CHAP. XXL] LYNCH LAW IN FLORIDA. 29 



of death decided upon, by a vote of six to one. They 

 then crossed from Georgia into Florida, where the 

 prisoner confessed, under the gallows, that he was a 

 murderer and robber, and called upon a preacher of 

 the gospel, three or four of whom were present, as 

 well as a justice of the peace, to pray for him, after 

 which he was hung. 



I expressed my horror at these transactions, ob 

 serving that Florida, if in so rude and barbarous a 

 state, ought not to have been admitted into the 

 Union. My companions agreed to this, but said 

 they believed the man had fair play on his trial, and 

 added, &quot; If you were a settler there, and had no 

 other law to defend you, you would be glad of the 

 protection of Judge Lynch.&quot; 



The news had just reached Milledgeville and 

 Macon of the English Premier s speech in favour of 

 the free importation of foreign corn, a subject dis 

 cussed here with as much interest as if it were a 

 question of domestic policy. The prospect of in 

 creased commercial intercourse with England, is 

 regarded by all as favourable to peace, especially as 

 the Western States, the most bellicose in the whole 

 Union, will be the chief gainers. Even before this 

 intelligence arrived, the tone of the public mind was 

 beginning to grow somewhat less warlike. The hero 

 in a new comic piece, on the stage at New York, 

 personifies the member for Oregon, and talks big 

 about &quot; our destiny,&quot; and &quot; the whole of Oregon or 

 none.&quot; We also observe an extract from the (e North 

 American Review &quot; going the round of the news 

 papers, in which the Oregon dispute is compared to 



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