The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-09-10

The following letter was addressed
by Prof. Webster TO the Rev DR.. Park
mama copy being retained in the posses
sion Of the former, which he con6ded to
friend with permission to make such dis.
position of it as he might see fit, after
lis own decease. We mention this in
order that the gentleman, to whom the
letter was addressed, may not be sus-
pec,ed of having disregarded the request
which it contains-[Transcript
BosToN, Aug. 6, 1850.
Rev. DR.. Parkman:
Dear Sir:-I cannot leave this world |
in the peace of mind for which | pray,
without addressing you as the head of
that family which have SO deeply in
jured and afflicted, to make known to
you and them the bitter anguish of soul
the sincere contrItion and penitence /
have felt at having been the cause OF
the aflliction under which you and they
have been called 10 mourn. can offer
no excuse for my wicked and fatal ebul-
lilon Of passion but what you already
know, nor would attempt to paIiate
it.
had never, until the two or three
last interviews with your brother, felt
towards him anything but gratitude for
his many acts Of kindness and friend
ship. That I should have allowed the
feelings excited on those occasions 10
have overpowered me SO as 10 involve
the life of your brother and my own tenn
pora and eternal welfare, | can, even
now, hardly realize.
] may not receive from you forgive
ness in this world, yet cannot but hope
aud believe you will think Of me with
compassion, and remember me in your
prayers to Him who will not turn away
from the humble and repen,ant. Had
l many lives, with what Joy would ] lay
them all down, could I, in the least, atone
for the injury | have done, or alleviate
the ailllction have caused but car
now only pray for forgiveness for my
SELF and for every consolation and bles
sing upon every member of your fami
Iy.
In justice TO those dearest 10 me,
beg to assure you, and en,reat you tt
believe me, no one Of my family ha,
the slightest doubt of my entire limo
cence up to the moment when the con
trary was communicated to them by DR.
Putnam. That they have your SINGER
pity and sympathy 1 feel assured.
There is no family towards ever,
member of which | have always felt
greater degree of respect and regar,
than that of which you are now tn,
head, From more than one ] have re
ceived repeated acts of friendship an,
kindness, for which have ever beer
and am most truly grateful.
Towards yourself in particular hav
not only my own feelings been those O
the most sincere regard aud gratitude
but every individual of my family ha
felt towards you that you were 'he
pastor and friend. Often has my wifi
recalled the interest you took in he
from her first becoming your parishion
er, and often has she spoken, with feel
ings of deep gratitude, of the infuenc,
of your public mnistraiions, and O
your private instructions and converse
tions, and Of your direction of her inqui
lies and reading in what related TO he
religious views. These she has often re
called and referred TO as having firmly
established the religious faith and uus
which are now such sources OF consola
ton and support to her and our children
as well as TO myself
Nothing that has occurred has weak
ened those feelings, and although thost
| leave behind me may not meet yol
without the keenest anguish, trust yot
will exonerale them from any participa'
ton in, or knowledge of the fathers sin
up to the moment | have mentioned ,anc
may you remember them in your prayers
TO the Father OF the falherless and the
widows God.
| beg you, my dear sir, to consider
this strictly private letter. and by no
means to give it publicity; at the same
time will request you to make known
to the immediate members Of your fam
lily the state of my feelings and my con
triton.
That every consolation and blessing
may be youchsaied TO yourself and to
every member of your family, is the
heartfelt prayer of
Yours, most respectfully,
(Signed. ]. W. WEBSTER.
Incidents of the Execution.
The RoStoD Io,,ruoI saws.