The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-03-24 00:00:00

Comfsrionbence•

THE WALDITCH NUEDEJL.

T. the Editor.

London, March, 1863.
you kindly grant me space to submit to
your readers the considerations suggested to my mind
during the perusal, in your journal, of the evidence
given in the lamentable Walditeli murder ease. Tbe
murderer and the victim were unknown to me eves by
same. I shall be free, therefore, from any premumetved
prejudice. Without for • moment pinaaying the
propriety or justice of the verdict of the jury. I
ent the Imoms:we, and ask myself "Had Fooks com•
plated his purpoite, and slew himself. ea was his on.
doubted intestine, what then would have been the
verdet of the samegantlemen had they situ a eormer's
jury to inquire into the eircumstancies of Fooke's
death r To my mind, clearly one of temfarfal lowill4tf•
No man would have believed that be, who had Imbed
' 49 year* of age, with that blameless regard for law and
ordicr which Is argued by his meinl position, could, it
mine, hare paid slob an awful prim as rushing into the
presence of his Maker, his hands imbrued with a brother's
blood, for the mere gratification of spleen. No merce-
nary motive is al
A recluse in !'gre-rt, without • domestic circle to
divert:and diwipate his fancied wrongs—his gun appa-
rently ever in Mud in his solitary walks—a distempered
fancydlaying the lost of neighbourly esteem, which his
intagmed gave to his victim an exultant spirit. How
little Wort, (perhaps with • happy peemeismkari, might
have altered and averted this &moan' result. erimPt
precisely au of those cases that if the intensity of their
quarrel had been fully known to the clergyman of be
district, and be had waived that generally wise niontrin
Mint restrains them from interfering with their neigh-
bours and parishioners' daily goorerns and ham Ma-
riam! him

" How weak snd insatiate is Ma—
Tbe purpose of today
Wove, with pains into his plan
To-morrow sends away."
That there was no exultation oa the one side, it might
have revived it' broken spirit on the other, and pre•
vested that brooding over a supposed wrong del was
urging sweat self-willed watt, distraction, and this
deplorable wordless. Let it not be supposed that I hold
human life is so light 011ielia—tbat as it is net my
own friend that is esorilised I eon sow plead for mercy.
I am of these who dory the wisdom as RD example,
and as • matter of public popsy, to make one murder
two! Vengeance is not man's—not society's ! No
scriptural jostilisetios is gives for it is the eaposltios
of the ister in the Sermon des. the klowst, nor in the
action of as ad-wile Creator with Use line murderer.
"And the Lord said unto him. Whosoever slayeth
Cain vengeance shaU be taken on him sevenfold. And
the Lori set a mark upon Cain—LlST any Gilding him
should kill him."
If settletsy toe NOM.' to learn from this te4 ewe*,
it hs • from of hen./ en the weakness of hums
jedgeemelf _Wm • ars feeebeito arse ø,.lilk as

little concern for the culprit whose life wan forfeited to !
the laws of bis eimutry as the moot impulsive or
thoughtless has With reference to hie life 104,7.
Uercy in this world can only cane now from the Throne.
It is a moment for clemency when a people's love has
been so enthusi.istically displayed. that a laudable en-
treaty for Mercy from any sectioe of the people will
not be asked in vain we have seen—it im the prerogative
that our Sovereign delights to) jell to the people's wioh.
No evil example by which society weal! suffer could
possihly Striae if that mercy is secured for thie pitiable
object, Fuoks, cat off from C.. eateent and respect of
humanity, a lifelong solitary atom. without hope
hers, and mach to atone for hereafter. finch a fate
would surely not urge oneread the band that an un-
resisting judgment bad upraised to take a brother's
blood. If death be the example desired by the advocates
of capital panishoient, he aril have mentally buffered
all. The physical pang of parting with the vital bpark
alone reumina, and let the believers in momentary
death (and their forgotten examples) remember that
' continuous ignomiey, without a dramatic denoilement,
has been foetid most effective in the prevention of
, crime—that mercy with ignominy has etayed the band
of the regicide. You have earnest and eloquent
! wintered charity amongst you.
Poirost and foreman of the train that wait
On atone most dignified and happiest state,
'Whether we name thee Charity or Love,
Chief grace below, and all in all above."
Let every village send op its memorial for a commuta-
tion of the Neaten,. Let none thick themselves so man.
important that their influence to save life is nob a
landab,• object, kindred to that sympathy of which
Cowper says :
"'Tisnwoveeintlhewuovreldn',a,ecgredartec.plan,
And ilxm bti
That all the true delights ol man
Should spring from sympathy.''

Basins; your kind Joanna., and hoping your ad-
vosney.—Faithfully yours,
HENRY WEBBER.
1, Breneretreet. Golden-square.