Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-09
DEATH WITH TIE TURK.
From visit to Athens and COnstantinople, by tn.
Rev. w. Cotton, U. S. NAVY.

new W. ~olton, U. ). Navy.
lie is taught to consider his personal services. in
peace or war IN the discharge Of civil trust or in
the pors OF the tented field ever NJ the ca or he
sovereign, that the preservation or s,cr6c. NJ 49,;
me IS submitted TO measures which he must mai mr..
ralsn, or 70 events upon which fate has SET ia nm
alteraolo seal When, therefore, death Tresents IL
sen "helher IN The burning breach or on the sink
ing deck whether IN the shape of disease or tbo
hrman of the Prophets viceserent. he snIm;,.
like one who feels that his days are numbered
ana That fears regret and dismay are alike unaya.
ng;,.,
When charged with with crime, Of which he iv
utterly innocent, and he is required TO make res tu
ton with his life, he breathe sino angry remos,rsnc.
no Illuminating suppicaton; he may whisper OF
a mistake, aud ask delay; It that be denied no
casts an appealing look to his God and submits
ANA there may be no one feature in the circumstan-
oes OF his death, calculated 10 inspire him with lor
utude, or spirit OF submssveness. There NAV bo
no responsible tribunal as in other lands 10 ~, IN
Judgment upon his alleged Cffence-no iury hound
TO render an impartial verdict and ever disposed IN
the side Of mtrcy-no witnesses with whom ni,,,
nearly mslts away the stern obi cations Of an OATH
no counsel, whose profession lies In The ncouttaI Of
his cIient-no solemn and formal delicacy of ,bs
fatal sentence M prison Of preparation and posi-.
BILE paTdon-no prints promulg htlng previous viz
toes and depreciting the rgors of i,exoroble ms
tice-no lingering visits Of unweaned frendsbin and
aheeuon-no consolatory assurances Of the pitying
prlesl-no ga herring and grisf-.ess multitude a.
round Tue last scene-no rccOncing tears OF symp.-
NY or haIi-fomcd threats Of delrverance-none Of
those preudes and appendices which, with us,
smooth the way 10 death OF gnominy, and make
Ihe obituary gl Tho hapsss victim to DO read and
"epl over by communicating mllons.
lie meets his death comparatively alone-none
70 counsel none TO console. The heads man comes
to him IN the street, or field, the chance may be,
and presents the fatal irman; asks him IL the name
on that dark scroll ~ HE; he can only see enough
70 seoyer that it Is, for his eyes are with his be-
widcrcd thoughts, and they are Of that home which
- TO see him no more; with that DEVOTED wife who
vii long look through her doubling tears for his r.
turn; and with those children now 10 be le6 with
out a father The e4ccutoner, knowing nohng
OF the guilt or innocence Of his victim, but knowing
that he acts under orders that admit Of no delay,
tells him 70 kiss the mandate Of his sovereign and
submit. lie brings u TO his lips, knoels and bares
his neck; the scimetar flashes through ts quick cir
cut the sinking body and severed head fail togelh-
err the countenance, for an instant, betrays the
parting pnng, the eye wrinkles n moment, then clos
I Is IN everlasting night How sudden, how appal-
ling this ttanstonl Life, light and all tho busy
promises Of hofs exchanged, at once, for the senea
aod perpetual darkness Of DEATH
Were lie tnpor that " quenohod, could 10
| relit, we might with less dread undergo the dark
ening changej but there is no Promelhean spark
that can fckindlc, " once oNtincushed this vital
/ flame Heneeforh only remain the shrovd tho
winding sheet, and the worm; we are never more IN
| be what We have been, never 70 ,ome back To tbi.
varied world. u " this unrsivHing thought that
his rs with dread the thought that we shall como
back 10 those whom we lsf, here, 80 f,ultless ,o
beautiful, and young! that VIC shall noyera again Vi.
ST this green earth-never stray among its lounts
and howers never hear the glad voices Of the wax
ing grove, or the sweet dirge Of the murmurino
shore-ncver sec tho fresh morn break forth IN
breathing beauty from rs purple pavilion, or tho
evening star 60 upon its watch. Il is this that
strikes suddenIng chill to the heart, and makes ma
shrink from ihat unuied hereafter Happy he who.
IN tbs hour Of hnal and lonely departure, hath Tho
presence Of Him whose oountenanee lights 90 that
oeso,a'e wayi who, IN the earnest Of his own hi.
supnees Of his unfailing love, hath taken
from Death ts sting
| And from the Grave ts yictory.I