Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-08-24

the OF Justice is stsid by it's interpositon, shout
he under Circumstances which calculated to pro
dpcs the convc ION the, IL has not been exercised
blindly, cap,icicuy in the spirit Of favoritsm Ia
a G5v-rnuen, like ours. il is at all times important
that the acts Of rulers should he properly under
stood, and justly appreciated by The people; but Il
'cally in the exercise OF This very delicate
rogAiive. Seeuy. them that the public inrd has beer
mislsd the suhec, Of the present article; that the
sensihiliies o respectable aud intelligent communal
~ have been abused by misrepresentation aud ariihce
we have sought aud obtained access TO the records
this transaction. and Rave avsiled ourselves of suci
other sources Of information a. are within reach
with view 10 present this subject 10 our reader with
truth and 6d-lity.
Although know that preparation. were made 10
d,nounce the Pse.ient for nhumani,y in refusing TO
grant a pardon TO Wilson aud Porter; aud well
convinced that The same impartial cepsors would have
a.sailsd him with equal bitterness. VIII ,ever course
he might have pursued; we also assured that The
Intelligent and respectable community OF Philade'phi
did rot share This feeling Unaccus,omed 10 wi,nes.
the sacrifice OF human life for offences like that o..
which these prisoners convicted, the pardon OF
both would probably have been acceptable to them o.
the President had decided not TO interfere with the
course OF Justice they would have yielded respect
ul Difference TO the judgment OF its ministers Ii was
the opposite aud unequal fate OF the convicts-the pre-
servaon ofthe life OF the onehe sacrifice Of that OF The
other which was arfuly avaed of. 10 awaken their
sensibies. and 10 ex lie their resenimen,s What the
public feeling required then, such an explanation
as would show that this determination was authorized
by the of their respective cases these
were presented To the consideration If the President
To make that explanation Is the purpose OF this article
petition the youth Of the prisoner the full, can
did, and effective confession which he made at early
moment o. all thu circumstances Of the ac and his
duct in all respects during bs heightened and solitary
confne men." Hundreds united i'm this PRAYER for
mercy. To the heart-rending appeals of an aged
ther aud OF his weeping sister, added the earnest
duplication of those who stood in relation him
which could have subjected them to the influence of
misguided sympathy They concurred in beariug tee
umony 10 the unaffected psnience OF Wilson; 10 the
msekness with which he resigned himself to his fate;
his eagerness for religious instruction; and the ankle
ty which he manifested to avail himse of its guidance
in that dreadful trial. which he believed 100 certainly
awaited him. distinguished minister of the Gospel,
one who had been called to attend him in his con6ne-
ment gave expression 10 his feelings man, and a
Christian, in the very interesting letter. which have
been permitted TO embody in this Article:
"To his Erceilency the President of the United States
SIR: Soon after the sentence of death pro-
nonnced upoc George Wilson, of the mail robbers
ordered for execution the second day Of July next
he sent for me minister of religion. found him
youth Of about % years in appearance and struck
with no mark OF viainy in his couptenance and with
nothing sisagreeabe in his spirit and manner in
versaion On the contrary. he seemed submissive to
his dreadful sentence confessed his guilt. in respect
both to his country and his God; and while he ancpa
ed nothing but the execution o justice from the former,
cast himself upon the boundess mercy of the latter
Such seems to be the present state OF bis mind such
Il has seemed to De in all my conferences with him.
am not The proper person 10 represent TO Excel
'eney the ex,enuatng circumstances of his case but
those Circumstances, and not blind compassion have in
duced raise my supplca'ions 10 YOU in his behalf
Regard for public justice, and veneraion for the law
especially administered in this country, would have
prevented me from requesting, desiring, the
remission OF any part of its sentence in the present ia
stance, but from uery strong conviction that it has
no common claims 10 Executive COMMUNICATION. II il
his conviction which makes humble and a very
earnest petitioner to your Excelency for the life of
WILSON
al am, with the highest consideration
" Yonr Excellency's obt servt.
philadelphia June llth, 1890"
Similar assurances were received from, various quar-.
ers. Anxious 10 preserve the life of fellow crea-
ure, il such an act Of henevolence should be found
compatible with the faithful discharge of his official
duty, the PRECEDENT sought and obtained Informal ton
from other sOurces: from the officers of Justice from
The Agents of the Post Office. who had been engaged
in his apprehension, who had visited him in his con-
6nemAnt. and freely communed with him from the
time OF his arrest They confirmed these favorable
rNpresentaons. There was moreover, 'uiiicent evil
dence 10 show that promises OF pardon had been held
ont to Wilson, not, indeed, by Mr.. Jeffers, who ar.
rested him. but by another That officer bore esmony
to the rankness with which Wilson confessed his par
ticp 'on in the robbery, and in his statement new he
fore thus expresses himself: "It is my opinion,
that without the facts communicated by Wilson, neither
he, nor Porter, would have been convicted" II
moreover satisfactorily asceriained that two contem.
plated roheries Of the msi prevented by the
surss which adopted in consequence of the in
formation received from Wilson; and that many other
interesting and valuable d closures had been obtained
from him. all which 30 far as circumstances had per-
mi'fe1 their scrutiny. had been amply verified Witha
the hands Of Wilson have never been stained with the
bleod of his fellow man. He had violated the rights Of
property: but under all Circumstances, had absaned
from shedding blood With loaded pistol in his hand
he suffered himself 10 be arrested by unarmed man.
and it was in evidences that the printing had been
thrown out OF is pistol the night OF the robbery.
Wilson is moreover very young man. The Rev. Mr..
Skinner, who attended him during his confinement,
though, him not more than twenty-five
Under theee circumstances the President was in
duced TO esercse the paTdoning power in behslf Of
Wilson. A very young man one who appeared IN be
sincerely peniten for his past transgT ad
been induced to COME sson by the promise Of pardon:
and who had manifested disposition 10 make
ribufion for the injuries which he had done or med-
aied. nv full disclosure of all that he knew; in whose
behalf Hundreds OF his ieOw-cZens were petitioners
for while the ministers Of religion testified in
his favor, and were suppants for his lfe-sucb man
has been rescued from an ignominous and untimeIy
death--not 20 no let loose The community, exposed
TO the temptations to which he had heretofore Welded
but TO expaate his offences by twenty years OF rnpr
sonmen instead ofrequiring from him the sacrifice of
his life.
1t would no doubt have been grateful 10 the Pres
dent, IL the of Porter had been presented 10 him
under circumstances equally favorable. Snch was not
the fact very uncomfortable number OF persons sub
scrihed his petition for pardon. II does not appear that
a single alleviang circumstance brought TO the
notice OF the PRECEDENT psate the admitted atrocity
OF his conduct. On the contrary. he represented
and believe truly, 10 have planned this FICTITIOUS
terpe; 10 have taken the lead in lite execution; and 10
have evnced neiE or penitence, submission, when
the arm ~ justice had overtaken him We think there
IL who has perused the report Of his trial. and
that Of Wilson, ard the published journal Of TIE Rev
Thomas Porter, OF the attending ministers, who
doubt the ectness OF This representation Let
the testimony Of Potee The accomplice; Of Jef.rs the
Police Officer, and Of Reside, the agent Of the Gener-
eral Poet Office, he examined II will he seen that
Porter proposed this among other schemes Of robbery;