The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-05-26
From Tie South Caroliuian.,
THE LANCASTER MURDER CASE.

the following eloquent remarks o' '"'s
: Butler, of the terrible influences and
consea uenccs of intoxicating liquors.
Gan any one read it and not tremble-tor
himself or others?-or :hink Of it, serious
,5iy. and no, feel it his duty to use his IN
fiuence in putting away the dreadful
..s,em ntation,d both from himself and
0thersl
, john SWEAT:
You have just witnessed the last So
zIemn ceremony of the law, in relation TO
your trial; and you will learn, by the SEN
Ience which am about to pronounce, that
1yout days are numbered. After full and
I fair trial, in which every form was o6serr-
3 Ell, aud every principle Of the law consult
ed that could avail you, you have been
convicted Of an offence for which you
have forfeited your right to remain on the
earth. You should realize the drean'"'
position which you now occupy. You
are on an isthn1us between time and eter-
nity. You have seen the spring, but you
NAV never witness another harvest time.
The things and interests Of this life should
cease TO employ your mind, any farther
! than inst contemplation Of the past. may
enable vou to think of and prepare for the
awful future. There is God. and he is
the Avenger Of wrong. The history Of
your life shews that you have thought lit
tie Of His; judgment, or of that hour Of re-
fribution, when you will be called on to
: give an account of every motive that has
Z operated on your conduct in life. Your
bloody hands, and the bleeding wounds
of your yicttm, will not then be necessa.
I ry to expose your wicl ed deed. Human
power and judgement are limited in their
Jurisdiction, and can only take cogni-
zance of obvious wrong; but the judg-
, nient of God will reach the bottom of the
heart; and none but good heart can be
acceptable to the Author of Good.
hope that the few days which will be al
lowed you, may not be anavailing, in
preparing you for your fearful traasition.
:. shall NOT aIIude to the circumstances
of your case. with any design Of inaict-
ing pain on you; much less, TO norlify
the feelings Of others, who may be con-
inected with you. Nor shall I do so, with
the purpose of vindica,ing the justice Of
the verdict which has condemned yon to
die; but with hope that a, proper review
of your conduct, may penetrate your
mini with contrite conviction. The stings
of remorse may bleed and cleanse the
heart.
!. The deceased THOMAS p. PICKET. the
victim ef your unaccountable revenge,
was youth Of nineteen; and while he
was standing on the threshhold Of This
/ life, Won thrust him, with rude hand, in
to an unknown eternity.
s 1T seems that you and others, on the
18th of March-lhe Sabbath day-had
assembled at fish house on the Catswba
: -ttt-rw-r- ~ -iin-.l.is District. and giving your.
selves up to drink. and vulgar carousal.
I'm the evening the deceased came and
sioined the company. He had been drink
ing before he came, and continued to
drink afterward. Having given himself
up,,o intemperance. he was wasting life
: with criminal profusion. In the wanton-
ness of untutored youth, lie was violent
in his expressions, and offensive in his de-
pertinent. Without having any enmily
10 any one of the company, he was abu-
sive 10 al. In the blind ani mad fury of
his pdSStOIlS. HC. uICW piStV1 50 ulS !
that he would shoot any one Who should
oppose him. He pointed the pistol at a
man by the name Of Moore, and said he
would shoot him. I, seemed TO have been
an idle threat. or was anheeded by the OBJ
ject of it. You took no notice of his vio-
lerce, at the time. His conduct was that
of a maniac, whilst your subsequent act
was like that Of demon. You did not
Weld 10 the impulse of transient passion,
and npen the moment resent the affron,
that was offered 10 the company. or TO
yourself. 1t did not appear that you had
a any particular caused Of complaint, for any
wrong done or insult offered to yourself,
individually, at least: Or, if you had,
You said nothing about ii at the time
Before twilight you avoided having any
quarrel or collision with the DECEASED
You suffered your anger to be pent up in
secret. After night-fall, when the COM
:psny was dispensing. and when one Of
the witnesses had persuaded you to 60
home with him, you said to the same wit
ness, that you would not 60 till you had
killed Picket; and, with your knife drawn,
lyou said you would go in and kill him be-
fore You left the place.
The witness, e.. Moore) who was as
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