American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-03-21

susl interest, no sooner is convicted person handed
over 10 the executioner, than he is beset on all
s;des with entreaes 10 make what is called a last
satisfaction TO Justice and 10 the pubic mihd, oy
an omen confession Of his guilt AS between Inc
convict and The law, such proceeding utterly hu
gatory. If he denies his guilt, he Is not oehesed
If he admit IL he only admits fact SO concluslvey
established as to every practical purpose tnat any
supplemental confederation IS superfuous II 'he
verdict OF Jury required the sanction OF conessioh
no sentence could be justhaby executed in any case
where that sanction was withheld But this could
not be. In submitting the question OF guilt or m
nocence 10 the process OF public trial we apply the
most efcacous method that our laws have oeen aoie
to devise for the discovery OF the truth ne result
like that of all other questions depending upon hu'
man testimony, may be erroneous. lhe condemn
ed may be martyr, for iuries are falole out lot
the purposes OF society their verdict must DC nha'
except upon those rare occasions where us propr'-
e,y is subsequently, brought into doubt by new ev-
ideuce emanating from a less questionable source
than that of the party most interested In arraighnB
lit
Then as far as regards the satisfaction OF the pub
Ilic mind with the Justice of the conviction or upon
this great stress is also ad) the public should neye?
be encouraged to require higher degree OF certain
" than the law requires But the practice OF haras
sing ccnvicts for confession before the crowds as
semDIeQ
effect 1t teaches them to divert their attention
from the best and only practical test of question
that should no longer be at ISSUE and to set value
upon test the most deceptive that can be imagined
/ A voluntary admission OF guilt may, to be sure, DC
depended on but after conviction no kind OF rel-
ance can be placed upon the most solemn asseVera
tons 10 the contrary Death and eternity are dread
tul things and II is dreadful to think OF Wretches
determined to nrave .hem with deliberate fasehood
tkaFa m Ill
have the nerve TO 90 this. IN Ireland 1t Is OF Ire.
quent occurrence; particularly in case OF convlc-
ton for political offences, and more or less IN all
Others. regard tor posthumous reputation-the
false glory of being remembered as martyr-a
stubborn determination to make no concession 10 a
system of laws that he never respected concern
or the feelings and character oil relatives, by wnom
a dying protestallon OF innocence is cherished and
Eappealed to as Deuuest to the honor OF family
name these and similar motives attend the depar-
ltng culpIt TO the final scene, and prevail to the
asst over every suggestion Of truth and religion.
II was SO in the case am now narrating. Al the
place oil execution the prisoner was solemniy ad-
iured by the cergymen IN attendance to admit Inc
Justice Of his sentence he as solemny re asserted
his innocence. The cap was drawn over his eyes,
md he was about TO be thrown otf. An accidental
interruption occurred. The clergyman raised the
cap, and once more appealed TO him as to person
swer was" am suffering for crime IN which !
never participated; if Sullivan is ever found, my
innocence will appear Sullivan 1oas found be.
fore the next asszes, when he was tried and con-
victed upon the same evidence sdduced against his
master. Sullivan was Catholic and after his
convictions made voluntary and full conlession.-
1t put his masters guilt beyond all question The
wretohed girl, according to his statement, had IN
sisted upon retaining in her own hands one halt o
the sum Of which she had robbed her unce.--To
obtain this, and also to disembarrass himself OF ar
ncumbrance, her seducer planned her death. Sui
vsn undertook to be the executoner. After set
ting Ellen Walsh on shore they returned to an un
frequented point Carrickafoyle, where the in
h strument OF murder, musket, and rope lay con
cealed. With these and the unsuspectng victim
!; Sullivan put out in the boat The master remainet
upon the strand. After the interval of an hour, th'
|. boat returned, bearing back Ellen Hanlon unharm
f ed -" thought had made up my mind" salt
!. the ruffian in his penitential declaration 81 wa
lifting The musket to dash her brains out but ache
Iioohed in her innocent face had not the heart Il
do IT," This excuse made no impression upon tn
II merciless master. Sullivan was piled with liquor
q and again despatched upon the murderous mission
v the musket more raised, and--the rest ha
e been tolj.
p =----s--~.-----szr--------=-----