hat he had been
executed, because his captain and officers had violated the laws of a
distant land; what would be your feelings? I cannot tell, but I believe
the feelings of all of you would be the same, and that you would
exclaim, with the Hebrew, "My son! my son! would to God I had died for
thee." This boy _has_ a father; let the form of that father rise up
before you, and plead in your hearts for his offspring. Perhaps he has a
mother, and a home. Think of the lengthened shadow that must have been
cast over that home by his absence. Think of his mother, during those
hours of wretchedness, when she has felt hope darkening into
disappointment, next into anxiety, and from anxiety into despair. How
often may she have stretched forth her hands in supplication, and asked,
even the winds of heaven, to bring her tidings of him who was away? Let
the supplications of that mother touch your hearts, and shield their
object from the law.

After a luminous charge by Judge Story, the jury retired to agree upon
their verdict, and at 9 o'clock the next morning came in with their
verdict.

_Clerk_. Gentlemen of the Jury, have you agreed upon your verdict?

_Jury_. We have.

_Clerk_. Who shall speak for you?

_Jury_. Our foreman.

The prisoners were then directed severally to rise as soon as called,
and receive the verdict of the jury. The Captain, _Pedro Gilbert_, was
the first named. He arose, raised his hand, and regarded the jury with a
firm countenance and steady eye.

_Clerk_. Jurors look upon the prisoner; prisoner look upon the jurors.
How say you, Gentlemen, is the prisoner at the bar, Pedro Gilbert,
guilty or not guilty?

_Foreman_. GUILTY.

The same verdict was pronounced against _De Soto_ (the mate) _Ruiz_,
(the carpenter,) _Boyga, Castillo, Garcia_ and _Montenegro_. But
_Costa_, (the cabin-boy,) _Ferrer_ (the negro,) _Guzman, Portana_, and
_Velasquez_, were declared NOT GUILTY.

After having declared the verdict of the Jury, the Foreman read to the
Court the following recommendation to mercy:

"The sympathies of the Jury have been strongly moved in behalf of
_Bernardo de Soto_, on account of his generous, noble and
self-sacrificing conduct in saving the lives of more than 70 human
beings, constituting the passengers and crew of the ship _Minerva_; and
they desire that his case should be presented to the merciful
consideration of the Government."

Judge Story replied that the wish of the jury would certainl