Lynchburg Star

THE REGAL ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLAND.
Nero, Caligula, and Domitian were humane, till they had by the assistance of their ministers, overthrown the few privileges which had remained to the patricians of Rome. Tygers, Wolves, and Hyenas, whilst restrained by muzzles and chains, cannot glut their savage thirst of blood and slaughter. We hear frequent talk of the mercy, humanity, and christian qualities of the British monarch; as if the scenes of massacre exhibited during the American revolution were wholly obliterated from memory and from history. What sort of a government, and what sort of mercy, would have been shown to the " sons of liberty," in this country? had they been conquered? We have exhibited from a staunch English royalist a handsome picture of the expense of the regality. What sort of government George III. is anxious to establish in Britain, let the benevolent and humane Mr. Howard shew. Certainly our manumission philanthropists will not dispute the words of the good Mr. Howard. Let our British agents and anglo-federalists, recollect that those cruelties were committed where the power of this holy monarch is unlimited, where his nod could have established mercy—and before the French revolution was so much as thought possible—attached to the electorate of Hanover in the bishopric of Osnaburgh (i. e. it was then what we are about to quote was written·) ' Greatly to my astonishment, (says Mr. Howard in his history of foreign prisons)—' I found that
the rack, torture, and dungeons 'are employed in other countries besides Spain and Portugal.- At Osnaburgh, a mode of torturing 'is used, which is so highly excruciating, that it is distinguished by the title of the Osnaburgh torture! and the executioners are so expert at their hellish business, that whenever an excess of vengeance is intended against any delinquent in other states, they are constantly sent for. At 'Hanover also the execrable practice of torturing prisoners is used in a cellar, where the engine 'is kept. In the year 1779, a criminal; ( that is a person charged with a crime ) suffered the Osnaburgh torture, twice in the city of Hanover. The last time at putting the third question to him, after the executioner had torn the hair from his head. breast, &c. he confessed, and was executed.' Thus far for Howard. Another traveller says-'having heard much of the mode of torture practised at Hanover, called the Osnaburgh torture, and which is applied by executioners ' purposely sent for from that bishopric, ( the duke of York, was then bishop of Osnaburgh) I applied to be admitted to the cellar in which the engines of torture 'are kept--as my introduction was by a high officer of the court, I had the honor of a seat near the 'judges. The person who was put to the torture that day, happened to be a female, of family and respectable connections, 'whose husband stood charged with some crime, but had escaped from his executioners--they seized his wife--to compel her by the torture of Osnaburgh to criminate him and his connections. She was of the most exquisite beauty, and the judges feasted their eyes with a view of her person, already disfigured by repeated questions, as she lay extended on the rack, with only a loose garment thrown over part of her body--The Osnaburgh torture was applied in the manner that is related in Mr. Howard's narrative in all its exquisite refinements--She persisted in her innocence--Her judges, the representatives of the elector of Hanover, celebrated for his domestic and social virtues, sat unmoved, either by her beauty, 'sufferings, or protestations. They ordered the executioners to vary her tortures--the cords were drawn to the shortest. She was a mother !--From her beauteous and lovely but agonizing breasts forced by the extreme of her torments, blood spouted, and covered the faces and clothes of her judges. She still asserted her innocence--executioner, increase the question, was again the exclamation of those fiends of Hell -with the most piteous lamentations she begged for mercy-- It was in vain--the executioner obeyed the mandates of his superiors, they hove once more at the rack --she shrieked, the name ' of her beloved babe and husband murmured on her trembling lips '--nature was totally exhausted by shame and torture, she expired Good God, never shall I forget the dreadful moment! 'And is this, exclaimed I to myself, staggering from this court 'of justice, is it my king, who governs with an absolute sway in this city!" Read this you enemies of free government ye infatuated anglo-federalists! Read this of every sect and party, who are for ever bellowing out on the mercies of kings-and contrasting benevolence the social virtues of George III. with others--read this. · Here is a portraiture to adorn your parlors, fit companion with those of Wilkesbarre, Paoli-and the Jersey prison-ship.-Aurora.