New-York daily tribune., 1843-04-05
VOL. Ek. no. 3OG.
The capital prnishment Debates.


sent you a communication last week in relation
To the article of Mr. O'Sulvan in your paper Of
Monday. That communication has not yet ap-
peared in your columns. Mr.. O'S. referred to me
for statement of facts, which certainly demanded
an answer from me, which l promptly and cheer
fully gave. Tha. statement must have satisfied all
shat there was no want of good faith in the con-
duct OF ell the parties concerned in that debate.
My name is again several times mentioned in
your paper of Saturday, in communicative, from
Rev. W. S. Bslch, OF this city and Rev. Abel C.
Thomas, of Brooklyn. They close their remarks
in reference 10 by saying, Mr.. w. will, we
suppose. answer for himself" do so most cheer
fully. In regard to my communication with the
Rev. MIR. Thomas these are the facts AT the
close of the debate between Mir. Cheever and Mr..
O'Sallivan, several gentlemen proposed to continue
the discussion if possible, and have the tables
turned have black Goa" on the side of the
abolition of capital punishment, and layman on
the other side. One ef the first lawyers in this
city consented to take the place of Mr.. Cheeyer,
and [ was requested to call on the Rev. Mr..
Thomas and see if he would engage to take the
place of Mr. 0'Sullivan. 1t was also understood
that the Rev Mr. Finney intended to give dis
leaving town. II was thought that Rev Mr.. Fin
ney would be willing change his intended lecture
to dcba1e. | called the Rev. Mr.. Thomas TO
get his consent 10 engage in discussion eithe,
with the lawyer above named, or with the Rev.
Mr. Finney, if he would consent to change his in-
tended lecture TO debate Mr.. Thomas peremp-
toriy refused discslss the subject with lawyer,
or any other layman, but consented to meet MIR.
Finney if he would consent. This was Thurs
day evening. MIR. Thomas to leave town
Monday morning, to be gone all the week Mr..
Finney was not willing to engage in the discussion
unless it could continue several evenings, and was
also obliged to leave town before the return of Nr.
Thsmns.
Messrs. Balch and Thomas, few days ago,
sent proposals to Messrs. Cheever and Cox to
continue the discussion. Mcssrs. Cheever and
Cox refused, saying that they had already been
engaged FIVE evenings in discussing that question
at the Tabernacle There were no objections
raised by any of the friends of Capital Punishment
to clersymens engaging on the other side. The
bate were made by one of the abolition party ex-
clusvely, and not the slightest objection was raised
by Mr.. Cheever, or any of his friends.
| am surprised by the alluson, OF the Rev. Cen
tlemen in their communication of Saturday. TO
article signed c., which appeared in the Tribune
some weeks since. That article was not written
by Mr.. Cheever or DR.. Cox,-ne,ber with their
consent or knowledge. I sincerely hope this sub
,ect will now be allowed 10 lie on the the table till
next winter. w. B. WEDGwooD.
uG The article of Mr.. Wedgwood in reply to
Mr. O'Su!livan was sent in, when the senior editor
of this paper out of town. 1t has been mis-
laid. We will publish it if Mr.. w. will furnish US
p c,,,,v IT E2