Supreme Court. She was called upon to state her reasons for this refusal, which she did in a clear and concise manner, urging the command of Christ as the ground of her objection. According to existing regulations, the Judge must have committed her to prison for contempt of court, had the matter been pressed! but to avoid this, the Counsel withdrew her evidence.
This circumstance increased an exercise that my mind had been under, respecting the practice of judicial swearing, and this feeling was further increased, by learning that a discourse had been delivered in the Independent chapel, attempting to defend the practice; and believing that it would conduce to my peace to throw something before the public on the subject, I wrote an essay, entitled, "The Question, are Judicial Oaths Lawful? answered; with some Observations on the Moral Influence of Oaths." In this tract the fallacy of the arguments brought forward in support of the practice of Judicial Swearing was proved on Scriptural grounds.—Appendix C.
10th mo. 16th. We had a religious interview with the Hulk Chain-gang, in a long shed, in which they regularly assemble for worship, on First and Fourth days. The discipline of this gang is very strict; and from its local situation, the men are effectually kept from strong drink. The hulks, on board of which they sleep, are kept clean, and are well ventilated: they are moored close alongside of the yard in which the men muster. These prisoners are employed in public works of improvement on the side of Sulivans Cove, and are kept constantly under an overseer and a military guard. This gang, which forms an important link in the chain of the prison-discipline of the colony, is depicted, in the annexed etching, copied from a work called "Ross's Hobart Town Annual."
10th mo. 24th. A young Irishman called upon me, who came to V. D. Land, a few months ago, with a small sum of money, and soon after his arrival got into a situation; but giving way to dissipated habits, and making a mock, as he said, of temperance, he found many of his own stamp, who were willing to seek his friendship while his
