Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-06-24

iueu W me very letlef In all their part1cularl
hes and details, of cause; manner and instruments
IL we were required to ascribe a coincidence so
remarkable, almost miraculous, if undersigned, to
accident rather than design, for the purpose of ac
quitting an atrocious offender against the laws,
we should convert criminal trials into {.
solemn mockery. The laws enacted for the Sc
curity OF life and property, "would keep the
word of promise TO the ear and break it to the
hopes In most criminal trials Circunstantial
and presumptive evidence, and in all, moral
certainty all the nature of the case admits of
| 10 require more--to substitute the doubt of a
scePtic or mere possibility of innocence, for that
rational doubt which is to be resolved into an ac-
the accused would be declaration of i'm.
putty Tor crlmei in every case, for in every case
no matter how direct & positive the evidence there
is always possibility OF innocence 1t matters not
that no eye witness saw the torch applied so as TO
be able to inform US whether the deed was per.
petrated by your own hand or by that of some
Que OF your myrmldons and guilty associates
You We're there on that day, according TO your
own OFT repeated threats, declarations and waru-
ings; to do that deed or have it done by others
ana whether done by you or them you are in
law and morals guilty of the deed. Those of
your companions and associates who were Jointly
indicted with you, have for the present escaped
condemnation for lack OF clear and salts
factory evidence to lmplicate them in the crimi-
| AS'"ittNuS
arson brought home 10 you by your previous de-
caratlons, menace and thteats.-Though ac-
quilted OF Alison they have yet TO answer for the
atfoclous riot OF which they have been guilty
put had they been wholly acquitted you have
had no cause OF complaint on account of their
mpunty. Touwill receive no more than Your
Just deserts if they shall receive less. The evil
dence points to you as the prime mover, the
originator; the ringleader in this tragedy The
other rioters most, if not all were doubtless yo,r
fuments and II may be dnpcs and deltlded
Instruments. Both legally and morally YOU
stand pFe-emlnent i'll guilt, and if you should
be the solitary victim OF the penal SANCTIONS of
violated law you have nc cause to complain OF
injustice.
Though the Judgment of the law which am
ABOUT to pronounce for ytnr transcression is in.
deed erlevous TO one who appreciates the bless
lhgs OF liberty and the priceless jewel of a good
name and reputation among men; yet it is a
li@h1 ana lHercllul chastsement compared with
me enofnify OF your otlence since the Jury
have affixed your offence 10 tho minimum allow
ed by law.
You have been the instieator of the most tlar
ing aud atroclous mob and riot that has ever
dlssraced our hitherto quiet and peaceful COM
munlty and strange 10 tell directed against stran-
gers whom you had never seen and who had
zone you no wrong; most OF whom were defence
less women and children, and stranger STILL not
; only strangers but your countrymen aid
women.
We should have presupposed that being YOUR
self voluntary exile from the home Of YOUR
nativity, stranger in a strange land, that the
hrst and most natural impulse of your heart at
meeting Wo4ld fave been to greet with the most
faternal feelings your countfymen Of the Enc
raid Isle VINO, like YOU, had sought a refuge in
: distant iahd to them strange land But il
seems the thoughts OF tatherlsild. the ties of ii
common organ 4 lilat attachment which springs
lnstInctlvely from fellowship in exile, misfortune
aud distress, had no such kindly influence upon
your heart Cherishing che Of these mortal
feuds tsaat tear & distract your unhappy country
and acuated by fell spirit of vengeance and
lawless revenge you have bid defiance to our
laws, have made war upon defenceless women
and children, have ruthessly destroyed the
property OF your own countrymen, have burned to
the ground the dwelling that sheltered them and
turned them atil4tt touseless wanderers in the
depth OF winter to perish of hanger Gu cold unless
saved from such tate by the hospitality i charity
OF strangers. Bat for a fortunate accident women
and children would have persisted in the flames
OF their dwelling, Whereby YOU would have been
involved In The penalties if not the criminal de-
sign, OF capital offence. it was urged in
exclamation, if not justification of your offence
that you acted under a sense Of injRsy real or
lmagInary-that such outbreaks We're rolera-
ted elsewhere, in the land of your birth aud in
some OF the States of the Union; but no such plea
either IN Justification Or excuse, can find favor
here. The law of retaliation or self redress for
wrongs real Or imaginary has no place in our
code either for the foreigner the adopted, or
native born citizen All stand upon the same
footing OF equality before the laval equally
emitted TO the protection, privileges and i'm
munties it confers. & all in return equally bound
to yield implicit obedience to its mandates and
behesis. Onr laws hold out TO the natives Of
every cline the promise OF protection and equal
nights, and our people extend to them friendly
greeting, their sympathes, hosritaliles and kind
ness; but we cannon extend 10 them peculiar
privileges, least of all Il dispensation from the
. Observance of the laws--the privilege of viola
ting the penal laws with i,arGaitv.
; nope the punishment which awaits you may
prove 10 you sautary warning, may result in
your penience and reformation, and that YOU
f may be returned to society after exriating your
offence, firmly resolved 10 sin no more, but if
Iii this my hopes should be disappointed | can
not doubt but that your fate will operate as sal
ltary example and solemn warning to Others
VINO but Tor the punishment which has over
taken you might heedlessly continue to tread in
forbidden paths until suddenly brought up upon
the same landing place of guilt and crime upon
winch you now stand. Let judgment of i'm
prlsonment i'll the Jail and Penitentary house.
De entered according to the verdict of the Jury.
lhos. j. M1eh'e cad 14ler. H. Fl. Stuart, Esqrs:
GENTLEMEN-Alany Of your fellow citizens in
view oil the Convention called by the authority
OF the people to amend their State Constitution ::
and III view OF the seriousness aud importance
OF me work to be deyoyed upon that body when
1t shall assemble, and OF the responsibility con.
necfed with the execution of the work and the
iulllment OF a solemn trust as connected with the
best interest OF the people, present and pfospeo-
tive, and looking to the qualifications, moral
and intelectual required by the nature of the
duties and temper Of the t;rnes--have turned
their eyes upon you, as fit and proper peraons to
receive the trust with their confidence.
This is, or ought to be, no party business
However differing OIL Federal politics, we have
in the matter before us Virginia institutions onr