Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-09-15
9BNDAT READING.
A Voice of Warning.

The following mournful incident, related
by Rev. A. B. Longstreet of Oxford, Miss.
is extracted from a work entitled The Lights
Of temperance 1t is but a glimpse of the
misery which strong drink has occasioned,
and yet our Legislatures legaiize the traffic
I-or, in other words, admit the right to
curse society with its most direful evils.
/ witnessed once a scene which comes APP
propriately in place here. During the COM
mencement exercises of Emory College, up
on one occasion, the Governor of the State
of Georgia, Charles G. Mcdonald, aud his
lady, with a goodly number of other friends,
were staying with me. All were light-hear-
ted, cheerful, and happy, when afemale form,
plainly but neatly attired, entered my gate,
and advanced to my door. l received her,
and, upon her request to see the Governor
ofthe State Of Georgia, Charles G. Melon
aid, | conducted her to his room.
Governor said she, Il am the mother of
the man who is to be executed, four days
hence, at Columbus, for murder. Hearing
of his sentence in Maryland, where I live,
n | fastened with all speed to Milledgeville.
to beg Of you a respite Of his sentence, til
the meeting Of the Legislature. There my
money gave out, but not finding you there
| have followed you hither, having walked
most Of the way (sixty-fve miles) to max,
the request. Governor, will you not sus
pend the sentenced
Madam said the Governor, his eye
already filled with tears-for no Governo
ever had a kinder heart-'ifI were to graz
the respite, you could not possibly reach hr
with tin your enfeebled and exhauste
situation-in time to save him.
Yes, | will, Governor: give it to m
and will have it in Columbus before IL
hour Of execution arrives
Then you would have to travel MIG
and day, for four nights and three days al
n, a half
:Only give me the respite, and it sh;
reach him in time. | shall see him, a
how, before he dies. But / have no time
: lose.'
Madame said the Governor, Il mc
deeply sympathise with you, and it pal
me to tell you that | should violate my O
cial duty to grant the respite. have
RE amined the case, and | cannot find a sins
=. mitigating circumstance in it in your so
Ill favor
n 'Oh, Governor my son is not a murde
at heart. His disposition is peaceable.
u lie was not himself when he committed
nS' deed. Oh, Governor! here, on my kne
o% WI before you, | pray you have pity upon
!Io poor, heart-broken, widowed mother
'lln Our wives sobbed aloud, and the Cove
! : or and myself mingled our tears profus
~ : over the bending suppliant. There was
anu one of the group that could speak. and t
pose thousand fold. The Governor raised
ro @t from her knees, and repeated, by a shak,
- : the head, what he had already said.
on And now went forth from that poor
:" ' mans heart-what shall I call it? A sit
1t was not that. A sob? It was not t
orH4 A groan? 1t was not that but an il
scribable officiating Of all that is eloqu
in grief, and melting in sorrow. Her
0l cents had caught the ears of the group in
adjoining porch, and produced a death
go silence there and my habitation, so la
Ill the sCene Of mirth, was like the court
! vi death.
Je At length she broke silence
- If there IS no hope, | must hasten to
- - child before he dies
She rose, and trembling, advanced to
e porch; followed by the sympathizing fri
: - but unyielGing Chief Magistrate. She
ea "po ed the crowd without seeming to notice ii
, "oI and as her foot fell upon the step that
com 10 conduct her away from the habitatio
hope, she cast back a melting look, and
l. ex, menced her last appeal with Oh Cove
= tho for Gods sake when she sunk to the
and AT length, rising, as if moved by the tho
that she was losing the time which :
orcod would enable her to see her son alive,
e"0: retired.
who The Governor disappeared with her
clorE,S carriage soon followed, and though no
tons were asked on his return, / doub
with that he offered her the best solace tina
,isner. could, in her extremity, without brea
P duty.
coma Now, | ask-what is all the good
ickens ardent spirits have done, compared with
lef mo pangs which this one poor widow had $
ed? But hers was no uncommon ca
boro Multiply her Affections by ten thousand
I, you will get the exponent of what one
- l., and that about the best Of our race.
aobo suffered, from the use of inebriating d
4Iet All! God bless you men, | fear we
tbo have a dread account to render at the
Of Heaven, for our dealings with this
al .bo Of the human family.
trade Elijah the TiShhitp