The New York herald., 1850-04-06

The WrssTBs CAsk-LEsAL OPINIONS UPON rus
vfkDioT.--We publish, to-day, the argumeut Of An
eminent legal authority, upon the proprety and le-
eality oi the verdict given upon the evidence in
the Webster uial. This is o1e among hundreds ot
similar views entertained and expressed by eepa-
Die ridges throughout the country, aud suggests
The wonderful importance OF The telegraph upoa
the decisions Of the public mind
In former day 3 it would have been impossible TO
array such body Of opinions against the result OF
any judicial investigation. What change has
taken place! The evidence hes been transmitted
with electrical speed thousands Of miles, and the
verdict Of millions is flashed back against that OF
OF twelve chosen, pious, and prayerful men, whose
sentence has been utterly condemned as suited
only to the days Of John Calvin, The syteenth cen
tury or subsequently 10 the times of Salem witch
craft, fire and iagos The telegraph, therefore,
has operated IN giving the world the opinion OF
posterty on this verdict. Boston alone affords the
present view Of the case; the future view Of it is
recorded in every other section OF the country.
Such NAV be deemed the moral effect Of our
great teleeraphic system. Ii electrihes the pub
nc mlnd. II stimulates men to lhlak, TO feel,
and to act. The doe.tIot intelligence ct other
days would have had, IN q similar case, no
effect in breaking down injustice and the ba,:
rieis OF prejudice Not 90 now. Public oplaon is
embodied almost IN mement; and in powerful
form, rushes back upon error, and confrouts II
with n fesstless torce and power; 80 that If men
were disposed To burn their fellows the stake or
10 hang them for wifehcrait, or TO commit any
other outrage, they would be restrained from such
daik deeds by the outcry of whole people. Thus
the result Of our teegraphic communication will
be enormous In it's moral force, and will do more
to civllize and refine man than all the apo,hegms
of the anccnts or the sermons of the modern &c.
clesiascs. Lectures and books will be but as
records OF the opinions and follies, the thoughts
and wisdom OF the age and the great lever
that Archimedes dreamed Of will be the press
the independent newspaper press-its Sybiiline
leaves, written with lightning, sent forth with
lightning, and carrying 10 millions every hour all
that is great and good philosophy, science, ma
ture and art. Error will have no lurking place
The laws OF Moses, as modified by the liberal
apostles of Christianity, will be Incorporated in the
great tense Of justice, the overiowing humanity
and love ftruth, which all the socialism Oft day
cannot conceal under feathers, aud laces, and "trip
peries, to make mankind better, wiser, and coase.
ing about It's active morality that will make Bibh
tract, missionary, reformation, and all other so.
cieiies-the dswding and wrerched slow coaches
Of the ags-thlngs of past era-the lumber OF
en'eIpnse-the very relics Of barbarism The
newspaper press is not the third or the fourth
estate, as II has been caeo-ii is tie first, best
and greatest. and guided by the finger of Heaven.
Hence u IL tina, the duties of men are criticized
that their acts are discussed Hence il is that
meo are not expected to say their prayers, when
fhslr public cuiy TO their feo man and TO Heaven
dcmsnds their judgment, their reason, their un-
bi.sstd decision upon tire law-thst foundation of
al that Is good In human society. II would be
abruId for an eXrcutioner to fall upon his knees
before placing the rope about his victims neck,
that be might be able 10 come to a righteous deci-
siop upop the act; and equally is il Tor Jury to
turn the Jury-room into conventcle, when their
thoughts were due to the public, TO the prisoner.
aDo to nIs fsnIiy. We esteem the motive, but
deieu the principle Men shosd pray everywhere.
without crasipg. and not merely for the purpose
OF Gaining iht mseyes for repose sweet 10 them
selves and dangerous to those whose life they are
to rusrd.
We have said thus much, and could not well
ssy iefs. upon the extraordinary conduct Of the
Iuy, 40 recorded By one Of iheu number--not
thHi we hike pirty iers, but thar love justice
End the supremacy OF the law more then uay out
ward forms OF sancny. Let ns pray.