The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-12-28
From the New York Observer.
Sentence for Murder,

II oTk, convicted OF the muTder OF MS Vile. L III
fact stated by Judge Z. that in the last 7,ine gears
elevem men had been arraigmed betorc him for III
murder Of their aciueS, ten of whom were drunl;
ards, shows the vast importance ofcontnuing ant
increasing efforts to give efficacy to the temper
ance reformation.
Prisoner-Listen 70 what | am about to sa,
TO you. After patient and thorough Investigation
of your case, in the course of which you wa
faithfully and ably defended by your counsel, yot
have been convicted by Jury of your country O
whom you lived with, and acknowledged as YOU
celvlng the sentence which the law awards t(
your crime.
| Upon this solemn occasion it may not he unat
tended with good, to advert to the cause which
has reduced you TO this dcnlorable condition
This, by your own confession, was rum. Within
the last nine years, have had eleven men arrapa
led before me on indictments for numbering thoi
wives; ten of whom were drunkards. Wha
stronger proof could be afforded OF the deplorablc
consequences of incompetence
These victims were urged on BY it from one de-
gree of depraylty to another, till they were not
only induced to ilnbrue their hands in the blood
Of their ftow beings but to sacrifice the partners
OF their boson1s-those whom they rested under
the strongest obligations to love, cherish, and pro-
tect.
Instead Of cncircling them in their warmest
affection, they deprived them Of life, and they now
lie Wondering in their graves.
From my own experience, aud the best infor-
nation have Obtained, am satisfied that three
toufths OF the crimes committed are consequent
ON lnempurance. Drunkards crowd our penilenti
ares, and our alms-houses are filled with them,
or with those who are brought to want by The in
temperance Of their natural protectors. In spite
Of the admonitions OF wise and good men, victims
of nenperancc daily swell the throng, and the
tide of misery consequent upon it moves on, and
will continue to move ON, as Icing as like causes
continue to produce like effects.
Wore ii a possible thing to portray the misery
upon the use Of ardent spirits, from
the first anxios look and suppressed sigh Of parents
and wives, through all the sickness, poverty, and
crime attend INT uron it; from the FIRST disregard
of the kind admonition of friends. till the hands
Of the victims recl with the blood of the partners
Of their bosoms society would look with horror
upon the scene. The counsel of the wise would
rot then be disregarled, nor tears Of nearest and
dearest relatives be shed in vain.
Every young man should come 10 fixed de-
termination Fever to taste the accurSed cups and
every old man, should to lis example, add his in
nuence 10 eradicate the evl-an evil which has
swept ore race of human beings from the land on
which we live, and which at another time threat
ened to demoralize anothcr.-But 10 return from
this DEPRESSION
Miserable man! What can, what ought l to
say 10 you? You now stand trembling before
this early tribunal, upon the very verge of eter-
nifty. But for habits of intcmperance, you would
now be moving among you' fellow men, respccta-
bic as you once was, and in the enjoyment Of
health and competence What delporabe con-
trast to your present condition! With a.
frame enfeebled by dissipation, and with con-
science reeking with the blood of your victim, you
Divine Creator of all things 1t can be hardly nee
essary for me to admonish you to prepare for the
change; for you have human nature in you,
you must be aware of the importace Of so doing.
After few revolving suns this world will cease
to be your -habitation-from the society of men,
from friends and relatives, from the busy hum of
society, from all which here awakened hope, or
gladdened the heart, you will soon be removed
forever.-Your lamp Of li(t is about to be cxtin-
guished. Prepare then, for the awful change.
TO the Creator of all things, let your most
fervent supplicatons be raised. As it was from
Him whom you received all you have enjoyed
here, SO to Him alone must you look for all which
you may hope to enjoy hereafter
will now proceed to the discharge of the last
and most painful duty ofthe Court. Listen to
your sentence.
The judgment of the court is, and such is your
sentence, that you, John Smock be taken hence
to the Bridewel Of the City and County of New
York, from whence you last came, and on Satur-
day the twenty-ifth day of January next ensuing,
to the place of execution, and then and there be
hanged by the neck until you be dead. And may
God have mercy on your soul.
LUTHER BRADfs1.-A correspondent Of the
Friend Of Man says, Bradish is not and never
was a colonizatonist. Will DR.. Proudft ex-
plain!
Although the coionizationists about ten years
since, and again about two years ago, elected Mr..
Bradish Vice President of their society, it was
done without his knowledge, and speak advised
", when say, he has never attended meeting
of any colonization society," or contributed singlel
cent to aid the funds Of their cause.