Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-02-05

BY SAMUEL SNOWDEN,
S...s.xos xfss AND aovALlrRErs,
ALEXANDRIA,
At FIVE dollars per annsm.
The following 10 eloquent, that 10
if any thing 10 eloquent which rses'
pi,ul.,ss a mans crimes in order that
ne may have view Of them to render
him il possible more miserable, at
moment when he most needs consola.
ton and comfort. metropolitan.
The following affecting sentence was passed
bsJudse Iongstreet, on John M Williams
convicted OF the murder of his wife, at the
late Supreme Court in Jones County
which has been furnished for publication by
the Judge, at the solicitation Of the Bar and
, number of citizens who attended the trial.
JOHN NJ. WILLIAMS,
Whea l heard the history OF 'your
case from tho lips Of those who testified
OIL your trial, l thought it wss such an
one a. woald reconcile me to the pain.
full task | an now about to perform
But all the disgust snd horror which |
then felt at the enermity Of your crime,
have now given way tos succession OF
kind but conflicting emotions, that al.
most overpower me, aud i meet you
upon this occasion, no better prspar-
Cd to pronounce, than you are to
hear. tho awful sentence which awaits
YOU. But it 10 10 vain to shrink from .
duty which the law eompeis me to per.
form.
Hear me then for . few moments,
and forgive me for .prolonging your
suspeose, while l once more rehsarse
the cad ssosy Of your guilt. Believe
me the pi,eous tale 10 not again rspeat'
Cd to shoot ssoshsr pang into your az.
onix ed bosom. would not wantonly
sport with your feelinys. or mock your
calamity. Ii 10 directed to tho throng
which prsssss around you, to witness
our last sad interview. By them it will
Be long remembered, and may hsllow
the rude and turbulent passions that
would hurry them into crime, when the
stern mandate Of the law would be for
gotten. Ps.hsps too, il may touch
some tender chord Of your own heart
chat remains yet uDbroken, and awaken
you to such sense Of your Poriious
situation, ~ will induce you to make
successful appeal to that Bsing, whose
arm alone can snatch you from the ruin
which threatens you.
, Ii appears that some years since you
wooed and won the heart Of an smiablo,
lovely, sffsctionats and fsthesless fe.
mals-yon led her to the altar, and
shsre in tho prsssnceof that being, be-
fore whom you most shortly appear
you interchanged with her VOWS Of per-
petuai love and fidelity. She kept her
VOW amidst tho ssversst trials--she did
not forget 1.-THE marks Of your bru-
tai violence disclosed your cruelty to
she world, before her own lips whis.
psred it to her nearest friend. Whom
her wounds awakened the sympathiss
of tho only male connection she had on
earth. and forced him TO step forward
In her defence--she intsrceded in your
behalf, quellsd the rage of her defen-
dsrs, palliated the offence of her hus-
band, forgave him, and with manifesto
lions Of undated love again received
him to her bosom. With each rsvolv.
ing month your eruslties wore repeat
cd: and as often ~ they were repeated.
90 often were they forgiven. At length
your conduct assumed more alar ming
character, and she foressw the fell pur.
nose YOU have now executed. She ap.
pealsd TO the laws Of her country to a.
vert the ruin which mensced her--but
'ere she could experience their efficacy,
one word from you dissipatsd all her
fear.--she sgain rslented, withdrew
her 'plaint--again iorgave and again re.
esived you to her embrace. All this
could not melt your locked and frozen
hssrt--it served only to embolden you
In iniquity. Her friends exPos.ulated
with you-shs besought you; and her
mother, trembling under the weight Of
year., implored you to deal moro kind
" with her daughter. That mother
addressed herself to your feelings in
language, that l should have thought
even demon could not resist. When
she repeated it here, the ssernest heart
in this vast multitude could not with.
hold from her the tribute Of tear.
Behold, said che, au weak and a.
ged woman-l can neither protect nor
defend my child--her father is dead, il
YOU discard her, where 10 she to seek
Protee,ienp This sloqueat appeal could