William Charles Miller

“ We were politely requested to sit down.
“Now,” said Judge J——, addressing himself to Rolfe, “tell these gentlemen what you have already told me.”
Whereupon Rolfe repeated the statement he had before made. “Now, gentlemen,” continued the first speaker, “I wish you to say if this gentleman—Mr. Rolfe, your name is, eh? well, there’s some fine old brandy, make yourself perfectly at home—whether, gentlemen, you find John Rolfe guilty, or not guilty, of murder. ”

“ AN ACCOMMODATING JUDGE.
Throughout the western and south-western portions of the United States the inhabitants possess certain peculiar characteristics, which, in all ages and in almost every country, have marked those living midway between savage and civilised life. This is more particularly the case with the hunters and trappers who follow their calling in the Far West, as it is termed; and whose virtues and whose vices alike are not those of the “dwellers in cities.” ”

“ The road at this point diverged in two different directions, and I was about to follow the path which I was aware it was necessary to pursue in order to reach the tavern where I proposed passing the night, when half-a-dozen rifles were raised and directed towards myself and Ned, and a rough intimation given us that we must stop and render an account of ourselves.
I at once perceived that we had fallen in the hands of a band of “Regulators,” as they are called. ”

“ Whether his rider had himself precipitated the catastrophe, or whether the horse, tired of standing still, had started off of his own accord, can never, of course, be known; but to those who are acquainted with the natural timidity of the animal, and the readiness with which he is startled by anything not within the ordinary range of his experience, it will not appear surprising that he should have been thoroughly frightened at finding himself relieved of his burthen in so sudden and so unusual a manner. ”

“ This is a privilege—accorded by the Federal Government to the actual occupant and cultivator of any piece of ground constituting part of the national territory—of priority of purchase, at a certain fixed price, whenever the lands of which it forms a part shall be surveyed and offered for sale. In this way it may sometimes happen that a man will occupy several hundred acres of government land for years, without its having cost him in the first instance a single dollar ”

“ But slave and horse-stealing are the unpardonable sins throughout the South-west, and it is no exaggeration to assert that a homicide, or even a murderer, would stand a better chance before a jury in that section of the country than a man charged with either of the above offences. ”

“ The stage-coach has never been a favourite style of travelling in the West, and, in fact, the roads throughout that section of the United States were at that time, with few exceptions, but ill adapted for any vehicle of more delicate construction than an ox-cart. ”

“ He sent down word to us that he would be up in a couple of hours.
“But tell him,” said my acquaintance, to the servant, “I want to see him on a matter of life and death.”
“Da’s no use o’ dat,” grinned the slave, “massa don’t care ’bout life and death till he get him sleep out.”
We left the house, but John Rolfe, as my companion called himself, made no further allusion to the nature of his business than to say, in answer to my inquiries, “When we see the judge you’ll know all.” ”

“ I was about to avail myself of the permission thus accorded, when a mingled feeling of curiosity and compassion prompted me to inquire of what offence their unfortunate prisoner—who had regarded the whole of the previous proceedings with an air of stolid indifference—was accused.
“Hoss stealing,” sternly replied the judge, “and there ain’t a bit o’ doubt he’s guilty, for when he was stopped he was on the critter’s back, and the man as owns him is here. However, he shall have a fair trial.” ”

“ I never see game so scarce; there warn’t so much as a squirrel to be found. I’m above cheating any man out of a dinner, but I felt that a dinner I must have. Just then a fellow comes riding along the road. ”

“ At last, one of them, who appeared to be the foreman, said:
“The case is tolerably clear, and we rather think he’s guilty.”
“There’s more tobacco on the table,” said the judge to Rolfe, “the best you can find anywhere—you’ve heard what these gentlemen have said—well,” he continued, a little uneasily, “I don’t like to tell you in my own house; but—”
“Let that be no hindrance,” replied Rolfe, refilling and lighting his pipe.
“Well, then,” said the judge, “come here at twelve o’clock to-morrow, and I’ll have you hung.” ”

“ Being much fatigued, having travelled forty; miles on horseback during the day, I slept until I felt a hand grasping my arm—opening my eyes, I saw the sun shining through the window, and my companion of the previous evening standing beside me.
“Stranger,” said he, “excuse me, but I saw last night that you was a whole-souled fellow, and I want you to go with me.”
“Where to?” I asked.
“The justice’s,” he replied.
“What for?”
“I’ve got something on my mind—it must out—I tried liquor last night, but couldn’t keep it down. I ain’t a drinking man, no how, and I feel like a dog. ”

“ Ostensibly, indeed, this request was preferred for the purpose of enabling the poor man, who should desire to raise money on mortgage to improve his farm, to do so, by showing a clear title; but, in reality, to secure for themselves so profitable an investment as the purchase of that portion of the land not already occupied by squatters would necessarily be. ”

“ But the possibility of my desiring to part company with them had, I soon found, been anticipated, and, for certain reasons, provided against by the “Regulators.”
“Mister Scudder,” said the judge, who had been engaged for the last few minutes in a whispered colloquy with three or four of the party, “straingers who travel out West must abide by Western law. We’ve dun what we consider justice on yonder critter, and we won’t allow no man to hinder it. ”

“ In them personal courage and endurance, fidelity to their word, and a certain rude simplicity of character are frequently found in conjunction with a total disregard for those laws by which society, in more settled communities, provides for its own security. ”

“ He was evidently the prisoner for whose trial the “Regulators” were assembled, and although ignorant of the nature of his offence, I could not help feeling some compassion for the poor wretch who had been so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of the ruffianly assemblage around me.
“Why, see here, Strainger!” replied the individual to whom I had spoken, “there’s many of the folks round about as has lost their cattle, and some their niggers, and every man as travels through this here part of the country has got to show his papers. ”

“ Their code of morality is, in fact, their own: and, occasionally, as will be seen by the following narrative, may lead a man, who obeys its dictates, into the perpetration of a great crime, for the purpose of avoiding the commission of what, in comparison, might be termed a venial error. ”

“ In this case, however, certain wealthy individuals in Missouri were so thoroughly alive to the value of the “Reserve,” that urgent representations were made by them at Washington, of the advisibility of having it immediately surveyed and thrown open to purchasers. ”

“ How did you come by that hoss?” casting, as he spoke, an envious glance at the handsome animal I bestrode, “and that nigger?”
I should explain here, with regard to this last imputation, that stealing slaves (with their own consent, of course) , and selling them again, the negro receiving for his participation in the transaction a small proportion of the purchase-money, has frequently been engaged in as a lucrative business by a certain class of men throughout the South and West. ”