Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-04-08
SENTENCE OF PROF. WEBSTER
FOR THE MURDER OF DR.. PARKMAN
[Tslegraphed for the Baltimore SUM-

The result of The trial of DR.. Webster is gen
orally approved by our citizens as in accordance
with the testimony in the cases and has been the
subject of uninterrupted conversation through all
parts of tho city since its close. 1t is understood
the jury after going out on Saturday night, a. first
deliberaed in silence for ten minutes, then voted
on the question whether the remains were those
Of DIR. Parkman. There was unanimous yea.
On the second question, whether Webster COM
mitted the murder? There were eleven yeas and
one nav. The nay came from Mr.. Benjamin II.
Greene. He stated his point of doubt, and after
some discussion. he declared it was removed.
The family of Webster was not informed Of
the verdict on the night it was rendered. Some
friends, however, undertook the task Of preparing
their minds for it. The awful disclosure was
made to them on Sunday morning, by Mrs. VIM.
+. Prescott. The scene was most heart rending.
Every effort has been made by their friends to
assuage the grief of the afflicted wife and daugh
tiers, who. up to late hour, confidently expected
an acquittal.
A letter of confidence was presented to them
on Sunday afternoon, signed by the heads OF all
the principal families of Cambridge, including
Hon Edward Everett Jared Sparks, Prof Nor
ton, Judge Fay, Sc. Judge Fay gave it up that
his friend Webster was guilty man, after hear
ing his own speech on Saturday evening.
Professor Webster was brought into court this
morning at eight minutes to nine o'clock, to re-
ceive the solemn sentence of the law. lie looked
gloomy in the extreme, but collected and calm
The court room was densely crowded. At ten
minutes past ten O'Clock the Court came In. Alter
some minutes of silence,
MIR. Attorney General Clifford narrated the
facts of the indictment, trial and verdict, and
moved tho Court that the final sentence Of tho
law be now pronounced.
The prisoner rose, and was asked by the clerk
what he had to show why sentence of death should
not be pronounced against him. The prisoner
bowed and took his scat in silence.
Chief Justice Shaw then addressed him in the
following words:
John w. Webster: In meeting you hero for
tho last time, to pronounce that sentence which
the law has affixed to the high and aggravated
offence Of which you stand convicted, it is i'm
possible, by language, to give utterance to the
deep consciousness Of responsibility, 10 the keen
sense Of sadness and sympathy, with which we
approach this solemn duty. Circumstances which
oil who were horo may duly appreciate, but which
it may seem hardly fit to ailude to in more detail,
render the performance Of this duty on the present
occasion remarkably painful.
At all times and under all circumstances, a feel
ing Of INDISPENSABLE soemnity is attached to the
uterance of that stern voice Of retributive justice
which consigns fellow being to an untimely and
ignominious DEATH but when we consider all the
circumstances of your past life, your various rela-
tons in society, the claims upon you by others,
the hopes and expectations You have cherished
with your present condition, and the gnoninious
death which awaits yon, we are oppressed with
grief and anguish. Nothing but sense of i'm
peratgo duty, imposed on US by the law, whose
officers and ministers we are, could sustain us in
pronouncng such judgment.
Against tho crime Of wllul murder, Of which
,otoI oh, is,
shudders-a crime every where and under all
forms Of society, regarded with abhorrence-the
law has announced its scvcrest penalties in these
few simple but solemn and Impressive words -
"Every person that shall commit the crime o
murder, shall suffer the punishment Of death fol
the same" The manifest object of the law il
the protection and security of human life, the mos
important Of the first and paternal ends Of govern
ment. 1t is made the duty Of this court to de
clare this penalty against any one who shall hav'
been found guilty" in the due course of the ad
minisration Of justice, of having violated this law
1t is one of tho most solemn acts Of judicial powe
which an earthly tribunal can be called upon t.
exercise !; it is high and exemplary manifestation
of the sovereign authority of the law, as well a
its stern and ntlexible severity. In its protecting
and parental hcnignity it Furnishes the guilty witt
severity, in order that the right to the enjoymen
oflife-he most precious of all rights-may b
more effectually secured.
BY the record before US it appears that you hav
been indlcte by the grand joury Of this county
for the crime of murder, alleging that on the 22
l. of November last, you made an assault upon d.
George Parkman and by acts Of violence you de
prived him of life. with malice aforethought; al
legged to have been done within the apartments c
a public institution in this city, the Medical Col
lege of which you were Professor and instructor
t upon the person of man Of mature aye, we
J, known and of extensive connexions in this com
. mnnity, and benofactor OF that institution. Tn
charge of an offence so aggravated, in the midst
outbnrst of surprise, alarm and horror and wa
: followed by universal and intense anxiety to learr
9 by the yesuts of judicial proceedings, whe,he
: this charge was true.
OIL The day of trial came, the court was organize