,
that they at length succeeded in preserving or
der. At about half-past eleven o'clock, guards, com
posed of squads from each military companj-,
were marched into the jail-yard, and formed
lines along the yard, on either side in front of the
gallows, whose office it was to preserve order,
and keep the space in the vicinity of the gallows
clear.
At 12 o'clock the deputation were admitted to
the yard, who were formed in a position along
the walls, immediately in the rear of the milita
ry, which position they occupied with but little 1
interruption, up to the hour of execution.
Having followed the guards and the ticketed
1 . -" . . , i 1 .. 1 , . 1 -
denutation into the yard, we now leave them in
their position and turn to the unhappy prisoner
in his cell.
On Wednesday night, we are informed that
Jewell slept but little, and during Th.ur.sda3' Par
took of very little nourishment. In the after
noon of Thursday, hLi wife and child, his father
and mother, and ether members of the familv
visited the prisoner, and took the last leave of
him. We shall not attempt a description of the
scene of deep sorrow and anguish, manifested at
this last earthly meeting and parting with the
doomed man, as it can better be imagined than
described.
During Thursday night, the prisoner slept
none. He was visited during the night by a
number of the clergy, a younger brother tf the
prisoner, and a number of his friends. The time
was filled up with pious exhortation and prayer,
with and for the prisoner, who joined most hear
tily and fervently in the exercises.
On Friday morning, from the dawning of the
fatal day up to the hour of execution, the prison
er was attended by the Rev. Mr. Thomas, Rev.
Mr. Kerr, Rev. Mr. Dempsey, Rev. Mr. Nevin,
Rev. Mr. McGowan, Revs. I)ougla.-s and Brown,
who labored assiduously in the discharge of every
duty which could give ease and comfort to the
unfortunate sufferer. The prisoner expressed
eletp penitence, and prayed most ardently for the
welfare of his pious instructors, acd others who
had distinguished themselves by so many acts of
kindness towards him.
We visited Jewell, in company with a number
of others, alxuit twenty minutes before he left his
cell for the scaff. ld. We found him engaged in
fervent prayer, kneeling by the side of Mr. Mc
Gowan, cue of his moral instructors. After he
had concluded and taken his seat, he seemed as
calm and composed as it as possible under the
trying circumstances. He seemed, however,
very much enfeebled and exhausted; but after
some small restoratives were kindly administered
to him by Dr. Glenn, he seemed to revive, and
conversed calmly with those who surrounded
Iii in.
A few minutes before this, and while the cler
gymen and the prisoner were engaged in prayer,
an incident occurred, very unpleasant in its na
ture, but one which we feel constrained, without
i u,-5J11,,o -o e.t5i uuiau.cupu uuj wm r""-
1. . . , ;.,
; ...
arias around the ueck of the prisoner, and pre
sented the crucifix before him, and implored him
to seek consols' -'on in that frith, in which relief
could only be found. Jewe'.I implore 1 h:;.i to
leave the c-.ll, a ; did otheis who were present.
An ofliccr was called, who . cry kind';', and with-
i out violence, induced him to leave the prison,
i About 25 minutes past one o'clock, and when
j the time arrived for the j risone r to leave the ceil,
j he requested that he be conducted thither by
j Sheriff Magill on the one side and Dr. Glenn on
i the other. In this position they entered 1 he jail
1
yard, and the prisoner ascended the scaffold will,
a firm step, and took his stand cn the fatal drop.
He then read to the people, loudly and distinctly,
with very little apparent tremor in his voice, the
fallowing, as his " Dying Declarations :"
DYING DECLARATION.
To the People of Pennsylvania. I am a
bout to die, and I desire to leave on record a dy
ing man's declaration ; of course they will Le re
ceived for what they are worth; but I will say
this of them, that they are not made for the pur
pose of injuring auy one they are made for the
benefit of my fellow citizens, and for the purpose
of rescuing my name from the black and igno
minious catalogue in which a misled and excited
public seek to place it, which position I detest as
much as any of you.
I feel that I am no murderer that I have been
unjustly punished that I have had the whole
force of exciting circumstances (over which I
could have no control) to contend against, as well
as the charge of a prejudiced judge, who in spirit
desceneled from the bench and entered the list
against me.
I am satisfied that I am borne out in this view
of his charge by almost every person who ever
read it ; and its delivery by him was even more
effective upon the minds of the excited, than a
closer perusal cf it since. By a studied empha
sis upon certain words and senteuces, he insidi
ously conveyed the most malignant poison int i
the breasts of my jurors, against me. It cannot
be denied, with trvth, but that the Bench can
always carry great force into the jury box; there
fore, in some of the States, all criminal eaes are
submitted to the jury, after the arguments of the
counsel, without any remarks from the Court,
unless especially solicited to elucidate some point
of law on which the counsel elifler in opinion, so
that the prisoner may have a strictly fair and
impartial trial. If I had possessed the riht, I
would not now have any just cause of complaint
to record against one whom God has not fitted
for the duties of an impartial judge.
To make out a case of murder against mc, it
was necessary to prove muluce, premeditation,
irilfuLicss. Was either attempted ? Was cither
urged, unaccompanied by the most barefaced
and transparent sophistry ? A brief detail of
the facts will show, and I will not be ashamed
nor afraid to repeat them before my God, before
whom, and at whose tribunal, I am soon to stand,
and have my case reviewed and reversed : I
have been too much of a devotee at the shrine of
pleasure. Is this a crime ? If it is, millions are
at this instant guilty of the same offence, and
will go unpunished. On the fatal 5th of July, I
had given myself lo recrealiou and pleasure ; I
had unconsciously partaken too freely. One
wiw 1 mauiiiJ m f, !cua uppcaiccl to my sym
pathies, stating that his character had been tra
duced, and requested me to see him righted. I
volunteered to go with him for that purpose, little
dreaming what might occur. When we had
gone a part of the way I lost all recollection, and
knew nothing more until after the fatid blow,
which is said to have been inflicted by me du
ring the fight. I have no recollection of doing it,
but will not shrink from the responsibility, feel
ing consciously innocent ot any intention to take
the life of a human being. Heated w ith drink,
and excited with the pleasures of the day, as well
as the circumstance's attendant upon a personal
rencontre, I must have been maddened to a de
gree bordering on insanity.- However this may
be, I deeply regret it, and believe my Maker will
not hold me accountable. Gexl is my w itness,
that I entertained no unkind feeling towards the
deceased have no recollection of ever having
seen him before never meditated bis injury or
I, . 1 r . J -
j eieatn ior a single instant.
i By what kind of hair-drawn rtasonin" then,
can I be justly convicted of murder, which must
be accompanied, according to thel anguae of the
law, with vmUice. premeditation, aud wilfulness.
If I had entertained malice tow ards the deceased
had waylaid him for the purpose of robbing
him, and killed him in order to effect my purpose
had killed Liin so as to prevent his bein 4
witness against me in brief, had I been insj
gated by anything but the madness occasions
by the total absence of reason, I would not com.
plain ; I would not have the heart to say tL'
my punishment was undeserved, and that ex
citement and prejudice were the cause of nay con
vict ion.
I hold the Jury guiltless. They were unsui.
pectly led into error iu my case, and I entrtr
forgiveness f r them before the bar e f God. fLty
have sacrificed me through error, which they ate
likewise charged with in releasing those who
were also engaged in the same difiiculy, trithit
any punish me nt. According to the strict lef.t
of the law, mine was as much too heavy as thein
was too light; yet I congratulate them ujy.a
their good fortune, and trust it w ill prove a .
utary lesson to them for thft balance of their hres
My life is offered up as an atonement to the ofitn
ded laws.
I likewise forgive a certain Attorney (a ne-tr
relative of the Judge) w ho, I am informed, boa.;ts
of the part he acted in imp ressing the mind of
the Governor against rr.e. If he can appear 1
fore his God with as e kar a conscience aamylf
I will cheerfully accord to him my forgivencs.
If he can derive satisfaction by adding to my
misery, I do not envy him such a heart.
To friends and distinguished gentlemen who
have shown their sympathy for me, and res j.tci
for my distressed family since my incarccratioa,
I return my most profound thanks. I tru.'t GmI
will mete oat to them abundant rewards for iLe-ir
kindness. " He tempercth the wind tothe shorn
lamb," and therefore I leave my young wife and
little child to His tender ar.d fatherly care, wiih
the full confidence that they will be cheriahed tv
His mercy. May He guide them in the paths of
virtue, and ieacli them to obse rve more charity
towards their unfortunate fellow Lcings than Laj
been shown to inc.
I freely forgive my enemies, be they who they
may; and although I may have teen the cause
of Mitchell's death, j et I am not conscious of
having done so nor have I bten the cause cf the
death of any person, cither directly or indirect!
(Signed, DAVID JEWELL, Jn.
March 23, 154.
Af er he had finished the reading of this docu
ment, w hich he did with a:i extrao:dinary degrt
of firmness and resolution .mT has".si:-g, with
force, certain parts cf it, as if wishing to be dis-
tincly and clearly understood he adverted to
the many act s of kindness he had received at the
hands of the Sheriff during his incarceration, and
expressed deep sorrow, for his sake, at the ua
pleasent duty which that official was now called
upon to perform.
While in this position, and after he had read
his "declaration," he read an extract from the
Dispatih, in which an account of his life wm
promised to tho public. He said :
"No person has a sketch of my life in-his pos
session, written by my authority. There is no
such paper in existence, and I wish the people
to put no confidence in such documents. There
has been a great deal more said about me than
is true."
At the conclusion of the above sentence, he
conversed a short time with the Sheriff, and read
that portion of his ' declaration" in which he for
gave all injuries against him, as he hoped to be
forgiven.
He then advanced a step or two towards the
edge of the scaffold, and with a remarkable de
gree of composure and calmness, spoke to the
peor le as follows :
"My friends, you see before you a man in the
full vigor of life, w ho is about to die. I see many
faces here which I have known from boyhood.
I trust the younger portion of those present will
keep out of bad company. Take my fate i an
txami le of the effects cf bad company.
"Never touch, taste, nor hamlla intoxicating
liquors, for their use has brought me to an igno
minious death. Had it not been for liquor, in
stead of standing bi'fore yon as at present, I
would have been as free and happy as any of yOu.
I could talk with you for hours, but my time ii
drawing to a close."
At this juncture, the Rev. Mr. Douglass and
Rev Mr 4verr, ascended the scaffold at the request
of the prisoner, and Mr. Douglass offered up a
feeling and affecting prayer. During the prayer,
the minister referred very tenderly to the w if
and child of Je, veil, which seemed to cause deep
emotion on the part of the unhappy man. Hi 3
head drooped, and he seemed nearly overcome.
At the conclusion of the prayer, he spent a few
moments ia conversation with the ministers.
The legs of the prisoner were then pinioned by
the executioner, and after some time spent in si
lent prayer, the unhappy man again addressed
the people, and said :
"I feel prepared to die : I have had time to re
pent, and I have not been idle. There .will, no
doubt, be many false rumors circulated about me
after my death, in regard to my former life, but
do not believe them."
At about twenty minutes before two o'clock,
the executioner adjusted the rope upon the neck
of Jewell, and placed the cap over his head anJ
face. The unfortunate man then spoke to the
Sheriff in an under tone, and requested him to
pray lor him, upon w hich Mr. Magill, although
deeply affected, effered up a fervent and very feel
ling prayer in btnauoi ibe prisoner.
The Sheriff then bade him farewell, as did Mr.
Crawford, the Jailor, and also the ministers, and
came down from the scaffold.
The cap was then ro-adjusted upon Lis head
and face ; and after a few moments spent in si
lent prayer, and at the signal of the Sheriff, the
fatal spring was touched, the trap-door fell, and
the soul of the wretched man was launched into
eternity !
It was about eight minutes before all signs of
lifo seemed to have departed, during w hich period
the only evidences of remaining life were evinced
by a slight contraction of the ai ms and tremor of
tlw-lwdy.
At an early stage of the proceedings, thecofiia
of Jewell was brought into the yard. It was
covered with black alpaca, and surmounted with
a siWer plate, bearing the following inscrip
tion :
"David Jewell :
Born May 24, A. D. 1824:
Died March 21, A. D. lt54 :
Aged 29 years and 10 months."
About 5 o'clock last evening the remains of
Jewell were removed to the residence of his pa
rents, on Prospect street. His funeral will take
place on Sabbath afternoon, at 2 o'clock.
Thus has ended a tiagedy, the anticipation of