The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-06-30 00:00:00

THE MURDERER PREEDY.

The following letter, written to Predy, after his
conviction, by the Rev. Lord Sidney Godolphin
Osborne, is taken from a Narrative of Preedy, put
before the public by the Rev. H. Roule, vicar of
Fordington, who attended the unfortunate man during
his incarceration in Dorchester Castle, and on the
scaffold. " Predy : I who write to you am the persoo
who found all that was required to secure to you a
fair English trial. Although I had those very dear to
me at the time very ill, I came to Dorchester every
day of the mesas, and did not spare myself in any one
sacrifice, of money, of weariness, or p.m to serve you.
You and all your family were perfect strangers to ms.
I had no motive but one—that of Christian companion
for • fellow-creature. I had not six clear days in which
to work, to save— if in justice it could be saved—your
earthly life. God only knows how hard I did work
how earnestly I prayed, to be guided in that work. I
tell you now that I watched your trial from first to
last. It was a fair trial. Whatever my private opinion
in your case might be, I believe that you were WOO-
fully dealt with by the prosecuting counsel, ably
defended by your own. Every witness against you
spoke only what he believed to be true. The judge
summed up more for you than against you. The jury
gave, with paie, what they in their belie held to be •
true verdict, You are angry, I fear, with the governor
and the surgeon of the jail. In my opinion, they cooly
Iswore to what they believed to be true. I saw with
my own eyes your conduct in the dock; and whether
that omelet was or was not that of a being over whom
reason has lost control. I never saw • man so violent
dealt with in a more calm, courageous way, in • way
showing less desire to inflict on pen.
I believe there is in your heart that a Mb is
to kindness. Remember that what I have eger
said comes from one who alone stood your ?rimed
when you took your trial for the murder of a kind.
onoffending man. You may have heard that I am •
nobleman. I am more; I am a minister of Jeans
Christ. As such, your mother could tell you I knelt
to pray with her in that time of her agony, the hours
following on your sentence. I have, in • long life, had
to see men of every rank meet death; few men in my
profession have seen more of men dying, of men pre-
pared to die, and, alas) men unprepared. I had a
week to try what could be done for you before aa
earthly judge. You have now nearly a week to UT
What can be done before the Great God, at that smile
trial when all have to plead. Your life must won end,
as a very sad tale told out. You have warmly now six
days' eke pages on which to write its last chapter. 1
who defended you. I who prayed with your mother,
entreat you calmly, quietly to set about the work. I
have read letters written at various times by your own
hand. You use strong religious expressions in them.
But I regard the holf.7l,7:ents you expressed simply
its so much learnt , proving nothing of the
real state of your heart. our conduct has given the
lie to your professions. In six short dare no man who
has lived your life eao master all the comfort the Bible
can give. But any man in that time, with the use of
the reason you pewees when you are calm, can obtain
that to which the Bible is the sole rude. I pray not
to hear that you quote texts, or repeat the pumps
of the Gospel in which hope is offered to the most
vile, peace and pardon promised to the most
violent and wicked, on certain conditions. What
I pray for is, that you shall feel your full guilt, sorrow
over it, sorrow for your soul's death in sin, yes, with
the truth in which you did grieve for your bird's death.
I know that through the wild life of yours, there bee
yet ever been in your heart a spot on which kindaem
told, from which love came forth. Shut yourself ne
with your better self. Fight against the demos of
pennon. I tell you, God and Christ are warders over
your bard-bound soul. You cannot deceive them; nor
can any emend of yours close up their love towards
you. You have never yet, in my belief, karma true re-
beim. Try it. Seemn these your last des uhstlile
worth. I know what is must °cot you be think ever the
pet. God knows it, too. He wiR be st haad if you,
preying as believing to be heard, ask Him by His own
Spirit to be with you. You are • man of no commas
intellect Hear me. Will yen who, in evil spirit,
allow no irons, no power of man to do more than re-
strain you„—will you, thus eouragoons to mita at rip-
knot, be (be coward to avoid refiecties on year past
life. God forbid it! Orme more your late &deader, the
stranger that worked for you, implore you to week
the way to God's mercy. Repent I Yes, with
bitter tears, with pea that may rack your poor
heart, fee it aIL It is for your soul's rake I pranks
you, if you do bring that peer proud wed of yours
thus down before God to gain His help. He will help
you. Now, will you really heed those kind men who
wish to lead you to trust in Jesus Christ? The power
of the holy Saviour is ever most clearly shown in thrAe
sad oases where the weight of felt guilt has midi, the
ay real, " God be merciful to me a diner!' Bmww.
her, evil will strive with von. But I tell -jeti, gin
trne tears you have sought Jens 211 your ad-,,,este with I
God, He nod leave you. In your cell, within your
heart, He w”.! watch, waiting en every Aram& yam
mike for mercy, helping as He alone CAn help. It will
im a hard struggle, I know, for you to shake off all
deceit. all desire to deceive, so as to erten the
Us. hope yen most now seek and obtain, or go banes for
ever hopeless and beyond all help. Christina bleeds
will help you. AU around you desire nothing moss
Sims to see you • man God-forgiven, Armagh Outs*,
wagoning the strange evil of your poor wild heart kr
the power of that gram never denied to him who ne-
mate and seeks it throrigh the wadded Radars&
P reedy, you and I emit never meet In this wad&
ltre never have met but when yea Mood tbsteal for
As life you have forfeited; and I—the straellot Mg"
—was there to do all man could have dame, ewe bed
you been my brother. Ohl that Gad woe Avant to um to
know that these words of mine bad k,aalied your soul'
bad let you at once to set about the lad peat work yet
kit you to de—the seeking that Farkeener to rk«. t
trust, who know waits, vatehis eforeasVoiteael
eat to ilia from your heart. flay He give re yells
know that you died, my brother in him,
Simmer G. Omar&
Nandi 19th, 1863.

Macy mmairise lasso boa as& rerpeothig the Mow
distils mad method of properfast the eelebrated cesterde
Padding", sod biagostshem irlita hewed so premises*
Ii the Censers eerved up I. Mr /deniable dspertemet
of tam late Exhileitioa. 7be prOONS plosorslies Ii
simple, if the right materiels are @sleeted. Them
ohms luxuries sea cooly be made to perfasiime use,
Duryea's IL4IZILIIst, to erbich the Immo of Chas
awarded the oaly prise medal I. he Clam, with tie
superlative moommeadaties " Essembasly smile* P
food r widish Mamie so room to doubt yid& fa
best Owe Flour. rzwpud.qtl 4414rfukkia 'week
ask, sad ishisMr by the Int
ass phislaue,
es the beet lightest,room pelatable, sad most .bl.food. It may be of svvrl To=ahM 110Nrs
bat ewe should be takes Mal Mbar km limb.
Waled. —Puss.