The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-03-04

ing man at sea, my mind looked uot up
on the boundless stretch Of waters in
which was engulfed without the sight
OF a single friendly sail. The trial was
too great for me. My mind gave way
under it. 1t was in this condition Of
mind the crime was committed. l
found myself with the means Of assist
ance in my hands indeed, but incredi-
bic ~ it may Seem to your Honor, with
an immediate sense "f SelC-coudemnation
at the msthod employed to obtain it.
cherished the hope that in the near flu
turc | should be able to return the mon
ey. 1t WAS the OLE, old story. Temp
tntion presenting itself in the hour Of
trial, but III my case the temptation came
to n mind already cntreblcd and diaeas-
cd. and which, under other circumstan-
ccs, could and would firmly resist its
approach. May it please your Honor. ]
have 4 wife and children whom I dearly
and dcrotedly love, and who arc left in
n desolate condition. | have %ventured
to hope. for hope springs eternal in
the human BREAST" that, in my approach
ing old age, the frailtics and infirmitics
Of my life would have met with pardon
and the mcrciful oblivion of silence mt
the hands Of my fcllow-mcn. Unfor-
tunatcly. however, it may be for me and
those h are dependent upon me. the
violated majesty Of the law dccrccd
otherwise, and |, therefore, humbly con-
fess my fault, but plead in cxtcnuation
thereof the circumstances which rem
dcrcd INC almost crazrd ut the moment
Of its commission. | cntrcat that your
Honor will inquire whether it is not
wholly unworthy Of belief that a man
who in the years that have gone have
filled the positions and performed
the duties that have fallon to my
lot would, in hi, sober senses and
with his mind in its full visor, have
STOPPED to the commission Of a crime.
the purpose Of which WAS ~ obtain til.
comparatively small Sum o: t!irty-four
ooltliS, aud = ! ~ u " 'IiIHI "
tho natural or'l"r Of tlinsS tn It a man
who has pride in his ancestry would
choose a criminal course Of lifr-most
especially whom such Il course i in d.
rect opposition to his tastes and instincts.
From my earliest days l have been known
as a strictly temperate man. and have
never taken part in games OF chance.
whereby money or anything else could
DO gained or lost. Your Honor, | have
done the State ann" service. But a
short time after the close Of the war, I'M
der the appointment Of the lamcntcl
General Candy, who ut the time repre-
sented the Government us commanding
general in South Carolina. l occupied
acceptably to him, the position Of Dis
trict Judge and held tho scales Of Justice
both on civil and criminal sides Of the
court, among the people Of two counties
in tho State, at a time when the minds Of
men were infaned with passion and
prejudice, the one against the other.
As II member Of the Constitutional Con-
v~ention Of 1863, I took part in framing
the new organic law, upon which, as n
condition precedent. my native State
was readmitted to her place within the
Union. served AZ SpSakxn+t the
lEIouse Of Representatives,, and az Adju-
tant and Inspector General Of the State
from 1868 to 1872, in the fall Of which
year I was inauguratcd A. Governor, and
held that position until the close Of 1874.
No amoun of sorrow, no amout of suf-
fering or misfortune. not even death it.
sclf, which, save for the Sskcs of nv
wife and children. wonld b.: most well
come, can rob me Of the honor Of having
loft my nalne as one those whn bore 4
partin the rehabilitation OF my State uu-
der a government which secures to every
man within her borders the rights of n
freeman and the duties Of a citizen.
Judge Pit,nan said, addressing Moses:
why did it not occur to you to state
your circumstances and throw yourself
upon the generosity Of Col. Higsinson,
by mailing an appeal to i.im?" Moses
replied" had just before applied to {.
man in Boston to whom | had sent E2U
when he was in. confinement ut the Con-
cicrgcric in Paris rs d dishonest bank
rupt, and met with such n positive re-
fusal that my mind was in a disturbed
condition" Judge Pitman then said:
ut seems to me that your moral senSe is
more impaired than your intellectual
sense. 1t is very sad to have to SEN
tence a man of yonr ability, but the fact
Of your being q person of such inteili-
gence should deter you from the COM
mission Of crime. Yonr ofensc against
Col. Hisginson was q mean one. havin.
all the elements Of ~treachery and deceit.
Tho Court then sentenced the prisoner
to six months in, the House Of Correction,
and he was taken to the prison aross the