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n。 In addition to these； the following papers were now brought forward： A letter addressed to the name of Benson； on board the British sloop…of…war； Ceres； another directed to William Bennet； on board the Dutch barque William； when at Batavia； nearly eighteen years since； this letter was important； as it was evidently written to an American sailor； and alluded to his having been recently shipwrecked on the coast of Africa； and taken up by a Dutch vessel。 These documents were all received with great interest； and their probable authenticity seemed generally admitted。 Mr。 Reed then observed： 〃We shall close our evidence； gentlemen； by laying before you testimony； sufficient in itself to prove triumphantly the identity of the plaintiff； when connected with a small portion only of that which has preceded it。〃
He drew from his papers an old Russia…leather pocketbook； with the initials W。 S。 stamped upon in large Gothic letters。
Mr。 Wyllys made an involuntary movement as it was held up for examination； that very pocket…book； or one exactly like it； had he given himself to the son of his old friend； the very last time he saw him。 He watched the proceedings at this moment with intense interestevident to everybody。
〃This pocket…book； gentlemen； is the property of the plaintiff；〃 continued Mr。 Reed。 〃The initials of his name； W。 S。； stamped upon it； are half…effaced； yet still sufficiently distinct to tell their story。 But the contents of this precious book are of still greater importance to the interests of my client。〃
Mr。 Reed then opened it and drew from one side a letter； and read the address； 〃William Stanley； New York； care of Jonas Thomson； Master of the ship Dorothy Beck。〃 〃This letter； gentlemen of the jury； is signed John Stanleyit is from the father of William Stanley； in whose name I now submit it to your examination。〃 The letter was then read； it corresponded entirely with the circumstances already known to the reader； its date； nature； handwriting； all were perfectly correct； and the signature was sworn to by several witnesses。 Mr。 Wyllys was evidently moved when the letter was read； he asked to look at it； and all eyes were turned on his venerable countenance； as he silently examined the paper。 It was remarked that the hand which held the letter was not steady； and the features which bent over it betrayed perceptible agitation。 Mr。 Wyllys turned to Hazlehurst； as he finished reading the sheet。
〃It is undeniably genuine； the letter of John Stanley to his son！〃 he said。
A short consultation succeeded between the defendants。 Hazlehurst wrote a line or two on a slip of paper； and handed it to Mr。 Wyllys； and then to Ellsworth and Mr。 Grant。
〃Will the counsel for the plaintiff tell us； why these documents were not produced at the interview with the defendants？〃 asked Mr。 Ellsworth。
〃We had several reasons for not doing so；〃 replied Mr。 Clapp。 〃Had our client not been received so coldly； and every effort employed to misunderstand him； we should have produced them earlier； although it would have been impossible to have shown them at that meeting； since they were not then in our possession。〃
〃Will the plaintiff state where； and from whom he first received that pocket…book？〃 asked Mr。 Grant。
Here the counsel for the plaintiff consulted together a moment。 It seemed as if their client was willing to answer the question； and that Mr。 Reed advised his doing so； but Mr。 Clapp opposed it。
〃The defendants must be aware；〃 he said； 〃that they had no right to question his client； Mr。 Stanley therefore declined answering； he had already； at the proper time and place； answered many inquiries of theirs； in a manner which had； doubtless； appeared satisfactory to the court； although it had not satisfied the defendants。 Mr。 Stanley had lost all hope of answering any question of the defendants； in a manner SATISFACTORY TO THEM。〃
Here the defendants were engaged for a moment in making notes。
Mr。 Reed proceeded with the contents of the pocket…book。 〃The letter of the father to his erring son； is not the only testimony we shall produce from the pocket…book of my client； gentlemen。〃
A printed slip of newspaper； soiled； and yellow with age； was then drawn from one of the pockets； and read by Mr。 Reed： 〃Married； Wednesday； the 10th； at Trinity Church； New York； by the Rev。 Charles G。 Stanley； John Stanley； of Greatwood； Pennsylvania； to Elizabeth； daughter of the late Myndert Van Ryssen； of Poughkeepsie。〃
Again the defendants showed evident interest。 Mr。 Wyllys passed his hand over his face； to drive away melancholy recollections of the past； the present Mrs。 Stanley was Miss Van Ryssen； and at that marriage he had stood by the side of his friends； as the priest united them。
〃Is not that a touching memorial； gentlemen； of the workings of natural feeling in the heart of a misguided boy？ He had left his father； left his home； left his friends in a fit of reckless folly； but when he meets with the name of the parent from whom he is estranged； in an American paper； in a distant land； he cuts the paragraph from the sheet； and it is carefully preserved among his precious things； during many succeeding years of hardships； and of wrongs。 But there is another striking fact connected with that scrap of paper； the individual whose name stands there； as connected in the closest of human ties with the young man's father； is the same； whose legal representative I now see before me； prepared to oppose； by every means in his power； the claim of the son to the inheritance bequeathed him； with the forgiveness of his dying father。 The simplest language I can choose； will best express the force of facts so painful。 The circumstances are before you； it rests with you to say； whether tardy justice shall not at length make some amends for the wrongs of the last eighteen years。〃
The defendants here asked to look at the paper； they could find no fault with it； in texture； colour； accuracy； every point； it corresponded with what it should be。
Mr。 Reed paused an instant； and then continued。 〃But； gentlemen of the jury； this old and well…worn pocket…book； the companion of my client's wanderings； and hard fortunes； the letter from the father to the son； received as authentic； without an instant's hesitation； by the defendants themselves； the marriage notice of the deceased father and the step…mother； now his legal opponent； are not the only proofs to be drawn from this portion of our testimony。〃
Mr。 Reed then opened the pocket…book； and showed that it had originally contained a number of leaves of blank paper； these leaves were partially covered with the hand…writing of William Stanley。 The date of his going to sea； and the names of the vessels he had sailed in； were recorded。 Brief； random notes occurred； of no other importance than that of proving the authenticity of the pocket…book。 A sailor's song was written on one page； another was half…covered with figures； apparently some trifling accounts of his own。 The date of a particular storm of unusual severity； was put down； with the latitude and longitude in which it occurred； the number of hours it lasted； and the details of the injury done to the vessel。 This rude journal； if s