The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-01-12
YoR ruE NoRrHERN srAh.

FOR THE NORTHERN sTAh.
would ask those editors Of Newspa-
pers, who have prematutely published
circumstances, in evidence in the judicial
examination of Rev. E.. X. Avery, charg-
ed with murder, and which, though sup
posed to be against him, were either de-
stroyed by other testimony, or id connex-
ion with other testimony turned in his ia
vor, together with reports which have
proved to be utterly false ill il would
be pleasant to themsAO know, that In the
course Of their lives, they should be in
danger of meeting with single individa-
al, who should suspect them Of having
been guilty Of the crime of murder 2
Would not such a circumstance be sut-
fcient to destroy their peace for life; es-
pecialIy, ifthewere not the only suffer-
ers, but their wives and little ones must
also participate in the affiiction Now
,cdh these men doubt that they have plac-
cd a man, by the course they have taken,
in far worse condition, and a man too;so
fur as has yet appeared, who has as good
a right to be considered innocent as any
of them :? Ifthere shall be any individ-
-ual or individuals in this country,to whose
ears the uhlavorable reports Of MIR. Av-
cry have or shall come, and who will new
er be convinced of his innocence by the
development Of truth in the thorough and
impartial examination which has been had
of all the testimony in the case, will it not
be those, who never would have heard of
the affair, had the Newspapers kept 81
lent till the examination had closed p
This however, is not the only serious OBJ
lection to their course. 1t cannot be de-
MED that they have also jcopurdized his
life. This they have done in two ways.
They have Done it first, by exciting the
popular feeling to degree naturally CAL
culated to suppress, by fear, the nccessa-
ry testimony to show his innocence, or to
afIcct the Imagination Of Witnesses so as
TO, give their testimony false coloring.
Z / do not say that either of these effects
bas been produced, in this case, but do
say that they are the natural effects OF
such an excitement. A second way in
which they have exposed the nuns life
Is by exciting, in the less enlightened, a
disposition to deprive him Of life, without
allowing him the privilege Of trial ac-
eording to the institutions and laws Of Lis
country. Such disposition could sell
dom, It ever, exist to degree calculated
ID endanger life, unless produced by q
premature circulation of garbled, false
and exaggerated representations anc
such representation cannot well be circu.
lated to an extent sufficient to be danger.
Gus, without the instrumentality Of the
public press. Who then would b. mos
guilty in the event that lifo should thu.
be taken those whose influence moved
the immediate perpetrators to the deed
or the mere instruments used by that In
Auence Shall the fatal knife alone
thrust 10 the heart OF the murdered vic
tim, be liable to punishment, while Tho
wretch whose hand thrust 1t there escapes
With impunity Justice, law, religion
all forbid 1t, The mopcr Of sedition, mur
der or any other crime IS in truth th'
principal, and the ,asoVcd should only b
considered as an accessory. These edi
tors may plead that they had no motive L
injure the person, character or peace o
1dT, Avery, that they only wished t
maze their puOl,ca,i..s sought Tor, ant
thus reap a pecun,ary advantage from III
opportunity SO favorable. This, n
DOUBT, Is tue true motive. But are the.
not ans"sraOie ior a public injury the.
may cause IN the pursuit oi private gam
1 cannot pciieve that govotnmcnt IRAN
cd tor the express purpose ot protecting
the persons, characters, and property 9
citizens should be Sd detective us TO hav
no provision tor the case under consider