The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-07-04

him on this point, and urged it now only because
believed it would be for his relief and peace of mind
that thought he must feel by this time that he owed
me the truth, and that he could trust me; that he
need not fear to tell me the whole truth, for was
not there to reproach him. nor to Judge him, but to
comfort him In his distress, and TO help him In max
ing peace with God and his conscience, and to as
sist him, if might to live while he lived, and die
when he should die, with the humility of sinner,
and the frmness Of man, and trusted, the hope
OF Christian; that in order to my being of any real
service to him There be truth and true relations
between US. cautioned him not to answer me
hastily, not to speak till he was prepared to tell the
whole and absolute truth--that would endeavor to
put favorable construction upon his silence that
was In no hurry, and that he might take day or
two more to consider whether my advice to him to
make full disclosure not reasonable and good
spoke to him some time in a strain which have
thus indicated. He seemed to me much affected by
what said, and when paused, he said Immediate
", 81 am ready to tell you all. 1t will be relief
to me- He then proceeded to relate the facts
which have since embodied in the statement now
to be presented, and put to him great number Of
questions, all of which he answered promptly, and
with every appearance it seemed to me OF an hon
| est purpose to tell the truth Some of the minor
facts and explanations were given by HIM a sub
sequent day, but the outline OF the whole narrative
and the more important details were given at the
interview of May Esd.
1t is important to observe that at that date the writ
of error was pending, and also that Dr. Webster's
petition for full pardon, with strong declarations of
entire innocence, was the hands of the governor
If the writ should fall he considered every thing as
staked upon that petition the declarations it contain
ed and the documents and afiidavits he believed
would be obtained for lis support. His immediate
family firmly and sincerely believing him entirely
cd in G,ot
to sustain his petition. l am confident that at that
time he had not the remotest idea ofapproaching the
executive In any other way than according to the
tenor oil that petition, began to contemplate the
question, whether Communication would be practical
bic or desirable alternative His whole thought
so far as he entertained any hope, of pardon on
the ground Of innocence. Once in the course of his
narrative, ne suddenly paused and said with an APP
pearance ofanxiety, 'What if the writ should be
granted and trial follow, might not you be
summoned a witness and compelled to reveal all
that have said to you!" told him, No; that the
government would not put into his cell as his con-
hdental friend and then try to a spy that
1t would be an outrage not to be thought Of and that
| would not consent to be so used, whatever might
be the consequences to myself. | had previously
told him that should never reveal his statements to
any one while he lived, without his CONSENT and that
if survived him. he must leave all to my discretion
his statements to me could ever be used by me with
view to bis advantage, but he had moments SOL
Icltude lest might be compelled to reveal them to
his harm. He seemed to me to make his disclosures
simply because he unwilling TO deny my earnest
request, wished TO manifest his confidence in me and
at the same time gald to have the opportunity Of
Ill i a. pp dinnd Of its dreadful sectet.
Of Dr. Wehs+e~- he suggestion of any legal or 9TH
= Of his, nor did any person know of NV in
tention to make it. And neither DIR W. statement
nor the fact that he had made any, was commdnicat
ed by me TO any person until more than two weeks
alter 1t had been received by me. Since that time
no steps have been taken by me without the concur
renee OF Dr. Webster and of his recognized legal ad
viser
Two or three days after received DR. Webster
statement, / advised the withdrawal (temporarv At
least and hoped ina,) of his first petition to the
executive, and it was Withdrawn
i TO BE CONTINUED.