The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-02-09
GENERAL JOSEPH DESHa

Il =
nounced the death ofthis rl;s.;ng,s;.::,.,
citizen Al his residence in Georgetown
kenEncky. 1 - ~
Il was the fortune ofthis man 10 b
most lnjustly abused while the Govern
or OF Kentucky, and the world in Gen
efai has q very erroneous idea of hi
character. The crime of his own so,
and the confession.of BEAUcHAMp
the murderer Of Col, SHARP, gave oc
easaon to bis enem'e to Willy him
aud too credulous community dranI
IN as truth, that which was conceive,
IN the bitterest malice and was a. fills
as the imagination Of man can con
ceive. IL was useless at that time t
attempt refutation; for The allegation.
were put forth in manner 20 rende
explanation Intellectual, and confirmed
IN part at Least, by the confession OF;
dying man. to which the mass of man.
kind always ready to give implicit
faith.
| The charges made were, in sub
stance, that be had offered to pardon
the murderer, Beachamp, If he would
hrst make and publish a confession
linpl'cating the leaders Of the Old
Court Party, who were the enemies OF
Deslia' in the murder Of Col. Sharp !;
aud that he had taken improper means
to save the life OF his own son, the
the murderer Of Baker.
Having been at the time measurably
ia the confidence Of Gov. Desha, we
thought we understood the motives By
which he was actuaied. 1n the case
of Beachamp, the reverse Of the char
ges is true. Beauchamp actually wrote
confession duplicating the leaders OF
the Old Court Party, and virtually Of
fered it to Governor Desha as the
price Of his pardon, with an iptimation
that in case OF refusal, very different
confession would be left behind him.
The first con cssion ,O0s offered to as for
publication; but we declined either 10
print or even read II. 1t was enough
for US. that as we are told, it implica-
ted individuals in the murder Of Col.
Sharp, whom We believe to be as inca
pable Of the crime as were ourseli.
Although We thousht then, and do
still, that the murder was occasioned
by the political controversy then rag
ing, il was impossible 10 believe that
-such men as John J. Cristenden and
others whom we understood 10 be inn
plicaied by that paper, had any thing
10 do with it directly or indi-
rec ~. To another printer of the
New Court Party, the same paper, as
we understood. was offered for publ
cation and with like result.
In tie meantime, application was
made TO Governor Desha to pardon
Be; u hamp. Never for moment, as
we verify believe, did the Governor
entertain thought of granting it. But,
having reason TO believe from what
was passing. that Beauchamp was ca
pable of manufacturing any tale as
dying confession to revenge himself
for refusal, the Governor, in accor-
dance with the advice Of his friends,
postponed positive answer to the Pc
tition until the last moment. The MUIR
derer was uted;lhe confession of
fered to aEother given to the public as
utterly false in Ieiatior to Governor
Desha, Col. Sharp, and other leaders OF
the New Court Party as the former was
in MS Cor publication was suppressed.and
reference to the Old Court Party.
The report was,that the latter was pub
Iished under the advice and suprevis-
ion of some of the Old Court leaders
who knew 1t TO be false as well as the
man who fabricated it but. unlike
their adversaries, were willing to stig-
maize them with the false charges oil
4 vengef.il murderer.
In this matter Governor DeshS was
made to suffer. not because he offered
% pardon the murderer on condition
thai he would implicate his personal
and political enemies 10 the murder
bnt because he refused to him sUten ask
ed, on that Uery condition
In The case OF his son, the conduct
n Governor Desha. when properly nn- |
was equally blameiess. Inc /
change Of venue from one county 70
another. outof which monstrous cnar
res :, :, =, al the same time manulactur-
ed wasA & matter Of course. always nav
III, been granted in Kentucky wnen-
s ..s asked for. There was circumslan-
css ;nsllis case favorable TO the prison.
srs which justified q 1iither IN belles-
20 n .:'.s ;;n5ocence. Nevertheless, he
~ found guilty By jury 70 The coan-
, ',ss which he trial had been transIer.
!. ~. on proof Of gross mIsconduct
- = ,be hart Of soins Of the Jurors. s1e
o. 1ns e PEI ,,s i ! new trial. n second
G s5;,pwss had, and be vas again found
guilty. Again, % grounds w .,sa,e q
e. not ,emember, the Court g,asssa i
g "a, sg RAJ On Governor Deshl's &C.
t1SV go s,ffae fl1ns second 1E1dta L