ates-general.

The reputation of the English was not so much affected by the
irregularities of her privateers, armed for rapine, as by the neglect
of internal police, and an ingredient of savage ferocity mingled in the
national character; an ingredient that appeared but too conspicuous in
the particulars of several shocking murders brought to light about this
period.--One Halsey, who commanded a merchant ship in the voyage from
Jamaica to England, having conceived some personal dislike to a poor
sailor, insulted him with such abuse, exposed him to such hardships,
and punished him with such wantonness of barbarity, that the poor wretch
leaped overboard in despair. His inhuman tyrant envying him that death,
which would have rescued a miserable object from his brutality, plunged
into the sea after him, and brought him on board, declaring, he
should not escape so while there were any torments left to inflict.
Accordingly, he exercised his tyranny upon him with redoubled rigour,
until the poor creature expired, in consequence of the inhuman treatment
he had sustained. This savage ruffian was likewise indicted for the
murder of another mariner, but being convicted on the first trial, the
second was found unnecessary, and the criminal suffered death according
to the law, which is perhaps too mild to malefactors convicted of such
aggravated cruelty.--Another barbarous murder was perpetrated in the
country, near Birmingham, upon a sheriff's officer, by the sons of one
Darby, whose effects the bailiff had seized, on a distress for rent.
The two young assassins, encouraged by the father, attacked the unhappy
wretch with clubs, and mangled him in a terrible manner, so that
he hardly retained any signs of life. Not contented with this cruel
execution, they stripped him naked, and dragging him out of the house,
scourged him with a waggoner's whip, until the flesh was cut from the
bones. In this miserable condition he was found weltering in his blood,
and conveyed to a neighbouring house, where he immediately expired.
The three barbarians were apprehended, after having made a desperate
resistance. They were tried, convicted, and executed; the sons were
hung in chains, and the body of the father dissected.--The widow of a
timber-merchant in Rotherhithe being cruelly murdered in her own house,
Mary Edmonson, a young woman, her niece, ran out into the street with
her arms cut across, and gave the alarm, declaring her aunt had been
assass