Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-01-28

hrst, the others were not proceeded upon. Mr.
Fanntlcroy was n partner in a bantiur-house.
he HAD a private desk IN the office: of TINT dos
he constantly kept the key appended to his
watch, "ithin tue desk were the kc.s of two
boxes, kep;in AN inner room; and i'm one of II
boxes was paper in his hand conchc
III the following tcrns:-'.De la Place. II I5Oi
10 per Cent. ConSols; T.. w. Young. 5Oooi
Cousole; Geucral Young, 6000i. Consols: Fran
ces Young, $1,000 Consols; III. Kelly. 6OocJ
Consols; Lady Nelson, 1851 Consois.n
And the list was continued TO an a,,oupt
of 100000 which was added together at tl,c
loot, and was followed by tins most singular and
unprecedented declaration: order 10 keen
up the credit otour house, have forged powers
oil attorney Tor the above sums and parties. and
sold out 10 the amount here stated and without
the knowledge OF my partners. kept IN the
payment OF the dividends, but made no entries
oi such payments ON our books.n This was ,ia
ted "Derners- street, May Z, 1862 and was
siyhca Henry tauntlcroy" and it was follow
ed by Postscript equally rcuarlable:->P. s.
Inc bank began first To refuse To discount our
acceptances, and To destroy the credit OF orr
house; the bank shall smart for if
IL would seem tlrat this paper could only have
been written and preserved by Mr.. Fa,mtleroy
out oil sense OF justice to his Partners who in
the event OF his sudden death might otherwise
have found it difficult to establish their inuo-
cencc; and so far he is entitled to ccrnDendaton
Dut when VIC dispasslonatcly comsitier his real
"iotiVe Tor the frauds, we stand in astonshrpent
ana dread at The ia'nenablr obliquitics of the
human mind. No less than sixteen gentlemen
OF the highest reputc spoke to having known
nm from ten To twenty seven yearssthcv d.
scrbed him as oblging, benevolent, kind. heart
cd, and humane, as having ever maintained AN
uiispottca character, aud being considered
strictiy honest, upright, aud honourablC. o.!
Tue truth OF this evidence there cannot be a slIa-
dow of doubt: such was Mr. Fauntleroy,s char
acter-su was the opinion of the rorld con.
cernmS HIM for u long course of wears, during
all wMch tfrne he was prey to the conscious.
ness OF S'saOnesty, and was i'll the frequent prac-
ice OF forgery to an appalling EXTENT Itwas
the making an idol OF the ioOrtds opS,;on which,
ruined tins unhappy mar. AS a I.owion banker
he held high rank in society. With tho credit
OF the house i'll which lie was partner. he seems
10 nave associated every idea that he entertain
ell Oh worldly estimaIiun anu beyond this lie. had
no sustaining principle of action But the edi
ice OF ii's hopes began 10 give way. His rank
IN society was put To Jeopardy. The banlSino
fOuse became involved. Its credit was shaken:
aud the Bank OF England, instead of COMING to
IFS support, refused to discount its acceptancps
and thus augmented its embarrassments Far
| StruOTlp5
winch iis's unhappy mans mind must have nn
dergone, before he could seek refupe from
bankruptcy in forgery and fraud! Still less
would we weaken The pity that must be left for
ms years OF subsequent misery! But it is a most
instructive lesson TO observe, that where the on
ton of the acorid is the sole motive of human
conduct, not only is that motive Inadequate to
the support al virtue, but it becomes the means
OF agsravatIng punishment by cruelty and in
justice. In the present case, the poor, hone
iesS, aiiiIcted CRIMINAL could not steal away from
long and painful public expoSHre by pleading
Guilty, because the opinion of the ac0ril, preiu
diced and envenomed by an 'sEnemy had load.
ed INN with the odium ofcrimes which he never
( perpetrated, and had imputed to him feelings
and motives which he abhoryei. He was there
fore compelled to plead Not tt,aity-hc was
compelled to face shame and disgrace which
were worse than death to hiul--he was COM
PEELED to undergo that that torture for hours.
by the necessity of replying TO string of false
hoods circulated against him.
Pitlable as was the prisoners detection, and
agonIsed as he marestly vas from the bcpin.
ning to the end of his trial. bis main anxieties
as attested by his defence, still fingered about
the the opinion of the world. lie was content
10 admit fraities, he did not dispute fraud; but
the odlum ot seilishness and seIssu"lity he indio
nantly rePelied; he feared the contempt of man
-Nlr. Justice Park humanefy aud properly
called his thoughts to God. That WORTHY
Judge, with feeling that did him honour, be-
sought the unhappy criminal to look up to the
hrone oil Trace. The same just ard neccssa-
~ ad'iceh had, with great tenderness and human
n.y. been previously given him by Mr.. Hanson,
the Visiting Magistrate Of the prison.
With respect to the ultimate fate Of MIR.
tauntieroy, we can only say, with Mr.. Justice
Park, that the extension of Inercy tn, him nm
earth Is not impossible; but it would be cruelty
70 his friends TO intimate the slightest belief that
1t Is probable. II ever man convicted of for
gerry, with five similar judgments still banging
over him, was pardoned, Mr.. FauntIeroy NAV
be SO; but it is well known that all the ROYAL
prerogativcs are exercised with the advice of
the Kings Ministers, and 40 man in his senses
can suppose that any Minister would take upon
himself to recommend Mr.. Fauntleroy as fit
OBJECT for the mercy Of the Crown
KANqHSR