The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-02-11
sENTENcE OF FosKEr


We copy from the Charleston Courier the elo-
quent and impressive scntancc, passed by his
Honor Judge O'Neu, on Saturday last, in the
case Of the State Us Don. Alonxo Fosket couyic.
tod Of the homicide of slave:
DON. ALoSzo FoskEr-The duty Of assigning
the punishment of the law, with u suitable nd.
1nonition to you, devolves upon me. This duty,
panful'to me, aud no doubt also to you, is greatly
enhanced by the fuct, that this is the third time,
that have seen you il the Court of Sessions
Your former Offences were not Of the serious
character of that for which YOU must answer
now. Still they ought to have taught you, .the
way of the transvressor is hard" aud ought to
have prevented another aud greater transgresslon
To day you s,und before me to receive the
judgment of the law for "killng slave on sudden
heat and passion" This is no light offence! It
Is one which demands from you an account for
blood, and, although it be the blood Of negro
and in our peculiar situation, is n less offence
than that which would result from the deoth of
white man, yet TO the Father Of us all. 'tle blood
Of the negro crie,h from the ground" and will
receive his just and everlasting Judgment
II may not lie arniss that just here should say
atop, and think wrc,chcd man, over your past
life. l know il not you do. Your conscience
will describe to you oil mhich is evil. and that
ought 10 be enough to make you say, II ,rW sin
no more" " hen say know not your past life,
still know parts Of it, and they do not commend
you The unfortunate net, which has plnce,l YOU
i'll the goal, and to- day places YOU in this dock,
has been put by the proof in, Il have no dcubt.)
the most favorable point Of view for you. and yet
justes, fully juSlitrs, the verdict Of the jury.
The old drunken negro, in Your cnpl"y y,,cnt,
wns grumbliny, cursin.. and swearing nnd might
even have threatened blow for blow, and in these
respects, deserved punishment, but what reason.
able man ever thought ot Furnishing. 10y striking
with a carriage Singtetree. Sucl, an act the
result of passion-a passion which caused the
pf fl,.,y, 1rt,
with all his ~;'s upon his head, into the presence
Of the Judge the Quick and Dead! The jury
allowed yo- benefit Of human weakness
mud inirInit ny it down 10 "Sudirn heat
and passion" wed you from the judgment
of death, but ot save you from the awful
conviction ". IS III your bosom, 81 have slain
mnn to my wounding"
This is to be no evhnrsent conviction il will be
present with you day by day. it will lie down
with y"n Mt night, il will arise with you in the
morning; in the silent watches of the rigLt-it
will pnss before you, and, in dreams upon your
pillow, the bleeding negro will stand heGpre YOU,
saying, "Oh massa, don't strike again"
Such consequences ought to fill your mind,
with very serious Thoughts; but there are much
more important results TO he contemplated; iur
i'll the language of & ods Holy Word, / would say
unto you, for all these things" the ucs of your
Past life: God will bring thee into judgment"
Think of this. in the silent. solitary medit aions
Of the prsn,, and make your lime there, one to
which yon refer the beginning Of better
things. Ii you have hitherto been n bad man.
let me entrcat you. TO brcnnc a better one If
ruin has already ovcrtakcn you, as your eloquent,
faithful, aud Jealous advocates stated in cunse-
luence Of this mad and bloody act Jet it have its
appropriate effect. God illus clIas;-ns and aba
ses the proud and the wicked. lie loves "tte
broken and contrite heart" Its sacrifice is alone
acceptable on his pure and holy alters.
Turn to him, therefore, who is ev-7 ready to
forgive even the "Chi-f Of sinners" and who will
even wash and make You clean from the stain OF
blood. outlines and make Your heart to leap
like the roe in the joy Of being forgiven!
But, if yon will not hearken-if ,uu will moi
he wise-let me assure you, that his "ar is nnt
deaf-his aim is not shortened-hc will hear he
will strike. und you will he cut down. For his
judgements here are just certain MS they are
beyond the grave. Never saw I the man slaye
escape the just judgement Of God in this world,
unless he turned to the Lord in singIe,less Of
heart and, by the help Of the Lamb Of & cd, was
born again.
The sentence Of The inv is, That You be closely
and SEPARATELY confined in the goal Of Charleston
District for six mounths, and that you pay fine
OF FIVE hundred dollnrs