Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-18

have been found guilty Of heinous o.
fence by a jury of your countfyihcn sfte
partial trial. With that finding I nee
scarcely say entirely agree. I am sat
SIZED Of your guile as if I had seen yo
,ommit the act with my ewn bodily eyes
The circumstance of your being persor
who, from habits and education, shoul
have been above committing 50 base
crime, only aggravates your guilt How
ever, no'matter who or what you have beef
you must expiate your offence on the scaf
fold. The law has very properly, f,f tn,
safety Of society deoreed the punishmen
OF death for such crimes; our only ant
plain duty is to execute that law 70 F
The prisoner did uotrcply; he was lean
ing with his elbows on the front of tn,
lock, his bowed face covered with his out
pread hands; and the judge passed sen
ienee of death in the accustomed form
The court then rose, and o turnkey placed
his hand upon the prisoners arm, to lead
him away. Suddenlyhe uncovered his face
drew himself up to his full hefght---he
was remarkably tall man-and glared
fiercely round upon the audience, like a
wild animal at bay. SHY lord" he cried
or rather shouted, imam excited voice.
The Judge motioned impatiently to the Jail
or, and strong hands impelled the prison
er from the front of the dock. Bursting
from them, he again sprang forward, and
his arms outstretched, whilst his glittering
eye seemed to hold the judge spell-bound,
exclaimed, "My lord, before another month
has passed away, you will appear at the bar
Of another world, TO answer for the life,
the innocent life, which God bestowed up-
on me, but which you have impiously cast
away as thing of naught and seornlp
He ceased, and was borne off. The court
in some confusion, hastily departed. 1t
was thought at the time that the judges
evidently failing health had suggested the
prophecy to the prisoner 4 1t only excited
a few day wonder, and was forgotten. p.
The o 'ition of barrister in such cir
cumstances isalways painful i need har-
dly say that my own feelings we're of a
very distressing kind. Conscious that if
the unfortunate man really was guilty; he
was at least not deserving of capital pun
! exerted myself to procure a re-
prieve. In the first place waited pri-
vately on the judge; but he would listen
to no proposal for respite. Along with
4 number of .individuals--chiefy of the
Society of Friends--I petitioned the crown
For Communication of the sentence. But
being unaccompanied with recommends.
ton from the judge, the prayer of our pc
tition was of course disregarded; the law,
It was said, must take its course. How
much cruelty has bccn exercised under
shelter Of that remorseless expression.
Iwould willingly pass over the succeed
ing events. Unable to save his life, | en-
ieavored to soothe the few remaining hours
Of the doomed convict, and frequently
visited him in the condemned cell. The
more saw of him, the deeper grew my
sympathy in his case, which was that OF
no vulgar felon. II have been most un-
fortunate man, said he one day to me. ~
feel as if deserted by God and man; yet
know, or at least would persuade myself,
that Heaven will one day vindicate my in
nocence Of this foul charge To think, f
ing hinged like dog for crime at
which my soulrcvolts! Great is the crime
Of those imbecilc jurors and that false and
hard hearted judge, who thus, by an ire
versible decree, consign fellow mortal to
a death Of violence and disgrace. Oh God
help me--help me to sustain that bitter,
bitter hour!' And then the poor man
would throw himself on his bed and weep.
But the parting with his wife and chill
dren. What pen can describe that terri
BILE interview They kpeltin prayer, their
woe-begone countenances suffused in tears,
and with hands clasped convulsively to-
gether The scene was too narrowing and
sacred for the eye of stranger. l rush.
ed from the cell, and buried myself in my
lodgings, whence / dill not remove till all
was over. Next day james Harvey, a vic.
tim of circumstantial evidence, and of a
barbarous criminal code, pcrished on the
scaffold. ~
Three weeks afterwards, the court arri-
we'd at populous city in tho west of En-
gland. 1t had in the interval visited an
other assise town, and there Judge A.
had left three for execution. At the
-. 4 RaI 4