Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-08-08


Thy virtues lasting as the hallowed tree
OfLebanoni Fair be thy fame!
Christian hero! thy toilsome march is o'er!
A nations gratitude in tears shall pour
Chaplets mournful around thy genial name!
Friend of our glorious country, fare the well!
Long may thy Union-loving spirit dwell
With us in lasting memory dear!
God grant the UNION strength-through time
Unrivaled may it stand sublime
And glorious ever be its proud career!
From the Boston Atlas.
The case Of JOHN w. Commu-
talion Of Sentence-The day Of Execution fixed.
The Committee on Pardons, composed
of Lieutenant Governor John Reed, Chair
man, of Yarmouth; DR. Luther V. Bell; Hon.
Samuel Wood, of Grafton; Hon. John
Tenny, of Methuen, and Hon. Charles NJ.
Owen, Of Stockbridge, submitted their fl
nal report in the case Of John w. Web
ster, to the Governor and Council, yester-
day morning. The Council met in their
chamber, and held the session with closed
doors. After assembling, and being call
ed to order, the following Report was pre-
sented by Lieutenant Governor REED,
Chairman of the Committee on Pardons:
REPORT.
The Committee on Pardons, 10 whom
was referred the petition Of John w.
Webster, a convict under sentence of
Death, praying, in behalf Of himself and
wife and children, the Governor and Coun-
Gil to extend to the petitioner commuta-
ton of the punishment awarded to him;
also, copy of the records Of the Court,
containing the trial and sentence Of said
Webster, and also sundry other petitions
and arguments referring to, or in support
of the petition of said Webster-now re-
port,
That, by said record, it appears that said
Webster wa. regularly indicted for the
crime of the murder of DR. George Park
man, and sent to the bar Of the Supreme
Court at the March Term thereof, A. D.
lS5O-and there having been enquired Of
how he would acquit himself concerning
the premises, for answer, said he was not
guilty, and thereof put himself upon the
country.
Counsel was thereupon assigned for the
prisoner. On the nineteenth day ofMarcf
following, said Webster was again sent t.
the bar to be tried. A jury was empan'
neled and sworn, and after full hearing
on their oathes declared that the said Johr
w. Webster was guilty. And thereafter.
wards, viz, on the l>t day Of April, il
said Court, said Webster being placed al
the bar for sentence, it was demanded o.
him, by said Court, if he had anything te
say wherefore sentence should not be de-
clared upon the premises and verdict alore.
said. To which said Webster nothing fur.
ther answered.
Thereupon it was considered by The
Court, that the said John W. Webster bt
taken to the Jail whence he came, ant
thence to the place ofexecution, and there
be hanged by the neck until he be dead
Since the passing said sentence by salt
Court, numerous petitions and arguments
have been presented to the Executive fo
the full pardon of said Webster, founded
upon the belief and presumption that h
never committed even a homicide. Re
cent events, however, relieve the Com
mittee in great measure, from the con
sideration o! all such arguments and pc
titions.
| On the End of July, A. D. 1850, th'
Rev. DR. Putnam, by ppointment, appear
ed in behalf of said Webster, before tn
Committee on pardons, and read a confes
sion made by said Webster, acxnowledg
ing that he committed the homicide, am
declaring the manner and circumstance
thereof-and at the same time presente,
said Webster's petition for commutatio
of the sentence aforesaid. The petition
and confession were supported by an abb
argument by DR. Putnam.
To this confession and argument, an
all arguments and evidence supporting il
we have given our most serious and anx
ious attention, and we have proceeded t
consider the same with hearts and mind
desirous to know the truth, and our duts
and with firm purpose to do rhat bot
Shallrequire.
1t seems to your Committee that the sen
tence in the case of said Webster, havin
been passed by the Court after full an
fair trial, in the course Of which, all tn
facts and circumstances which could the
be brought to light, were patiently an
thoroughly Investigated and weighed b
the iury-and having been fully affirmed
after careful revision Of the law upo1
trial, since had by the full Court, on sol
emn argument Cor both sides, there ap
pears to be no ground for Executive inter
position, except it may be found in tn
subsequent confession of the prisoner.
In this view, the only que lions, as
seems to n.. are, whether the statement
which said Webster now makes in hi
Confession, Of the manner and circumstar
ces Of the homicide, are so confirmed b
other evidence, or so intrins;cally prob;
bic, that they ought TO be received as tru
and if true, whether they justify the E,
ecutive in Communication Of the punish
ment.
To these questions the minds of tt
Committee have been most carefully d
rec,ed, and, as they trust, with no unwi
lingness on their part to come to an affin
ative conclusion, if they could do so COZ
sisten:ly with supreme regard to fru'
and justice. But after all the considers
ton which they have been able to besto,
upon this confession, and under the l'e'
Of all the evidence and the comments wit
which It has been accompanied and SUI
ported, they feel constrained to say, tn
, l. vc{