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■Wi _ „ .'’ - ‘ ■ ‘ ‘ *
VOL. IL
PRINTED WEEKLY,
BT HODGE & MCDONNELL.
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Front a New-Brunswick Paper .
|C7* We have given an entire copy
Os the following letter, >vhjch has excit
ed our astonishment, and will probably,
that of every other person who has not
«een the Exhibition and Performance de
scribed in it. -Th >se who are acquaint
ed with the Sheriff know him to be‘inca
pable of stating falsehoods, or attempt
ing ip any way to practise a deception,
will of ctourse give credit to the state
ment of facts, wonderful as they may
appear to be, which he has made.
We trust we shall be able, shortly to
furnish our readers with some further
particulars of the. conduct of this extra
ordinary man, since he lias been in the
hands of justice ; and it would be a very
desirable thing to trace his’history back
to earlier periods of his life. He is we
understand, a young man, perhaps not
more than 27 years old. At the time of
Iris trial (\n Miflast/ he appeared in
sane* bur. it was supposed tef be feigned :
and it was there stated that he had not
been known to speak one word for the ‘
four preceding months.
Copy of a letter from the High Sheriff of
King's County, to the Attorney General
of the Province of New-Brunswick) da
\ed June 26, 1815.
J fr Dear Six, C ‘ *
, paving nothing from you sirice
the late. Goal Delivery at King’s County,
I beg leave briefly Jo state to you some
circumstances of the ttfbduet of the cri
minal Henry Moore Smithy sjnee his trial
and sentence. yVfter securing hin* with
chains tp his neck and legs, and
with pandcufls in Goal, he continued
beating the floor With his chains ; hal
lowing day and night with little inter
minion ; making different sbuiids ;
sometimes With jtnkling his chains, and
sometimes without, apparently in diffe
rent parts of the Goal, insomuch as the
Coaler frequently sent for me, suppos
ling he must be loose from his chains,
which I conceived and frequently ob
Served was impossible ; being far beyond
the power of human strength or inven
tion in his situation—Until the 24th of
May, when going into the Goal early in
th** morning ( after having examined
chains at 2 o’clock the day before/
found three links of his heaviest chain
separated, and lying on the floor ,• being
rC ofthe chain without the staple.—
He continued, in that way until the id
iof Jdnfc* when we found the largest
chain parted about the middle and tied
with a string* which clearly proves that
Irons and Chains are not secure for him.
*1 then put on him a light chain, with
whith he has been ever since. I never
discovered «4iim at work at any thing,
.but he frequently produced effigiesqr
likenesses, very striking, representing
his wife. He now produced an effigy
if a man in perfect shape, with his fea
tures painted, and joints to all his ljmbs,
and dressed with clothes made in good
and fashion, out ofthe clothes he
had torn off himself fbeing now naked )
which was admired . for his ingenuity.
(This he would ||ometimes put in one
position and sometimes in another, and
seemed to amuse himself with it, with
out taking the lsast notice of any thing
felse ; and continued in his old way hai
nowiug without any alteration until the
L 3th, when die Coaler informed me that
Ke refused to eat, and no doubt was
Kick—l went to see him every day—
[found he did not,eat—all the.bread and
Mother provisions conveyed to him he
‘ cave to his effigy* strung on a string &
ATHENS i THURSDAY , SEPTEMBER 7, 1815
put into his hands. He lay perfectly
stilt day and night, and took no notice
of any thing—would drink tea or milk
which. I ga;e*him twice a-(hf for %
d * to drink any
thing for two days, which made seven
days he had eaten nothing. In that
time he began to speak—would a«k
questions* but would hold no coriversa
tion But thfe most extraordinary , the
most wonderful and mysterious of all is.
that in this time he had prepared,
m coveredt and at once exhibheffthe most
striking picture of genius, art, taste and
invention that ever was, and I presume
ever will be produced by any human
person placed in his situation, in a dark
room* chained and handcuff’d, under
sentence of death, . without so much as
a nail or any kind of thing to work with
but his hands ; and naked. The exhibi
tion is far beyond my pen to describe
To give you some faint idea, permit
me to say that it consists of ten charac
ters, men, women, and children—all
made and painted in the most expres
sive manner, with all *the limbs and
joints ol the human irame—each per
forming different parts ; their
shape, and lorm, all express their diffe
rent. offices and situation in which they
perform; tlreir dress is of different
fashions, and uniform to the stations in
which they act. V
lo view them in their situation they
appear as perfect as alive—each of
their features express* the part they are
to perform, with the air and gaiety of
an Actor on the stage. Smith sets in
his bed by the side of the goal his Ex
hibition beginnings about two feet from
the floor,, and compasses the whole space
of the ceiling. The uppermost is a
man whom he calls the Tambarine play
er, or sometimes Doctor Blunt, standing
with ail the pride and appear mce of a
master mtssician ; his left hand akimbo,
his right on his lambarine, dressed in
suitable uniform., Next him, below, is
a lady genteelly dressed, gracefully sit
ting in a handsome Swing ; at her left
hand stands a man neatly dressed, in the
character of a Servant, holding of the
dde oUhe Swing with his right, his left ,
on his hip m an easy posture, waiting
the laidies motion. On her right hand
stands a man genteelly dressed irt the
character of a gallant y jn a graceful pos
ture for dancing— beneath those three
figures sits a young man and a young
giiTf'apparently about 14 ) in a posture
of tilting at each end of the board, de
cently dressed—directly under these
stands one whom he calls Bonaparte, or
sometimes the father of his family ; he
stands erect ; his features are prominent
—his cheeks red ; his teeth white, set
molder ; his gunis and lips red ; hi*,
nose shaded black, representing the nos
trils ; his dress is that of the Harlequin ;
in one hand he holds an infant, with
the other he plays or beats music;
before him stands two children* appa
rently three or fdur years oM, holding
each other by the hand in the act of
playing, or dancing whichj with a man
dressed in fashion who appears in the
character of a Steward, sometimes in
one situation and sometimes in another,,
completes the exhibition which you
have at one view. Thfep commenses the
performance.* The first operation is
from the *1 anibarjne player or master*
who gives two or three single strokes on
hi& Tambarine that may be heard in any
part of the Jmuse; without moving any
other part of his He then dances”
gi aceiully a lew steps, without touching
the lumbarine i the lady is then swung
two or three times by the Steward ; then
the gallant takes a few steps ; then tffe
two below tilt a few times in the mon
easy, pleasant manner; their the -two
children dance a little, holding each o
ther by the hand ; after this Smith br
gins to sing or whistle a tune, to wh ch -
the are to dance ; at wh ch, the Taroba
rine strikes and every one dances n
the tune, with motion, ease and exact
ness hot be described. Many have been
the obstrvajpms of spectators ; amongst
them an old German observed, ** that
when he wasstarVingThe seven days, hi*
was making a league with the Devil, anu
that he helped him.’* All
with me, that it exceeds every thing the
ever saw or imagined. His whole .CP&4-
; duct .from the first, has been, and i
one cchUnu?4 : sgege of prolgtmd am-
tery. He has never shewn any idea or
Kn vledge of his trial or present situati
r.H;nrjv .• his irons and
art no apparent Inconvenience ;
contented like a dog or a monkey, broke
to hi* cjiain ; shows no more idea of any
thing pasty than- if he had no recollecti
on* He in short, has a mysterious art
of invention, beyond common capacity.
. I am almost ashamed to forward you
so long a letter upon the subject, and so
unintelligible ; 1 think, if I could have
t done justice in describing the exhibition
it would have been worthy a place in tjie
Royal Gazette , and better worth the at
tention of the public .than‘all the wax
work ever exhibited in this province*
P. S. Wednesday the 28f/i.—This morn
mg I found he had added to his works
a Drummer » placed at the left of his Tani
barme player, equal in appearance and
exceeding in performance ; beats the
drum with either hand or both, occasion
ally to the time in -concert with, the
Tambarine, with perlect exactness,
sometimes sitting, at others standing or
dai c iug He had also in a most strik
ing mannerchanged the position of his
scene. The Lady above described to be
sitting gacefully in her swing, with, so
many attendants and admirers,, is now ,
represented swinging in Sk dejected pos
ure, with a young infant in her
arms ‘ her gallant has left, her xmd
has taken the young girl descri
bed, about U\) by the hand, with all
the air of attention, leading her and
m dancing to tune in concert with the
music to perfect exactn,esst representing
more than can be described—-On view
of which an old Scotchman observed,
some say he is mad y others he is a fool;
but I say he is the sharpest man I have
ever met with, and I do not -believe it
was ever equalled by the hands of man** i
This evening a gentleman from Boston
f having heard the above
on viewing the performance, declared
that he could say fas the Queen of She
ba did j “ the half had not been told
and that lie had been in the Museum ftt
Boston, which contained nothing that e
qualled it. ; .
INDIAN NEWS.
Copy of a letter addressed tp Gen. Bissell
and Col, Miller , by the Commissioners
appointed to treat with the fndians . ,
Portage De Sioux, July
M s* r “7"As Commissioners appointed
to negotiate a treaty pf peace, with the ’
tribes of Indians residing upon the Mis
sissippi and Us waters, who Kat the time
of the ratification of the late treaty with
•Great Britain, were at with the U
nited States ; we, in conformity to our
instructions, notified those tribes of the
peace that had been concluded and of the
stipulations it contained in regard to
themselves, and at the same time inVi-’
ted them to af&nd by a deputation of
Chiefs at that plage on the sixth instant,
for the purpose of concluding’ a treaty of
peace and amity between the United
States and themselves# v V
u The friendly overtures of the % go
vernment do not, however* appear to
have been met by a corresponding dis
position on the part to those tribes.
$ None of them Have yet sent forward
and Sufficient deputation to treat with us.—
Several of them have hot sent a single
mah $ nor have we any ground to expect
they will do sp.—And while a considera
ble number of the most insignificant and
contemptible persons of the Sacks arid
Foxes of Hocc river, have, attended>
without more than one chief, we, have
been informed & have reason to-believe
neir principal chiefs and warriors con
• mue to cherish the most inveterate and
eadly hostility towards the-American
v.opk and government j and that war
al 1 - ies from those tribes recently started ,
,oV our frontiers, which statement is
onsidered the more probable by the oc
urrence of some #ery late acts of hos
r tity (of which they have previously
ommitfeq many ) since they were in
formed ot the peace. r F
- “The Kickapoos sent forward one
Jiief only, and there are strong grounds
,o believe that they have identified them
•€jyes‘the-Sacks and Foxes in their
hostilities, and that they participate
tifeir present unfriendly disposition, c’
4< Those three tribes leit tnert; private
,it I act n rorKt and ixfo foa 1 i r /vti'n /f i iFtj
state to you, as our opinion* that the
exertion of the military power of the
government will be necessary to secure
and safety of this country*
We have the honor to be, Bcc«
’ fSigned/
Wm CLARK.
NINUN EDWARDS.
AUGUSTE CHOUTEAU.
M'Permoti's Fort , July 10.
Sir-*—Never’ did the Indians perhaps
shew a more determined intention of
hostility than at present in this quarter/
yesterday about 2 o’clock in the evening
two privates of my company, as they
were passing along the common road,
leading from St. Charles to this place;
wifhin two miles of the fort, had their
attention arrested by the bleating of a
fawn, and on turning h little that way, to
which they had heard the noise, disco
vered two raise from behind a
large laying down tree, about 50 yards
fro.n then, and as one of the Indians,
was raising hjs gun to his. face, one of
the men tired at him, the Indian fell and
was seen no more, but while he was
loading hi* gun again an Indian fired at
him and* shot him through his shot
ppuch and ihroughthe waistband of his
pantaloons. His fellow in arms had ta
ken a stand behind a.tree which was
convenient, shot an Indian who was be?
hind another tree loading his gun, and
who he t supposed was noticing the other
man. , He saw him,fall behind
arid not knowing how many Indians
there were, they made the best of their
way to the fort, w t
* Seven men then went lit pursuit of the
Indians, and found the beads of three
Indians behind the tree* and saw where
the Tb'all, which was shot at the Indian
behind the three tq have slightly touch
ed the bark and considerable blood, and
on pursuing their trail', . found some
leaves which had been put in the Wound*
saw blood frequently on the trail -
Thinking themselves too weak they
gave up tne pursuit for that day. NeW»
was brought me immediately at Loutre
Island, and this c)ay I arrived here with
six men to continue the search, hoping
tlie wounded Indians might.'be found,
but the citizens and my men here had
been, .out early ‘in the morning, they
could not trail the Indiamt/ar ; saw the
sign of three Indians distiricJy, &c
’ Wm. Habl.v. Captf Mi Ma.
English House of Lummons, June. 10.
NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY.
. §ir John Nfieupqrt rose to bring for
ward the motion m which lie had given
notice, relative to the Jtfew-foundiand
Fishery. He strongly deprecated any
interpretation of his rnotion inimical to
America*. But the Americans hud the
exclusive rightof fishing on their own
coast, aid we should have it equally on •
ours. We had the exclusive fishery on
the coast of Mew-foundland, Labraciore,
and on the Gulf cf Florida, before the
American war. • We had then iq
that fishery 16,000 seamen and 80,000
tons of shipping. This was a vast source
hot onfy of weal'h to our commerce, but
of strength to qur maruuue right.*
He would‘therefore move, tfiat there be
presented to his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent an humble address, re
presenting the state of the Fisheries
on the coast of New-foundland, Labra
dor, and the Gulf of Flo ida, and the ,
exclusive right of Great Butuin to those
Fisheries; and praying that there be
instructions given to our Naval com
manders on those to maintain
our exclusive- right, in them.
General Gascoyne seconded the mo
tion* v
Lord Cast ereagh agreed with the
right Honorable Baronet in the value
of the fisheries, but this right, like oth
ers» he conceived should be left to the
guardianship of the executive, till there
was cause of complaint of its violation
, He assured the Right Honorable Baronet
that it was the intention of his Majesty’s
Government to pay all due attention to
tins important subject- He should there
fore move the previous question.
V London, June 27, „
It is a fact beyond all doubt, that
three fourths pf the French nation are
foi the King : and so well convinced of
this truth is our. illustrious Hefo,‘that
NO. LXXXH