Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-10

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circumstance of the arrest Of Frederick
Blgg, and his young accomplice, James
Harold, for robbing the Chicago post-of.
nee. and the trial aud conviction Of Bige
detailed ia the columns of our paper
Soon after Harold's arrest, the following
letter was sent to him by his father. Il
is beautifully written. and betrays the
full depth of the shame aud despair into
which the family have been plunged by
the errors Of a loved aud darling SON
We hope that, should it meet the eve of
any Of those now on the brink of crime,
It will be to them voice of warning from
the home circles they have left, and serve
% call them TO sense of the terrible con-
sequence TO loved ones of the crime they
may have determined to commit. Scarce
a year ago young Harold left a home as
happy and pleasant as kindly, afectionate
hearts and undying love and faith in Hea-
ven could make it. Upon the very verge
of his manhood, unstained and unspotted
he left it, to win for himself an honorable
name in our city. To-day. he fills fell
on's cell, with long years of confinement
with other felons before him. In the We.
ry outset of his career he has blasted his
own fair prospects in life and brought
down sorrow and shame upon his kind
and doting parents. 1t were better that
he had died in his infancy. ere shame had
been written upon his brow, for then
those parents might, as they stood by his
little grave, have gaze through the mist
Of their tears up to to that "better land"
Now the only vision beyond that bitter,
binding mist, is the gloomy walls and
iron gratings Of convict's home.
We ask every young man to read this
letter, that his resolutions for good may
be formed auew. and that he may be full
ly impressed with the far.reaching conse-
quence of the wicked acts he may be
tempted to commit: 81. --..'.
N. Y, June 20. 1856.
Mr. DEAR JAMES The painful news
Of your imprisonment was received yes
terday. and it has filed the minds of your
mother and myself with profound grief,
that you. who have had opportunities
that but few could possess, even to the
selection in life of-any honorable station,
provided you would fit yourself for it,
with home to be welcomed to, with ey>
cry comfort to be desired, should at the
entrance to manhood, have degraded
yourself and disgraced your family
Where you have copied the example from
is tom mystery. For years have l
been the recipient of situations of honor
and trust, holding many Of the prominent
stations in our country, and with friends
Of the highest character throughout the
State. Now review the picture and SET
the realities you have substituted. II ap
pears to us a dream. .,.,..... ....
~ What could induce you, thus to- offend
the laws, Of your country ?. Not want -
Did I not tell you when you left home.
that if you conducted yourself respecta :
bly, would copsign you goods, and have
|, not frequently asked you if by any
means l could help you along :? ,.
Look, my erring son, at the words l
wrote on the first page Of the Bible pre-
sented you on leaving home. Alas how
true the sentiments they express.
O You received introductlons to rcspecta
BILE merchants, 80, one of the Chicago
olergYmen. (the Rev. w, a. Smallwood)
and with, what eptFeaties did your mother
and myself urge you to connect yourself
with a,chuIch and Sunday School We
have inst read your first letter, promising
to make for yourself an honorable name.
and associate with respectable persons !;
and can it be possible that even at that
period you were associated with this man
,Bigg? ..
" AS write. I reflect what home you
have lost, and where are you? In gaol.
and for stealing ! The FIRST. too. of your
family, o! whom have any record, who
for hundreds of years have borne fami>
ly escutcheon without stain What
can do for you? Your mother, almost
broken. heorted, cannot be left, aud what
could do were to come to Chicago p
From Captain Connett's letter, it seems
that the proof against you is positive
The laws Of your country must be yindi-
Gated. l see no way butte let justice take
its course. But in your extremity, what
could 1 recommend better than that you
should tell the whole truth, and cast your
self upon the mercy of the. court, before
which you will be. tried?r But, one con-
solatiop is left. and that is repentance and
prayer, to Cod ~ E..., nj .r las,
We had been. anticipating surprise
for you in the shape al a number of pres
ents. articles of clothing, and on your ar
rival at, age, next April. q SUN, of,meney;
but our, fond hopes are all vanished. and
until 4 receive advices from you or Capt,
Connect, we know not how we can help
you. The first Monday in July is set
down for your trial., What aIday.it will
be for your parents /, Would to God. my
ssoa j ames. you had died, in your infancy,
unspottedo from theaworld 10 ,.-:ts..r,--3. .,
sc Your mother sends, her loves. yes, we
both do, for we have hope that this pains
full and affective circumstance. your first
step in crime. will. be your last. Until
that is atoned for what will you and we
hare to suffer? remain your afflicted