The Bunyan Warrant. appeared for the defendant. The trial, which was conducted with marked ability on both sides, is one of the most celebrated in the annals of American jurisprudence. In clos ing the case, Mr. Buchanan confined himself strictly to the legal and constitutional ques tions involved. The Senate refused to pun ish Judge Peck owing to some technical ob jections that stood in the way of his con viction, but soon afterwards it passed an act removing those objections, and so changed the law that no judge has since ventured to render himself liable to be impeached for a similar offence. Mr. Buchanan's standing at the American bar is shown by the fact that President Van
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Buren offered to make him the Attorney General of the United States upon the res ignation of Felix Grundy in 1839, but the future President of the United States pre ferred to remain in the Senate, of which he was one of the Democratic leaders. After Mr. Buchanan was elected to the United States Senate, in 1834, he never resumed the practice of the law, but he led a busy and active life, during the ten years he was in the Senate, the four years he was Secretary of State, under the administration of Presi dent Polk, the three years he was minister to England, in the administration of Presi dent Pierce, and, finally, as President of the United States.
THE BUNYAN WARRANT. THE original warrant -under which John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Pro gress, was arrested, was sold by Mr. Quaritch in London in April of this year for £305. The warrant is signed by thirteen Justices of the Peace, of whom six were bar onets and seven esquires. The warrant runs as follows:— To the Constables of Bedford and to every of them Whereas informacon and complaint is made unto us that (notwithstanding the King Majties late Act of most gracious gen'all and free pardon to all his Subjects for past misdemeanors that by his said clemencie and induljent grace and favor they might bee moved and induced for the time to come more carefully to observe his Highenes lawes and Statutes and to continue in theire loyall and due obedience to his Majtie) yett one John Bunnyon of yor said Towne Tynker hath divers times within one Month last past in contempt of his
Majties good Lawes preached or teached at a Conventicle Meeteing or assembly under color or p'tence of exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Litur gie or practice of the Church of England. These are therefore in his Majties name to command you forthwith to apprehend and bring the Body of the said John Bunnion bee fore us or any of us or other his Majties Justice of peace within the said County to answer the premisses and further doe and receave as to Lawe and Justice shall appertaine and hereof you are not to faile. Given under our handes and scales this ffowerth day of March in the seaven and twentieth yeare of the Raigne of our most gracious Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second Ao q'. Dui juxta, etc 1674. Bunyan was arrested March 15, 1674, and his imprisonment in Bedford Jail lasted six months, during which period he thought out, and, it is generally believed, began his immortal work.
