The New York herald., 1845-02-18


ven us the names of the Irresponsible men" in
Wllkesbarre who informed him that James Cor
don Bennett had said in that village that his paper
was in the hands of locofoco committee. Gree
ley IL Co. seem to abandon the charge entirely to
their endorser. We therefore call on this endor-
ser-this 'sH. Dewey" of the "Pacfic Hotel" to
come forward like man OF honor and state ex-
plicitly who these Irresponsible men" in Wilkes
barre are, and 10 fulfil the pledge that he made be-
fore the public in the card which he published in
the Tribune. 1t was there stated that they had the
names OF the irresponsible men, in Wlkesbarre,
and that to any person having right to cali for
them, they would be given. We think in all the
circumstances Of the case, as it was a charge
against personalhonor and integrity relation
to great public events, that we have right to call
upon this "H. Dewey" OF the "Pacfc Hotel" to
give the Irresponsible men, OF Wilkesbarre, who
made these declarations. We again call, then,
upon this ssH. Dewey of the "Paciic Hotel" to
come forth, and to give the names, and we shall
continue to call for them until they are given, or
the charge retracted, SO that we may put this mai
ter at rest one way or another.
And now to the main question to which Greeley
II Co. ask our attention. They charge US with
being "thorOugh hard money-sub. Treasury-an-
ti-protective-anti-land distribution" We deny
this We are in favor Of the banking system, pro-
pery regulated and properly conducted;the country
knows this, and Greeley IL Co. know it. We have
considered the Sub Treasury scheme ridiculous
humbug, and so we still regard it from all that we
have of it, although it originated in the head
of Silas Wright We deny that we are anti-protec-
tive. We are in favor of moderate protection to
all the interests ofthe country; and this Greeley 4
Co. also know. We deny that we are locofoco
or whig, or any thing else than an independant
man, conducting an enterprising and Independent
journal, that examines every thing and every sub
ject on Its own merits, without reference to this
faction or that faction-this individual or that in.
divdual. We belong to no faction. We acknow.
ledge connection with cause but that ofintellect
and truth. Nor can Greeley Il Co. say as much Are
they not the mean. prevaricating, submissive,
trucking advocates Of factiou-a faction that
denies any merit honesty, virtue in the opposite
side, and considers one half of the American peo-
pie corrupt, ignorant, and utterly devoid OF pa
triotism? These are the men who have the impu-
dence to talk of their knowledge of American at.
fairs, in the face of their ridiculous, and gross, and
egregious blunders political statistics during every
election, and who are consistan and steadfast only
in their patronage and advocacy of any ridiculous,
wild, visionary, and often demoralizing system OF
society or morals, whose crazy or selfish authors
nickname the newest philosophy! These are the
men who prate about their knowledge of journal.
ism, when they are imposed upon by fabricated
news, which the greatest tyro about a newspaper
office would be able at one glance to detect!
HANGING AN INNOCENT IRIsHMAN IN RHODE
IsLAND.-The recent execution of John Gordon IN
Rhode Island for the murder of Amasa Spragu is
now the topic of great deal of exciting discussion
and conversation. We have received number Of
documents bearing on the case, which are of great
interest, and appear to show beyond the shadow OF
doubt-that the poor man who has been hung,
was entirely innocent of the awful crime alleged
against him.
1t will be recollected by many of readers that
the evidence on the trial against the prisoner was
of the most fimsy character. II was altogether
circumstantial, but the facts proved tending to
crminate the accused were few, isolated, aud NO,
at all conclusive. Unfortunately, however, at the
time Of the trial. the "native' excitement was al
Its acme, and the awful occurrences in Philadel
phia had stimulated almost to degree Of frenzy
A. r--j-l;~os oAlsllny III many minds throA.-Lnu
the country against the Irish. The Gordons were
natives of Ireland, and John and his brother vii.
liam had arrived in this country only year or SO
before the date Of the murder. There is every
reasont believe that the wicked prejudces against
the countymen the lll-starred prisoner found their
way into the Court and into the jury box, and
produced his conviction contrary to the facts. This
opinion is quite confirmed, in mind by the evi.
dence furnished in the documents now before us,
and which formed the substance of the petition for
a reprieve, which Governor Fenner denied. The
principal circumstance, as developed on the trial,
which operated against the prisoner, was the own.
ership of the gun, with which the deed was done,
which was traced to Nicholas Gordon, who told
DR.. Ceaveand thathe had gun which he bought
at an auction, and negro swore that the gun pro.
duced in court was the one which Nicholas had
admitted having purchased. Now, from the affida-
Wits of William Gordon, of Mr.. Mat,hewson, one
Of the jurors, and of Mr.. Chapman friend Of the
latter, it is established beyond the possibility of
doubt, that Nicholas gun was not the one found
and Produced in Court-that Nicholas gun was in
his house at the time when the murder was com
mitted, and that it was unfortunately secreted BY
William Gordon, under the impression that i
found, it might somehow or other operate agains
his brothers, he recolecting that in Ireland, the
possession OF firearms by the peasantry, was al
ways turned to their disadvantage. Thus the prin
cipal circumstance against the ilI-fated man, Johr
Gordon, is entirely explained away, and the evi
dence against him now stands SO fimsy-so utterly
lnconclusive, that no jury free from prejudice
could possibly on it return verdict of guilty
William unfortunately concealed the all-importan
fact of the secretion of the gun, under the mpres
sion that the discovery might operate against hi
brothers. acquittal, and only communicated tn.
fact before the termination of the trial to John
whose full perception Of the importance Of tn,
fact, was evident enough from his exclamation
cit is you William, who have hung me!'
Such are the important affidavits which wer,
presented in the petition to the Governor. Hts in
deed most astonishing, that Governor Fenner, O
| Rhode Island, did not at once grant reprieve