Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-08
-s Aliseell
SENTENCE OF MOTLEY AND BLACKLEDGE.

Thomas Motley aud William Blackledgc,
convicted at Walerboro, Of the murder OF a
negro in July last, appealed for new trial.
The case WAS argued before the Appeal Court
in Charleston. and the application dismissed.
On Monday the 18th inst. Judge O'Neal pro.
nounced the following sentence upon the
prisoners:
Ihos. NIl1iom Blacklcdgc:-
Two months have passed away since you
s,ocd, before me, in the midst of the commu.
nifty, where the awful tragedy, of which you
have been convicted, was performed. |
hope this time has been profitable to you,
and that, in the midnight watcbinss Of your
solitary cells, you have turned back with
shame and sorrow to the awful crneltics Of
which you were guilty, on the 5lh of July
last.
Notwithstanding the enormiiy Of your Of.
fence, you have no reason to complain that
Justice has been Iarshly administered. On
the Circuit and here you have had the aid
of zcalous, untiring connsel-every thing,
which man could do to turn away the sword
! of Justice, has been dane; but in vain. Guilt
such as yours cannot escape the sanction OF
even earlhly $ tribunals.
My duty now is To- pass between you and
the State, and announce the laws awful
doom! Before do so, usage aud propriety
demand that should endeavor TO turn your
thoughts to the certain results before you.
Death, here. a shameful death, awaits you
hope it may be that you may escape the
terrible everlasting death Of the soul
1t may he profitable to you to recall the
horrd deeds, which you jointly and scverally
committed, in the death Of the poor begging,
uno0cnding slave | will not repeat the dis
.usling details of the outrages committed ;
the public are already fully informed, aud
your own hearts. in every pulsaton. repeat
them to .you. | may be permitted, however,
to say 10 you, and to the people around you,
and 70 the world, that hitherto South Carroll.
IA had never witnessed such ATROCITIES
indeed, they exceed all that we are told OF
savage barbarily. For the Indian, the mo.
ment his captive ceases to be true warrior
lin the sense in which he understands it)
and pleads for mercy, no longer extends his
suf1ering-death, speedy death, follows. But
you, for 4 night and pat of the succeeding
day, riotrd in the snfletngs and terrors oil
the poor negro, and at length your ferucous
dogs, set on by you, tl,rotllcd and killed him
as they would wild beast. Can't you hear
his awful death cry. "Ob, Lord~ If you
cannot hear it, the Lord of Hosts heard aud
answered it. He demanded then, and noir,
from you, the fearful account Of blood!
You have met with the fearful consequent
ccs of the infamous business in which you
were engaged hunting runu~oys uith dogs
equally fierce and ferocious rs the Spanish
bloodhounds. With one of you Motley
there could have been no excuse. YOU
father, young man is man of wealth
reaped and gathered togethered by lite o
toll and privation; that the son of such
man should be found more than hundred
miles from home, following pack OF dogs
in the chase Of negro slaves, through the
swamps Of the Lower country, under SUM
mer's sun, shows either a love Of cruelty, OIL
OF money, which is rot easily satisfied. Te
tile other prisoner, Blackledge, it may be
that poverty, and former devotion to this sac
business, might have presented some excuses
The Scriptures, young men, with which
fear, you have not been familiar, declare
as the law of God, "lhou shalt not kill.
This Divine statue, proclaimed TO Gods owr