New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-11-18
vol. In. NO. 100.
Ca.e of John G. Coli.

and solicit the Governor to grant reprieve To
Colt for the purpose OF giving him another chance
for new trial. have done their errand, but with
no success. They waited on the Governor
on Wednesday, but could not move him. The
following is his answer to their representations
ExecurIve DEPARTMENT
James T. Brady, Richard K Ward, r wharten Griffith
and samuel Raymond Fsqrs counseiiors OF law have
submitted 10 The Governor resolutions passed ycserdy d.
meei1ng OF members OF The legal profession III The Guy
Newly ofk asserting that the right review The decisoh
OF interior tribunals in the Court OF last resort IS rght SO
essential 10 the due administration OF The Jaws thas 10 it
writ oil error except free OF all doubt amounts 70
siltuon OF This STATE Courts OF yer a;d ictner can e
held the City and County OF New-fok oiher i"n ~
Judges appointed by the Governor anu senate aithoun
leated, remains undecided IN The Cou!l Tor inc tofecte
of Errors and deserves serious drlbefdonIe WOrCs c
The Constitution being The Governor shall nominate, atp
with the consent OF The Senate shall appoint oil judicial
officers except Justices OF The Ptace that questions con
corning the organization OF Courts require above all oc
the decision OF the highest lbu0ai naslucii as hesiS
constituted their judgements AFFORD 90 prolcCuyD 10 octT
directed to tkeu tat the moral foceo e%ery iea
Judgement, especially whet 1t Involves human ne ihLch
depends upon upqucsoha5c correctness and tat tic
execution Of any judgement Whose legality gra'ey DE
MED by deliberate and dsntercsed minds without Afford
ing The opportunity provided lo by Ia" 10 have reviewed
in the Court Of ultimate appeal aust deprive tIai Judge
mcnt of the universal respect 10 which after such
il would be clearly entitled and that Tie execution
convict whatever his crime OF no greater importance 10
the community than such al administration OF The law s
would produce implicit confidence III e decisions andi e
crcss OF the courts OF justice
The Governor is Informed, by communication witch.
accompanies the resolutions, that the meeting was sumo
rous and convened take into consideration the case
of John g. Colt lying under sentence OF death
for the crime of murder; tbnt samuel q. Raymond, Esq
preslded that the resolutions were submitted by J5iaeS
Brady, Esq., and supported by him and by Matthew e.
Paterson and John ". Edmonds, ksqure, and that The
gentlemen by whom The communication ihdde were
appointed committee with instructions to apply TO the
Governor for respite oil execution until action could be
had by the Court tor the CofTectonoi Errors In perform
ing that duty the committee earnestly solicit respite Tor
such period will give for public sentiment 10 be
settled in reiati the subject. They Csciae
that public opinion greatly divided lie matter, and
very deep conviction felt by numbers OF the eopie
that the case is not sufficiently doubt 10 suffer the
execution TO be performed until every proper means have
been used by whch public sentiment might he satisfied;
and they also press m, opinion that the immediate eSecI
the convict would 20 shake confidence ~ The
criminal code in respect TO some OF It's principles and Is 10
the organization by which Is carried ont; and as Citizens
o. republic OF laws, and republic OF opnoD they tnuea!
from the Executive such assistance OF their efforts as viii
give some little time 10 effect the desirable purpose OF Sc
curing harmony between laws Their execution aud pun
lie sentiment
Samuel Adans, citizen OF ibis State, ound dradon
the Goth day OF September, lSil csoners inquest vas
heldover the deceased and upon duo examination heay
rendered verdict that he received his the hends
OF John g. Colt immediately on his arrest judicial eA,
animation OF the transaction made 10y The police aud
allhoue the inquiry aeaded by The prisoner with The
aid OF counsel and he thu, allowed TO confront his ac
cUsers and called upon cxcupse himself; the inves
igaon resulted in his bring fully committed 10 abide Tie
of the law. Grand uy composed OF citizens Sc
ec,cd for their intelligence aud virtue upon deliberate
examination he proofs Submitted 10 them TIC part OF
the people. found lruS h o indictment against ic PR
before the brought trial This time allow
ed the prisoner 10 prepare ls ecience while legal roce
Ms sidn.cu 10 procure VIC dtcu""nce u MS "i.nsss
Three hundred and ortyscvcn citizens were summoned
with vewto obtain from among thai great number jury
acted ,,e re- in, Lu h,,sac ~, 49, ,of.n,,.
by Counsel eminent for learning and rleqeence. The
pn e s iTs' Te5 tie Sa s e GS8f
ing an account of the transaoon written by himself
he Information of his counsel The Court submitted the
In he X
eedng tenderness toward the accused Tie Jury, after
calmly and long. rendered verdict OF su
MURDER The accused then appealed 10 the Court OF Oyer
md Termner for new trial. resting his application on al
idavts designed to npeacb the lmpariaty OF one Juror
These complaints heard, ana found uterl
,roundlcss
The presiding Judge then allowed writ OF error, not
rom any distrusl o Tue decision which lhe court mao PRO
nounced but from sociude to avoid every possible error
grave case, and from bccon" Difference 10 igheT
tribunals ana IN NE mean i,le lns iL s"y e
'equent on The Ncruict was ueaye sr ccolu Maa SUI
mitted to The supreme nour'' anu I', ,I
non OF the Case ana he..iu- .ou"1e' - ',n;n,e.
1oecuoHs ol uc , ,n;,,. Ia, 3D.. cnnrI -,
1eclareu una. 10 eloi na @ -, ~ moi rnsre
oyer anu te!ih"ei anu ," '., wy ~ ' :. ~. .,n;,,, =,
Iroundiess oul Jr'osoas; le ~, VIZ -, LII -
me Court o oyer anu iSn o", 49, ;,,J -
d the law, one year aer 'lc C'inc was cu.n'G, nv
bounced 'ne senlelee ny ~ - 'i ,,,i,,i VII
nose mehpers WIGS ISI,u ~ :, . -, ,n b,,n,i
Is own security. nc y",'' liz, r,. Of ,,' l,, 49,
ma humane ousoS 's Nv % ' ~ ~ 49, ~, hiy
red 10 impress upon ,le u W @ We ~ az ~
oroachAg death ana aWakeh mn 10 c i y, 'e
'tN'''"' u S,,;rii
he appeal was Ics'S'co WIN a uesicG v, ooit , ~
4 ever Witnessed Oh a oe'"S'' W o''''' ''''' "s
Wrts OF error in capital cases are nor VIRUS OF Snt pu'
are wrs OF grace and they rendered 20 Tor the VI
,us reason that crime would flourish over The community
and society be shaken 10 It's foundations every oHeu'
allowed TO procrasnatc Tue punishment denounced
against his crime, by appeals without grouaus a wou
reason from court to court unlii hna snou w
rendered IN the Court for the Correctional Errorq irio
nal constituted not 10 hinder Justice by drawing all Inc pro
ceedngs al, other courts, whether probably ilSht or
errors may renap uncorreced by the Court OF Chance
" and the Supreme Court. After the sentence bad beer
apans the prisoner no Judge Court could
ay IL, execution nor any authority save that to WHICH
,eoplc as humane as they Just confdsd The pow