Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-02-10

"Laban 7. Walkar, this Is sad and
and solemn hour to you, and most un.
pleasant one TO me. am now called
upon TO perform the most painful duty
Of my public life, but it is my duty, my
high and solemn duty, duty owe tc
society aud government, and which
must perform. Had you performed the
obligations resting upon you as u man
aud a citizen, and lived uprightly and
hurt nobody, would have been spared
the painful feeling Of this occasion, and
you would not have been compelled tc
drink this cup Of bitterness to It's drcgs.
But you disrcgarded the obligation
You owed to society, and showed to the
world that You possessed Il heart desper-
atcly dcpraved and fatally bent on mis-
chclf. The kinder and noblcr feelings
Of our nature seem not TO have found Il
Judgement In it. You have wantonly
and wickcdly imbucd your hands In the
blood Of your fellow man, aud that blood
now cries from the earth haganstyou. You
have taken The charmed life of human
being, and sent u creature bearing God =
image unbdden into his presence; you
have taken that which You cannot re-
slore.-thal which all demons In purgato-
ry, the men on earth, or the angels in
heaven cannot give. No creature IN
heaven above or earth beneath can give
life to n blade of grass, save God alone.
by tUking life, you have robbed a crca-
tlrc Of hIs all in all--"all that man
hNti VIII he give for his lirc"--'tis the
prcciou' gift Of the immortal God. Had
Fut NoIaud been possessed Of all the
treasures Of earth, m oraei 20 save his
lie md lir" ut' Ils allotted days hp
WHI'umNu sH.UIaralthtm. ButyuJ
.a.' 'h.n 100 .'n..lofcsi csiIuulaliou, uNl
omm,ul ut um. .u vbicllDosay "LoId
be mcrcitol to mo a sinner but robbed
him IN an instant Of the most precious
jewel carlh's pc0l Of price, aud sent
him unnnnounccd md unmnointrd into
the undiscovered land cut him or from
every earthly enjoyment closed his eyes
forever to al the loved ANA cndcalhig
tcrnr. Of earth, 10 the hin and the vale,
the brook and the river, TO the floating
clouds, slu, moon, aud sturs--to these
anu aIl things else he muat bid Il long
und final adlcu. Farewell TO the world
farewell to the holy heavenly light
farewell To ocarlh's great trinity of bless
lngs-wiic, children and friends fare.
wei TO Ull--itucWcll forever. Oh, that
word tomyR! TIA an ondcsg circle.
Coold the poor weary soul journey
around 1t fora million Of years, The end
would not be- reached, aud should It crj
oui IN The language Of despair how long!
o, how long the cchoing answcr would
bo iorcyer--c,cr--cverl
There isn law that Is said 70 have been
pcuncd more than three thousand years
ngo-lt has come down to ~ over the
long track Of time, homy with age,
"Thou shalt not kill," The penalty at
tachcd iolla violation waF prnnci about
the snnc time, "llc who shcddelli mans
blood, by man shalt his blood be she'd"
Tlils law you have violated, this dread-
Iul penalty has attached To your oHcnse.
Yon have been Indicted, tried. and found
guilty, aud Il now becomes my painful
duty to pronounce the sentence Of The
law upon yoili but before dping 10 I
VIII give you my parting advice, Re
mombcr That there is q fsea, aud unei,-
Ing judge before whom MI the Judges
of earth mnst appear, thai he Is infinite
power, wislOin, aud mercy. Give up
VII worldly expectations, fall nj his feet,
send your prayers TO The throne OF his
heavenly grace, and may YOU yet hear n
still small voice--"Son, Thy sins which
are many, are forgiven thee,' though
they hc as fuarlet, | will make them ~
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