Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-10-06
From the Richmond Examiner.

last, according to her sentence, in the pre-
scnce of the largest, and it is said, TIN
vilest multitude that ever collected roun,
such scene in Virginia. She died witt
the same brutal insansibility which charac
tcriscd the commission of her crime, sul
fercd no pain and cvinced no emotion.
The reader will find the particulars under
the local head OF this days paper We dc
not believe that the Legislature of Firgnia
could have witnessed them without coming
ut once to the conclusion, that such spec
tacle ought never to have been permitted to
the eyes of the mob. Seeing the small pain
suffered by this woman, the perfect stoicisn,
with which she met her fate, and the quiet
easy manner in which it all passed off,
necessarily must diminish the terri, of the
law in the hearts of that miserable class
I for which its penalties are intended. The
tendency of that scene was to convince
them that hanging was not such dreadful
thing after all; and that one had as well die
that way as i'll any other
There was another and q worse feature
in this business. Jane Williams, as do all!
the worst murdcrers and murderesscs, died
! in the odor of sancti'y, religious heroine
| with a firm conviction that she was swing
ing from the galIows into glory-and the
brutal mob shared that conviction with her.
=" The Lord Jesus holds her np"-ihis WAS
the way they accounted for her composure
"Shes with the Lord now"-such was
their comment as they walked away. For
the last three woeks, the pastrr Of the
African Church hero has been praying ard
preaching over her; all the consultations of
religion were hers; at the gallows their full
beneft were afforded to her in the presence
of the negro. We do not say that Mr..
Rylan,. should have paid no attention to
this lamb of his flock, and that the proArrs
Of Christianity should not have been made
even to this wretchcd beast--bnt it was
certainly a pity that the Brother could not
have contented himself with fiyiag up her
soul at the cell, without making all that
parade of the new saint before an undis-
corning public. Such 4 manifestation could
not fail in an evil effect. In the crowds
belief, Jane Williams is much better off
now, than if she had not butchcred a sleep.
ing child and an innocent woman. Through
the agency of Brother Rylaud, she has
turned her punishment into q reward--the
ton without arriving at the conclusion that
the law should consummate its action in
private. Mystery renders everything more
terribe--and death above all other things.
The mind regards with indifference whatever
is public and common. We hope another
session of the Legislature will not pass,
without the adoption of some different rule
of capital punishment.
TIE London Times reads the people of
the United States Il lecture in relation to the
Island of Cuaa, and the imputed desire for
its annexation, which would be well enough
if it did not appear is rather near juxaposl.
tion with another article on the subject OF
the Burmese war in India. Here would be
annexation indeed is the result Of that war
which the Times indicates rs a measure OF
political necessity. Now what is this ne.
cessity? 1t is not affirmed that the British
forces i'll this part of India were assaled, or
that the Burmese territory is SO interposed
between the British territorial possessions,
as so endanger their security Bnt it was
Il war OF invasion on the miserable plea
that the Burmese Government owed the
British Government in India E09O, which
the former resisted as unjust. In making
this invasion the expense has been halt Il
million sterling, and failing to obtain COM
pensation for this large outlay as well as
future expenditure, the appropriation of the
territory of an entire State is recommended.
Was there ever more unblashing preten-
sions put forth for AM a ion! 1t does not
present even the poor excuse OF strong
powers in rounding their dominions, BY
stealing iom their weaker neighbors. This
species of necessity is not alleged in the
burmese war. 1t is virtually for increase Of
territory, although ostcnsibly to recover
claim OF less than one thousand pounds.
Even if the sincerity OF the plea were
admitted, what could result from tue inva-
sion of weak State but conquest and an.
nexation! 1t is in this way that the British
empire has been invariably extended in tho
East. Now no lover Of national law eau
object to the rebukes which the London
Times has so often administered to that lust
of conquest, in portion of our people,
who would, i'll pursuit of their maniIsst des-
tiny visions, or for more mcrccnary purpos.
cs, invade the territory ofnations with which
we are at peace But the reproof comes
with an i'll grace from those who have built
up an immense Eastern empire on the ruins
of other and weaker States. And while
this process Of absorption is yet going on
to receive almost daily lectures against the
national sinfuncss of territorial appropria'
ton, is more than human patience car
tolerate. Now if the people OF the United
States were to annex all Mexico and Cuba,
with somo half dozen South American
States besides, it would not equal by many
degrees the absorbing capacities OF British
rule in India. 1t is from this source toe
that our propensiiies Of annexation art
most nveigLed against. If the balance o
power is to be preserved in the West, rs il
alleged by European statesmen, by the non
: annexation Of its weaker States into ont
great Republic, surely there is room 70
: redress of that balance in the East, whe'
an empire on which the sun never sets ha
been formed, in great part, from the dislnte
! grated fragments of other States.-Charles
ton News.
AMAsA COPELAND, Tie last survivor
the corps Of soldiers who attended Majo