Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-10-28
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

We were panied, in looking over the pages of
the October number of that truly valuable peri
odical, the North American Review, to find
very exceptionable critical notice of Mr.. MNoR's
Discourse on the life and character of the late
Professor DAVIS. The notice contains the fol-
lowing gratuitous and unwarrantable assault up
on one of the purest men who ever graced the
Judiciary of this, orany other country. We have
not seen MIR. MINoR's Discourse, but we hazard
nothing in stating that it contains no word or
sentence which affords the slightest foundation
for the charge preferred by the critic of the Re-
view /:
"The murderer fled but the active efforts of
the community were speedily successful in ac-
complishing his arrest, and justice seemed in a
fair way for receiving its due. Unhapply, the
ignorance, weakness, or corruption of magis-
trate set the bloodstaned cuprit at large on bail
The sum, to be sure, was heavy one, but the
great wealth of the family enabled them readily
to meet the penalty and the ancient and proud
Commonwealth of Virginia stood in the unenvi-
able attitude of the barbarian who takes in atone
ment for the blood of kinsman compensation
in money"
We were once conversant with the details of
this unfortunate affair, and according to our re-
collection of them, the circumstances connected
with the application of SIMMs to be discharged
upon bail were these. The application was made
to the Hon. Lucas p. THOMPSON Judge of the
Circuit Court of Albemarle County, at regular
Term Of that Court, and after the cause had been
continued for the Defendant the to next SEES
sion,-about six months. The application was
supported by the aifidavits of several learned
| physicians, who expressed their conviction that
unless liberated, the prisoner could not live until
the time fixed upon for his trial. The Judge ex-
hibited marked repugnance to receiving bail
but finally agreed to adjourn the question to the
General Court, then about to convene in the City
of Richmond. The question was accordingly
\ brought before that body, and after protractet
and able argument by the most distinguished
Counsel in Virginia, and upon the most mature
deberaton, the prisoner was bailcd in the sun
Of S25 ,000 We never heard of a human be-
ing, who expressed the slightest feeling of sym
pathy for the "blood stained culprit," and vel
there were able jursts in the State who consider
ed the amount Of bail required excessive and un
constitutional. whilst all regretted the escape O
the criminal, yet, most of those lwho were quail
he'd to express an opinion on the subject, admit
ted that there were no means of preventing i
under the law.
Ignorance and weakness have never character
lied the General Court of Virginia, nor has the ju
dicial ermine ever in our State, been soiled by
the slightest evidence of venality or corruption
So far as the purity ofour Judges is concerned
the people Of Virginia have been blessed in al
unexampled degree.
1 We are far from believing that intentional en-
justice was committed by the writer of the notice
but he is certainly amenabe 10 the charge 0
gross inaccuracy.