"I have only to demand, in conclusion, that, for the sake of public justice, and, in order to give a citizen his right of self-justification, you abstain from all manifestations of mobocracy toward my person, and that you obtain a warrant for my arrest from the proper legal authority, containing specific charges,—if there be any, really,—with a notice of time and place of trial, by a legally impaneled and sworn jury of my peers.

"This right I claim, together with the right to retire, at once, to my present abode, unmolested and undetained."

The “orator of the day" then sat down, while a deathlike silence pervaded the apartment. His excited vision traveled resolutely-if not calmly -over that throng, noting the effect of his remarks, and weighing his chances of escape. No word being spoken, he rose, took his books from the bench, and, taking his hat in his hand, looked toward his uncle, who, sitting with bent head, seemed frozen to apprehensive silence. Touching him upon the shoulder, he ejaculated, "Come!"

As the two were proceeding toward the door, one of the banditti, Col. ROBERT RIVES, rose, and, in a voice almost inarticulate with passion, moved that the vigilance committee "now go into secret

gated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community," etc.— Farewell Address of George Washington, 17th September, 1796.

session.' ""* As the nephew, with his uncle, was departing, he heard the question seconded, put, and carried. Here was palpable proof of deception and design. The settled purpose of many of them was traceable in their tones, which were "still as the breeze, but dreadful as the storm."

*This was contrary to promise, of course, but the whole course of Rives, from beginning to end, was characterized with a fell and rabid spirit of destruction. He was eager to procure my murder, guilty or not guilty. He had already made up his mind, and regarded no pledges or promises whatever

"Ah! can you bear contempt? the venomed tongue
Of those, whom ruin pleases? the keen sneer,
The rude reproaches of the rascal herd,-
Who, for the self-same actions, if successful,
Would be as grossly lavish in your praise?"

THOMPSON.

They praise and they admire they know not what,
And know not whom, but as one leads the other;
And what delight to be, by such, extolled,
To live upon their tongues and be their talk,
Of whom to be dispraised, were no small praise ?”

"The good old rule

Sufficeth them, the simple plan,

MILTON.

That they should take, who have the power,
And they should keep, who can.”

SCOTT.

Ar the door and front yard of my uncle's humble abode, we found assembled the whole household, who welcomed us back with joy. To their congratulations Uncle Daniel responded in tones of encouragement. My mother wept for joy upon my shoulder. My cousins, with whom "Cousin Robert" was no slight favorite, clasped my hands and rejoiced over me. In the vicinity of this touching scene, my aunt and uncle talked in low

11

tones, while Tenah, the mulatto servant, and constant attendant of my mother, retreated kitchenward, muttering, "I wonder wha' Mass. Robert been do to gib de wite folks so much trouble."

I could not find it in my heart to lessen the brightness of that hour by a single desponding syllable; but the cloud, that overhung my spirit, flung its shadow on my brow. The magnetic ef fect of that secret session thrilled me with instinctive prescience. I knew my reprieve was not a permanent release; but a mere lull in the storm which was even then collecting its electricity for another and more formidable outburst.

The next day was one of unusual quiet at Collirene. The male inhabitants were at a muster in Benton, where Col. Rives, arrayed in his military trappings, I afterward learned, rendered himself very conspicuous in his efforts to get a mob to visit me forthwith; but he was dissuaded by Williams for the present, as the culprit (!) had already appealed to law. So they repaired to a justice of the peace, who to their excited complaints made the following answers in substance, which ought to be kept in everlasting remembrance as an evidence of the "chivalry" of perjury :

1. The culprit could not be found guilty of any crime according to law.

2. He had rightly construed the spirit and letter of the law, which contains no language to describe his acts and intentions, except to justify them.

3. The vigilance committee, therefore, could not act, but the people (meaning some people, I suppose, in sufficient numbers) could visit him in such a way as to render the punishment of their acts light upon each, on account of the responsibility of all.

4. The justice of the peace, who was sworn to support the State laws,-being a Secessionist, from interest, and by nature a tiger,-after having admitted that the laws were explicitly on the victim's side, advised his illegal arrest.

"And Felix willing to show the Jews a favor, left Paul bound."

Of all this I was at the time profoundly ignorant, for I was in an agony of suspense at Collirene.

What to do? Flight would involve me in disgrace, perhaps in death. Every man's hand would be against me, and suspicion would gain boldness from any apparent unwillingness to sustain legal measures. No! I would await, in agonized suspense, the trial of law, which I had challenged. This, I felt apprehensive, would never be accorded. I knew the tiger-nature of a mob, which, disappointed of its prey, crouches immediately for another spring at the throat of its selected victim. Should the fiendish leaders of the vigilance committee appeal to that tiger propensity by artfully playing upon their prejudices and fears, no power in law could save, although should law-abiding times be ever known in Alabama, it might avenge

me.