The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-12-05

.,,ua Of fanatictsm which cverhangs tnat
rorlion OF our Union, II has Indeed dwind'eo
70 The fceblest of expiring rays.
a .@-4-u4--4~----ns---------~+---~
Tive illustrioas Villains.
little more than a year ago, mountain
.ntlaw nv the name OF JEFFERSON RAM
n.,, who long had been scourge and pest to
the community of Port Republic, Rockingham
countv. and that whole neigh borhood, paid the
uenalty Of his crimes. RANDALL was, ply
sfcal,y. one Of the most compact and power
full men we ever looked AT, and man OF the
coolies, aud most inexhaustibie courage, He
was perfect bal dog, and resembled some OF
these animals, not only in game but IN oihhs
without barking. In point OF inteiiec', 100,
ha Was a superior man, and, il his natural
MOVERS had not been perverted, might have
made leading and influential member OF So
cie,y.
We have often thought of JEFF. RANDALL,
his career and end, since JoHN Brown has
been figuring on the Virginia stage. But JKFF'
though a. great reprobate as we ever saw,
was. in some respects, superior to JOHN
BROWN He would rob and burn, and, some
said, murder. choosing negroes, who could not
testify against him, as his agents. His plans
were conceived and executed with the ipgenu-
Try, rs we'll as malice, Of the devil. Mcpherson
could sleep quietly and safely within twenty
miles Of his headquarters. But he never at
tanned the finishing touch Of BROWNS WICK
edness. He never attempted the religious
varnish and veneering ut which old OssA-
wATToMIE was such an adept He could
not quote Scripture, and would not
II he had been able. He had better chance
Of salvation than the Kansas rufiian, be-
cause he never attempted to disguise from him.
self or others that he was great scamp, ana
deserving to be punished if he could be caught.
Moreover. he never imbrued his hands in the
blood OF mere boys, like the Kansas brigand
Cooks counsel spoke Of him-a man OF
twenty-six-as "a fair haired boy" We don't
know whether the sons of Mrs. DOYLE, whom
OssAwAToNIE butchered. with their father,
were fair haired or not, but one was twenty
two and the other only twenty-five youngest,
certainly, q mere "boy.'' Our Virginia rascal
never committed such a crime as that-per-
haps for waat of an opportunity--but If he
had, ne would never have attempted to saddle
religion with the responsibility of II. Now,
suppose such a man rs JEFF RANDALL, with
his incendiary gang, had invaded New Eng
land village. shet down its peaceful citizens,
and brought 1,a0G pixies to arm its domestics
and operatives, that they might rise upon their
masters, and take possession of their property
and the whole country. Suppose these SER
wants and operatives were believed to desire
such a result, and to have the physical force to
bring il about what would the North have
said to such an incursion And what would
ii have thought of the South, if its leading
Senators and public men hal been privy to
such a plot-if its ministers preached in favor
Of it-and if even its conseI vatives prayed
that JEFF. RANDALL might be pardoned
There was something in the summary man.
ner of disposing of this villain which has pre-
vented his attaining great fame as BROWN,
and which we recommend hereafter in dispos
ing of future OssAwAToMIEs. RANDALL was
ordered to leave the State. and his expenses
were paid to Ohio 10 which State he was ac-
companied by acommittee of Rockingham gen.
tlemen. But, before they returned to Rocking.
ham, he took the back track himself, by
another route, and was home before them
In u few nights, property was again the sub
iect of depreciation, and incendiary flames
here and there. again Redeemed the sky. The
sensible and practical farmers of that neigh
borhood unable to convict the common enemy
before a court because negro testimony, the
inadmissible, Immediately formed a court of
their own, that exemplary magistrate, Judge
LYNCH, presiding, and condemned JEFFER-
SON RANDALL to die. The desperate was
tracked to his den by some determined men.
and, after being favored with the reasons
which led to his capture and dictated his
doom, was allowed few hours to pre-
pare for another world. He seemed to
think and probably he was correct in the
opinion, that the time allowed him was mol
sufficient to repent Of his sihs. With the ex-
ception Of the penitent thief on the cross who
may have been penitent long before his execu-
ton, and who was a miracle of grace DEATH
bed repentance, according to divines. is not
to be much relied on. As we once heard An
old Methodist clergyman remark it is like
giving COP the SHE'LL after the Devil has had
the kernel Atany rate, Judge LYNCH, on this
occasion, extended 70 the prisoner the consid
Grafton OF taking into consultation the nearest
preacher who could be found, and asking him
II he thought 1t would at all promote the
spiritual interests of JEFF RANDALL to permit
his existence to be prolonged for twenty -four
hours. The preacher said he rather thought NJ 4:
80 the sentence was executed that night When
we come to foot up the expenses which were
rendered necessary by the failure to hang old
BROWN At once, and compare them with the
shgnt cost attending the outfit of the late il.
Iustrious JEFF. RANDALL, we car be at no loss
JWnien OF the two modes to adopt in the dispo-
sition of future incendiaries. They do mis-.
chief enough in their lives; twelve and a hall
cents, In the way of rope, is all that they ought
70 cost In their deaths.