The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-04-12
SENTENCE OF DIR. WEBSTER.


vic.ed of the murder OF DR.. Parkman, and
sentenced 10 be hung. The following is
The sentence as pronounced by ChleI
Justice Shaw:
"John w. Webster: In meeting you here
Tor the last time, to pronounce that sentence
which the law has affixed to the high aud
aggravated offence of which you stand con-
vic'ed. it is impossible by language to give
ulterance to The deep consciousness Of re~
sponsibllily, to the keen sense OF sadness
and sympathy. with which we approach
this solemn duty. Circumstances which
all who hear may duly appreciate, but which
il may seem hardly fit TO allude TO in more
detail, render the performance of this duty
on the present occasion, most unspeakabIy
painful. Al all times, and under all cir
cumstanccs, the feeling of lndescribable
solemnlty attaches to the utterance of that
stern voice Of relribu,ive justice, which
consiens fellow being TO an untimely and
ienominious death; bu, when we consider
all the circumstances Of your past life, your
various relations in society, the claims upon
you by others, the hopes and expectations
you have cherished, with your present con-
dIliOn. and tie ignominIous death which
awaits you, we are oppressed with grief
and anguish; and nothing but a sense Of
imperative duty imposed on US by the law +.
whose officers and ministers we are, could
sustain US in pronouncing such a judgment.
To this verdict, upon n careful revision
Of the whole proceedings, | am constrained
to say, in behalf Of the Court, that they
can perceive no just or legal grounds OF
exception. Guilty! How much. under a
these circumstance. which cluster around
the case and ihrong our me moiies with the
retrospect, does this single word import;
bu, the willuI, violent and malicious de-
slruclion OF the life OF a fellow man in the
peace of God. and under the protection Of
the law, yes! of one in the midst Of life,
with bright hopes, warm affections, mutual
attachments, strong. extensive, aud numer-
Gus, making life Blessing 10 himself and
others. We allude thus TO the injury you
have Inflicted, not for the purpose OF awak-
ening one unnecessary pang. in heart
already Iacera,ed; bu, to remind you o: the
ureparabIe wrong done 10 the victim OF
your cruely--in sheer justice TO him W hos 2
voice is now hushed in death, and whose
wrongs can be only vindicated, by the living
action of the law. II, therefore. you may,
at any moment, think your case hard one.
and your punishment TOO severe;-If one
repining thought arises in your mind, one
murmuring word seeks uiterance from
your lips, think! oh think of him, instantly
deprived Of life, by your guilty hand; then
If not los, 10 all sense Of relribuive justice
If you have any compunclious rising OF
conscience, you may be ready to exclaim,
in the bitter anguish Of truth, 81 have sin.
ned against Heaven and my own sonl,-
my punishment, is just. God be merciful
10 me sinner"
God grant that your example may afford
a solemn warning TO all. especially TO the
young. May j, impress deeply upon every
mind the salutary lesson it is intended to
teach. to guard against the indulgence of
unha allowed and vindclive passion; to resis,
temptation to every selfish, sordd. and
wicked purpose; to listen to the warnings
of conscience and yield 10 The claims of
duty, and whilst they nstncllveIy shrink
with adherence from the first thought Of
assaling the life Of another. may they learn
10 reverence the laws OF God and society.
designed to secure protection 10 their own.
| We for5ear, for obvious considerations,
from adding such words Of advice, as may
be sometimes thought appropriate on oc-
casions like lhis:-il has only been our
province, on occasions like the present, to
address the ililerae, the degraded. the out
cast, whose early life has been cast amongst
the vicious, the neglected. the Abandoned
who have been blest with no means Of
moral and religious cul'ure,-who have
never received the benefits Of cultivated
society. nor enjoyed the sweet and enno-
bling influences OF home. To such an one.
word of advice, upon an occasion SO i'm
pressive, may be word fi'ly spoken, and
,e nd to good; but in case like this. when
these circumstances are all reversed, no
word Of ours could be more eflicacious than
the suggestions Of your own better thoughts,
10 which we commend you.
Against the crime Of wiful murder, Of
which YOU stand convicted,-a crime al
which humanity shudders.-a crime every
where, and under al! forms of society,
regarded with the deepest abhorrence,-
the law has denounced its severest penal
ties, in these few, simple. but solemn and
impressive words:-"Every person who
shall commit the crime OF murder, shall
suffer the punishment Of DEATH for the
same" The manifest object Of this law,
is the protection and security oi human