Let it be borne in mind that the existence of this clan continued for a great number of years, its fields of operations extended from State to State—from shore to shore. Here murder and prodigious rapine; there burning wrecks, with hurried flights from place to place to avoid capture and the pursuits of retributive vengeance—frequently succeeding, but now and then failing for short periods of time until the reserves in men, in money, and in officials or leagued members of the bar could be brought to bear for rescue or for jail delivery by process of law. Amid all these chequered scenes of success and adversity, it would not be impossible for some unintentional errors of date to have intervened; yet, intrinsically, such errors may be of a character as not, to the smallest extent, to affect the validity or value of the “confessions” made; but still, errors of this sort, may furnish fine capital for indirect sore-headed associates to rave and foam. As a simple illustration on this point, one man saw another commit a crime on the 15th, but, on investigation, it turned out to have been done on the 16th. Now, had he stated “on or _about_ the 15th,” all would have been complete; but will any one contend because of the omission of this “_or about_,” the whole value of the statement is destroyed? Again, typographical errors will occur in almost all printed productions, to a greater or less extent. Such errors are sometimes insignificant and sometimes material. In the original work, as first published, some few typographical errors have been discovered. For instance, “Shonesmack” should have been Shoemake or Scheumake; but the idea of raising a fuming warfare because of such sort of errors as these, is sublimely ridiculous. After some hesitation about propriety, the author has decided to re-publish the same as appeared in the first edition, with such few appended explanations and corrections as are necessary for distinct comprehension by the reader. Filial acknowledgements and a tribute of respect for the father, but mother, brothers, and associates, Copeland spared none. Without reserve—without restraint—simple and without any object of complication, truth fell fast and spontaneously during the short time he had to live. The philosopher, the statesman, and the moralist—all may deduce lessons of value to the future from his confessions. Reflections on his mother show the mighty force and influence which the female parent exercises on youth and maturity. “The rule is bad that will not work both ways.” If in this case the mother produced so much of evil fruit, a contrary or an opposite one must produce contrary results—hence, the vast importance of mothers both to the present and rising generations.