TRUTH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 172, 5 January 1860, Page 3

TRUTH.

The following'beautiful illustration-of the .simplicity anil power of truth, is from, the'pen, of S. ft. Hammond, editor of the Ail}any Stare Register. He was an eye-witness ofthe scene in one of'the'higher eourts-of the State of New York.

A little girl, nine years of age, was offered as a witness against a prisoner who was on his trial for felony committed in her father’s hotw.. “ Now, Emily,” said the counsel for the prisoner, upon her being offered as a witness®, “ I desire to know if you understand the nature of an oath ?”

“ I don't know what you mean," was the simple answer. “ '/Yere, your honor,” said the counsel; addressing the court, “ is anything further necessary to demonstrate tho validity of my objection ? This witness should be rejected. She does not comprehend the nature of an oath.” “ Let us see/’ said the Judge. “ Come

here, my daughter.” Assured by the. kind tone and manner of the Judge, the child stepped towards him, and looked confidently up in his face, with a calm clear eye, in a manner so artless and. frank, that it went straight to the heart.. “ Did yon over take an oath?” inquireiV’theJudge. 2’he little girl stopped back with a. look of horror, and the red blood mantled in. blush all orer her face and neck, as she answered,

“ No, sir.” She thought lie intended to inquire if she had ever blasphemed. “ I do not mean that,” said the Judge, who saw her mistake, “ I mean, were yon ever ■*, witness before ?” “ No, sir, I never, was in court before,”' I was tho answci\ He handed her the-Bible open. “Do join, know that book, my daughter? ” , SheTooked at it, and answered, “ Yes, sir;. it is the Bible.” “ Do you ever read it ?” he asked. “ Yes, sir; every evening.” “ Can you,tell me what the Bible is?” in-.-quired the Judge. “ It is the word of the great God,” ehe answered. “ #ell, place your hand upon this Bible, and listen .to what Isay.;” and he repeated slowly and solemnly the oath usually administered to witnesses. “ Now,” said the Judge, “ you have sworn as a witness, will you tell me what will befall you if you do not tell the truth ?!’ “ I shall be shut tip in the state prison,” answered the child.

“ Anything else?” asked the Judge.. “ I shali never go to heaven,” she replied. “ How do you know this ?” asked the Judge again. The child took tho Bible, and turning rapidly to'the chapter containing the commandments, pointed to the injunction, “Thou shait not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” “ B learned that before I could read.”

“ Has any one talked with you about your being a witness in court here against this man ? ’ inquired the Judge. “ Yes, sir,” she replied. “My mother heard thay wanted me to be a witness, amt last night she called me to her room and asked me to tell her tho commandments, and thou wo knelt down together, and she prayed that I might understand how wicked it was to bear false witness against my neighbour, and that God would help me, a little, child, to tell the truth as it was, before him. And when I cam® up here with father she kissed me, aud told me to remember the ninth commandment, and tiiat God would hear every word I said.” “ Do you believe this?” asked the Judge, while a tear glistened in his eye, and his lip quivered with emotion. “ Yes, sir,” said the child, with 1 a voice aud manner that showed her conviction of Us truth was perfect. , “ God bless you, my child,” said the Judge; “ you have a good mother. This witness is competent,” lie continued. “ tVei-e lon trial for my life, and innocent of the charge against l me, I would pray God for such witnesses as this. Let her be examined.”

She told her story with the simplicity of a • child, a* she wav but there was a directness about it which carried, conviction of its truth to every heart. She was rigidly cross-examined. I’he couusel plied her with ingenious questioning, but she varied from her first statement iu nothing. The truth as spoken by that child was suhiime. Falsehood and perjury had preceded her testimony. The prisoner had in-, trenched himself in lies till he deemed himself impregnable. Witnesses bad falsified facts in bis favour, and villainy bad manufactured for him a sham defence; but before her testimony falsehood was scattered like chaff. ' Tho little child for whom a mother had prayed for strength to ho-given her to speak the truth as it was, before God,-broke the cunning devices of matured villainy to pieces like a potter’s vessel. The strength prayed for was giveu her, and the suhiime and terrible simplicity—terrible, I mean, to the prisoner and his associates —with which she spoke, was like a revelation from heaven.

The Regina, Messrs. Willis & Co.’s New Zealand passenger packets sailed on Sept. 1 with a full cargo of goods and 280 chief cabin, intermediate, and steerage ■parveugora ■ for Canterbury,