Va., conspired to crush the " rebellion." Their efforts were thwarted by the cour age, vigilance, and energy of Col. Charles Lynch, Capt. Robert Adams, and Capt. Thomas Calloway, aided by Col. William Preston, all Virginians of wealth and influ ence. Colonel Lynch, being Chief-Magis trate, had the powers of a judge. He was
nine lashes, and made to shout, " Liberty forever! " After this he was set free, with words of counsel and admonition that left him a wiser if not a better man. One of the Tories arrested was found to have papers of importance to the royalists concealed in the hollow of a square bedpost. He received the usual castigation, was given a house to reside in on the premises, and forbidden to leave them on pain of severer punishment. These orders he strictly obeyed. The refrain of a popular song of that section was, —
,
"Hurrah for Colonel Lynch, Captain Bob, and Calloway! They never let a Tory off Until he shouts for Liberty."
The manner of procedure cannot be said to be lawless and unauthorized, and was considered by most amply justified by the disturbed condition of the country resulting from the repudiation of allegiance to the English Government. The prisoner was brought face to face with his accusers, heard the testimony against him, and was permitted to call witnesses and be heard in his own defence. If acquitted, he was let go, often with apologies and reparation. If found guilty, he was punished as before stated, and made to recant his disloyalty. THE LYNCH-LAW TREE. After the Revolution the Legislature of From a Sketch from Nature. Virginia found it necessary to protect these gentlemen by special enactment from the a man of striking individuality, and " vividly civil suits brought against them for taking impressed the popular imagination, — so emi the law into their own hands. (See Hannently a leader that he naturally and easily ning's Statutes at Large, vol. xi. pp. 134, took his place at the head of the Whig party 135.) In later times the mild sentence of in his section of the country." thirty-nine stripes gave place to the sen These gentlemen, ardent patriots, kept a tence of death, and many lives have thus sharp watch upon the loyalists; and when closed without ceremony; but no one ever one was discovered playing into the hands came to his death at the hands of the gal of the enemies of Washington, he was seized, lant Colonel Lynch, except on the battle taken to the residence of Colonel Lynch, field. No ghastly body ever dangled from examined by a court composed of the gen the bare old tree that has battled with the tlemen above named and others, and if found storms of one hundred and fifty years. — guilty, tied to the walnut-trees, given thirty- Philadelphia Times.
