The Delaware gazette. [volume], September 27, 1809, Image 2

About The Delaware gazette. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1809-1810

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AR.iE.Si AllON I'Oll - * t0
By the following account taken from the Sa- cr
ratoga Independent American, it appeors that a f(J
man who calls his name Abijah bterns. ami
who ia two letters, whwh he'hwwn wn .ino
hiü commitment, to Siejihen jac«»ns *uiu tiija.i
Paine, Esqrs. of Vermont, styles himself "C huf
'ud^e of the supreme court'* of that state, wa s
last week apprehended in the county of V\ ash
ington, and committed to the jail in Saratoga
county, New-York, charged with being the
perpetrator of a murder committed at. a place
called Newtown, in the town of Halfmoon. a- i f
bout I f years ago.—No account is given in the
papers of the causes which have, at this time, |
led to the apprehension of this mail—neither who j
the person was that was murdered.
BALLSTOWN, September 5. |
MURDER _Many of the inhabitants of |
this county will recollect that two murders
supposed to have been coinmi e u
the place then called Newton, in fia moon,
about 11 years since. 1 he body of one
man was found, suspended, or the appear
ance of having been suspended by a hand
kerchief or rope, to a tree or limb; and a
dog brought in the skull of another, though
We believe the body was never found, bus
picion about this time, fixed on a Mr.
l''!inu, a tavern keeper near at hand, a* an
accomplice in the murder. We believe he
wa , h »rl hm trill or at least
was apprehended, had his tr a , or aj least
nn examination, and was .equated
A man by the name of Abijah Merits* taken
. . J r ... , . J ,
in die county of Washington, was on Wed
nesday committed to tile jail of this county
charged with the murders. T h'e circuinstaii
ces which have attached su^icion on Mr.
Sterns are singular; an^ have thrown sonic
light upon the subject, which was never he*
f'ore known. We will relate, as near as we
have been informed, his owfi story; and al
though we shall not pretend to exactness in
every instance, yet shall aim at the sub
were
stance.
About U years ago. lie was travelling
from Albany to Argyle, aa;l in a piece of
woods heard the cries of a man in distress.
Stopping, he saw a man at the distance of
about 20 rods, tied to a tree, anil another
knock him in the head with the but end of
a pistol, who then took a kr.tfe from his
pocket and cut his throat from ear to ear—
lie satv the blood stream from the wound.
The murderer then took a portmanteau,
lying at a small distance, ripped it open,
and took therefrom two linen bags, contain
ing about 80U dollars in silver, and a large
quantity of bank bills- When this was per
formed, the robber approached Sterns, and
demanded his money, 200 dollars, tied in a
handkerchief, which he relused to deliver
up, although the robber observed he had
just killed one man, for his money, and
threatened him with instant death. After
some parley, they both, side and side; wal
ked back, and about 15 rods beyond the
place where the man had just been killed.
Ol a sudden, a lad rushed out of a thicket
of hushes with a club in his hand, and with
cries beseethed Sterns to assist him in
curing the robber who had murdered his
father. 4 The robber standing between the
two, drew a pistol, presented it at Sterns,
(who begged his life) saying he bhould kill
him to prevent his appearing as a witness;
pausing for a moment, he turned round and
shot the young man through the breast, who
fell dead at his leet. At this time, a man
on a black horse, who had not before been
discovered, rode out of the bushes, and cal
led t ) the robber to secure the man, (mean
ing Sterns) who then ran towards Flinn's.
The man on horseback took another path,
and attempted to cut olf his retreat,
pistols were fired at him, and in the scuffle
was severely wounded. He reached Mr.
Finn's, however, and had his wounds dres
sed.
sc
E'onr
This we understand is the amount of the
story rtla'ive to the murder, as related by
Sterns. But it is astonishing that he should
have been an eye witness of transactions
horrid, and not have immediately rallied the
whole neighbourhood in pursuit of the mur
dertrrs.
no alarm was
SO
VV e believe, however, but little
given at the time; the subject
after created considerable
conversation, till finally it died away and
was r.lmost fot gotten.
Mr. Sterna asserts that he is Chief Judge
of the Supreme Court of Vermont; and In
forwarded letters to that state, of which the
We know nothing of
the truth oi their contents : they may be
true, or he may have a stia'agen in view to
elude the hand of justice. T hey however
contain all the further information we pos
sess on the subject.
or
some time
|S
following are copies.
liur'tstuii Jail , afuaust 31,1 800.
To Judge Stephen Jacobs, of Windsor.
S.n,
1 take this opportunity to inform you, that 1
have been on business to Albany, and on niy re
turn 1 1 V» aterton, have been apprehended
suspici ni of tnurderii
years ago, the s.une that
! Adams
on
a man in Halfmoon. l i
as murdered bv H'd
w.is convicted betöre yon
d a e 1'iiti. and VVhitç and Wilton, on the
ains
and it
23d day «f January, 180/. Sir, I entreat yon j
to come and see me as quick as this letter comes
t0 j. QUt f or j am suffering in prison lor the
cr ;, ne9 0 f Williams and Adams. I was wound
f(J an(1 m y i| fe almost exhausted by reason «I
bleeding. 1 went to Lansingburgh and paid ;
the money for adverting the murderers, ami
com|) j alnc( j lo the very same men that have
^mpUined of me and thought myself injured
^ t ^ cir nC g| ect# j have left a warrant with
iyj r< Ward, high sheriff*in Sunburv, in thccoun
' )f Worcester, and state of Massachusetts ;
anot her in Boston, 10 commit them to pit
son _ but | lavc been neglected. I am now sul
i f crin „ by reason of the court of Windsor neg
IeL .j® , 0 _Sj r> h ave pi t y 0I1 m e, and come
| ^ K ee me at liberty ; if you come and make
j ki , own ,| ie tru( |, 0 f t!)e | au .i n ess, 1 can have my
liberty, without waiting for any other court. 1
| desiie you to come and bring other witnesses ol J
| their ttuuessian.—This from our humhlescivant,
ARIIVH STERNS.
Ç h i,f Ju^ltheSipranM.
_)
ToEi.ijah Purr,
j ul f„ e p f f/, e Circuit Court at the'United States.
Honor'd Sib
j ta | ic this opportunity to acquaint you with
m y unhappy situation. 1 have been on business
IO Albany, arid on my return towards home,
have been apprehended in Greenwich, on su*p:
cion of having committed murder in Il.ilfmonn.
Sir, 1 was travelling from Albany to Arguylc
about I f years ago, and came in sight of two
who committed murrler, namely, Kbenezer He
Adamï.-On the
, weiltjr . t | lird jj luarv , one thousand eight hun
i .. r , » ,,
viral and seven, they came into Windsor, Ver
mQlltj whcre , eaw an{| ac( . usc(! ,|, Bln ,,f
committing the murder, and the judges of the
Supreme Court called a Special Court, an I they
were both convicted of committing the murder
i.i Halfmoon, before Judge Stephen Jacobs, and
Judge White, ami Judge Wilson, and your 1 lo
nor, and one of the Judges of the Windsor
county, and Judge Hunter, and a number of the
Justices of the Peace, and myself.—It was also
P'owd upon the trial of Adams by the oath of
Williams aod Polly I*ox, that Adams had com
mitted murder in I.austnburgli, and that both
ol them had confessed the justness of the
tcncc, and they were committed to John, to
Page, and another, to commit to piison, but
made their escape.—1 am now suffeiing in pri
son, for the crime committed by Williams
Adams. Sir, I earnestly intreat you to have
pity on an innocent man, and come immediately
and see me, and set me at liberty. J have left
my business so, that it will be a great damage if
1 am absent long. Sir, have pity on
innocent sufferer,
cy and peace from God the l ather, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, might he bestowed on all
both in this world and that which is to come ;
and who esteems it an honor to subscribe him
sell your most obedient very humble servant,
ABIJAH STERNS,
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
BalUtnwn Jail, August 31, 1803.
a
sen
am;
, on an
who always wishes that mer
men
KHOM TIH'. NATIONAL INTEU.tGCNCEtt.
Among the error« extensively imbibed in
this country, that appears to ire the most
extraordinary, which connects
ral prosperity with the state of
foreign relations. E'rom the liveliest inter
est we take in every viscissitude in the af
fairs of Europe, and in the smiles and
frowns ol foreign nations towards us, it
might be inferred that we were entirely de
pendent on foreign events, if not for our ex
istence, at least for every thing that renders
existence a blessing.
Is this impression correct? If it is we
ought to realise our true character and acta
part consistent with it. We should reject
the lofty notions of independence as the idol
dreams of a disordered imagination, and
learn the important duty of obedience. We
should quietly resign ourselves to our fate
instead of rashly strugling against it.
II, however, the impression be altogeth
er incorect, we are called upon dispassion
atelv to estimate our real character, to fath
om our own native resources, and to
that dependence, which will probably be
found,on a full investigation,to be the source
of almost all our divisions and troubles.
Now, experience is the unerring crucible
of every thing done by
it teach us ?
changes and convulsions which have for
twenty years agitated the whole foreign
world we have remained happy and have
grown in prosperity with every succeeding
year. . Much as we have been alarmed,
from time to time, with the
our gene
our
scorn
the
by
the
SO
What does
liven«
1 hat amidst the dreadful
and
the
of
be
to
or
menacing as
pect or allairs, we have continued to \
gress, with a steady pace, in riches,
numbers, and in power ; while these for
eign events, which excited our apprenensi
ons and made us tremble for the conse
quences, have turned out lo be either bless,
ings in disguise ; or.at worst but momenta
ry checks. 1 hrones have sunk beneath the
nervous arm of Napoleon, and the estab
lished order of the European world has tot
tered to its base. Every breeze has waited
us to the chilling sound of the hurricane,
and has filled us with overwhelming presa
ges of our own fate. But time and events
have soon undeceived us, and instead of
finding ourselves involved in the
pro
|S
111
1
re
on
l i
yon
the
general ru
rum, we have advanced, with accelleratecl
steps, toward the goal of our wishes.
England has tkspotised on the ocean and
with ; (loivt ; us irresistible as unjust,has pi
raitir ii'iv Reiv.e d all the property sht could
su { 1 j i • to the operation of her iniquitous
()r( j L . rs > S ; 1L . h ;l s', more especially, poured
; , ut t hH\dl vi.il of her wrath upon our un
(>ff d - h ^ y still, our career in
M h . , ' . , , r...
wealth and numoers and power, so far from
!>e,n 6 mtf-ri »peed, seems to nave been push
011 'vith augmented velocity#
It may be confidently assumed as a fact, that,
for the last twenty years, the United States have
progressed in riches, numbers and power, with
so uninterrupted a progress, that there lus not
been a single year, which lias not unequivocally
displayed a sensible advance ; and it may as con
hdcntly be added, that our present situation is
attended with as striking displays of this fact as
J ahy which have preceded it. Vit it must head*
l^j'ted that at no preceding period lias foreign
injustice been more avgtavatei or active, and
that we are at present reposed to the greatest
evils it is in its power to inflict. Notwithstand
ing these evils, which dcvelope the exir.iordinn
ry circumstance of our being equally exposed to
the hostility of the whole belligerent
interior of onr country indicates more unequiv
cal evidences of prosperity than we have ever be
fore witnessed. Hie price of labor is unaffected,
every man who wants employment easily finds
our towns are increasing and receiving new
embellishments, money is in plenty, institutions
that.evince a high state of civilization arc every
where springing up, an<! flic great internal im
|.roveme..t. of road, and canals are prosecuted
«'• 'he broadest scale.
a
1
world, the
o
* i true picture of the state of our
country, is it not the most conclusive evidence,
that our prosperity depend« almost altogether up
on ourselves, and that we have consequently at
tached a false importance to our foreign rela
tions ? Does it not prove that a nation of free
men, possessed of an abundance of good lands,
enjoying every variety of soil and climate, culti
vating the arts and reaping their benefits, and u
hove#»ll united by a government well adminis
tered, may safely consider their prosperity as
fixed on a solid foundation not to be sinken by
tire injustice of any foreign power, however te -
rifying. That power may, for a time, deny us
tire profits of trade, nay infringe our rights as a
sovereign nation, and heap insults up n inju
ries; but its injustice will eventually react upon
itself, by teacldn
resources, learning how to live in peace a
mong ourselve«.
I he events of the last three vears, have brought
'his interesting instruction home to the
standings and hearts of the American people.
1 he privations they have caused, have made
them feel their independence,
versally realised that they can <1
rope ; and could a full statistical view of our
progress during this period, in the improved cul
tivation of our ground, the new roads and canals
effected, and the new manufactories established,
be presented, more would b* done to convince
England of the folly of her injustice towards
than, can be expected from the profoundest de
ductions of reason or the warmest
of justice. Looking forward, with a prophetic
eye, to a period by no means distant, she would
start appalled at the precipice towards which she
is thus hastening, and would instantly
back the inconsiderate steps she has taken. By
striking off every shackle to a fiee trade, and by
becoming the zealous and efficient advocate ol
neutral rights, she would
If tiiii
us to cultivate our vast inter
mil
under
The fact is un ,
without Eu
U!
remonstrances
merisul-r
rprens our in-tnii fac
tures and perpetuate our commercial dependence
upon her; we should supply her with every
material she wants, together with provisions
the best terms, and wc should furnish
market for a direct or circuitous disposition of
lier variegated manufactures. Um'orrunately,
however for her, her policy is short sighted., her
councils consult not her permanent interests, but
transported by personal animosity, or swayed by
personal interests, to gain a momentary tri
umph, are sacrificing the only solid interests oi
the nation.
raw
, on
er with a
DIPLOMATIC EVENTS.
England, by her minister Erski
ng, made
a treaty with the United States to take ef
fect on the 10th of J
England by her subsidies (we will not
call it .6 millions of British goldJ and di
plomatic acts, excited war against Bona
parte bv Austria—and disavowed Erskine's
treaty.
Bonaparte meeting with Ifis usual
in opening the campaign, at Kckrnuhl. See—
England appointed Mr. Jackson an envoy
extraordinari to come and treat with
Austria gaining a wonderful victory (in
her army, through favour of winds and
lteshets escaping under annihilation) on the
bank of the Danube—England suspends the
sailing of Mr. Jacksons, whose departure
had been announced in the Britssh pap
ers. 1 r
On the 5th and sixth of July Bonaparte
destroys the Austrian army, and the empe
ror Francis surrenders the whole Austrian
territory—and Mr Jackson proceeds on his
so long intended voyage, and arrived safe
in this country.
Now suppose Bonaparte had beendi feat
ed instead of the Archdude—would Mr
Jackson have left England?
Ol should we have had a new edition of
Orders m Council ?
Appropos.
against Bonaparte
ders in Council.
M hen that coalattou is dissipated by
une.
succss
U3.
of
a 1
When a coalition is formed
England issues her Or
battle of Marengo, Austerlitz, or Jr
—She sends a minister to treat with uni
nil
go
vernment.
Thus Orders in Council, or a minister to
treat, depends on the fate of the continental
battles.
Has not the history of the European v. ar
for ten years past established the fact ?
Yet Federalists pray for British success.
And the republican, who will not join in
chanting the Heligoland Te Dean is called
Bee.
a Fren-h partisan !
ANTICIPATION.
What prospects does the present state of the
world a Hind to America ? and what
course
should we pursue ? are momentous questions.
1 lie prospect is doubtful, tut the principles
that should regulate our course are clear_
The fir t maxims of our government are, neu
trality without sacrifice of interest, and peace
without sacrifice of honor—or, honest friend
ship an I commerce with all the world, when
the wo d will permit. These maxims have
grown with our growth and become inherent
and vital principles of our policy—they ought
not to be changed—they cannot be changed
without risking the consequences of a thorough
revolution. But it is said we must have com
merce— 1 lake it for granted tills is practica :y
as least, as a general rule. By what prin
ciple shall we regulate our course if war is to
he the price of this commerce ?
Private interest, party passions and .short
sighted pobey might solve this question, upon
tue balance of immediate profit and loss—the
comparative wrongs we have received from
the belligerents—ui their relative power of in
flicting new injuries. Our true interests which
i consider as itidentified with our honour, will
Inuk beyond these deceptive and temporizing
calculat'ons. A seven years war in the infancy
of our nation proved that
ere competent to the struggle with our
llerc.ulean foe.
true
our energies even
then
If our ability to pvosecu'e a
snccosslul war is less now than it was then, it
is time we were put to martial exercise till our
firmer energies are restored. If on the other
hand the augmented tesources of our popula
tion and wealth for the twenty years past, (un
erju dkd even by the acquisition of power to
those
rito now divide the empire of tire old
wm Id,) have given usas they ought, under oue
un'on, proportionate energies for war—tvehave
nothing to fear,
cial nation, and a nation we cannot be without
preserving inviolate
must assert and vindicate those rights on srve
ty sea that bears our flag. The contending
party that first acknowledges those rights and
gives indemnity for the past and security fur
the future, should receive the first fruits of our
commerce, and the first proofs of our fr.cncl
lf the other take offence, let us abide
the consequence. If neither comply with terms
so equitable, let us prosecute an honest com
merce with every nation on the globe that does
not shackle :t with dishonoorable restrictions,
enterprising merchants to
arm, and our hardy tars lo vindicate our rights
from the cannon's mouth, on the first nggres
1 his will bring the question lo a speedy
issue—but one of the belligerents will esm
mence offensive operations—perhaps neither.
If hranee choose to be the offender, wc shall
co-operate with a naval power which in con- •
junction with trie increasing energy and skill of »
our ow n, could confine her allied forces forev 1 -
cr to the insulated continent, while we should
have flee access to the rest of the world, if
England commence the first act of hostility-—
what then! Shall we hear our advocates uf the
British cause preaching up the terrors of bom
bardment and the solacism of our floating in
dependence, dependant on the protection of
the British navy > No.
sedition, they will not dare to speak, much
less, to act treason. We shall soon learn that
an invading British ship ol war has no terrors
without men, Sc that within swimming distance
they will send us, in their own stout hearted
tars, more friends than canton balls,
a contest, to say nothing of the aid of the rest
ol the united
if we mean to be a commer
our essential rights, we'
and authorize our
SIOII.
If these cowards think
In such
mi l, xve should find in an ap
peal to that kindred, sympathizing soul of jus
tice which animates the great mass of the En
glish nation, ap efficient and irresistible ally,
which would soon put a period to the war on
oui own terms—thy terms pf justice and honor,
fias. Rut.
Certain deeigning men are as assiduous in
seeking occasions to praise cur present worthy
l resident as they were to abuse his great and
good predecessor. One motive is to vex re
publicans and sour them against Madison and
another is to operate upon the Chief Magistrate
mmseit, as if he were weak and vain enough
to be turned by the coarse flattery of his former
revilers Irom the straight path of rectitude into
the mazes of federalism and sin. Alas! how
sadly are they mistaken in their calculations !
Republicans will neither desert Madison
Madison desert republicanism, though the
whole host ol tories should combine their ail*
to entice him.
11UI'
Several of tiicir editors have
sense enough to know this and continue lovent
then envy and malice in pitiful insinuations a
gainst the friend of Jefferson,
occurred upun seeing remarks in some federal
papers upon the civility with which the Anglo
Carthagenian agent Jackson has been received,
which they
with which Mr. . .
him ! Fit stuff to feed the ignorant Twii^diies
not know that Jefferson always coducted him«
seit with the greatest decorui
1 towards foreign ambassadors
These thought»
saactj/ contrast with the ùarùarisii
Je Her son would have treated
and politeness
r that even the