Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-07-12
EDITION OF 1R. WHISPER,

lpecuIIarIy touching.
/ lETIl1oN OF 1R. WHISTLER.
To IBIS Errollepcy Hc Gorcraor md 10 The Hoa,,a-
Le Executive Connect of Tie Communicable nj
4 U0SSachusetts: ''''
John White Webster, a convict. under sentence
oi DEATH IN Boston jail, in behalf of himself and of
Us vile and his children respectfully petitions that
;,le sentence awarded against him by the law may
sb' committed 10 such other less horrible and irn6-
smsrcuIly decree i"''
Your petitioner fully admits that he wos tried no.
sore if and impartial tribunal, and that under the
law as exists, his Jury, composed as it was of honor
. a2!t ana hl1h minded men, could have returned no
ivtrdct other than they did. But he respectfully re-
minus your honorable body, that the two great moral
have never been found agaiust him y Il
Jury Du have been necessarily Inferred by the ar5l-
;iraTy rules OF the law, from certain general facts
"ilIH your petiuoner will not deny, bu the extenu-
ia'lhE details Of which, no man in your peti,ionerI
SITUATION, can ever possess legal evidence TO uroyr
. Ih'Se details your petitioner has cou,idrd 70 the
memo VINO presents his petition, with authority to
Estate them to your honorable body in the hone that
.you VIII find therein reason to extend 10 yoir netI
jloner and his family that mercy of which the law has
made you the dispensers.
And your petitioner will ever pray.
De-. ]. w. WEBSTER.
Boston, June, 1850.
After reading the statement of D.. Web.,or
.'ne substance of which we gave our readers on
Sthe 81 INST, and which confirms our previous
abeIief, that Dr. w. killed Dr. Park,nan. but
without malice or generalization Essential in
3gredents Of murder,) DR.. Putnam addre.sqd the
5Committee on pardon, at the sitting of which,
CONTRARY 10 custom, the Governor and entire
icouncll were present, at considerable lenr,h.
lis remarks were characterized by high-toncd
christian spirit, cIearness Of dictiun and sound
sIoglc. We regret that we cannot rive them IN
i. our readers entire. lie CONNIE need by SAYING:
i Two questions arise with regard to DIR. VS.
statement First, is it to be believed Second.
ut believed, should it lead to a mitiration of
;; he sentence pronounced by the Court These
propositions were enforced in manner. which
Snot only bespoke the learning, pic,y and ability
S'i It's Author, but which must have lett npon
Ithe minds Of the committee Ie,o. astjoe
sand favorable impression. He concluded as
.t1ioWs:
Happily, the Executive is not reduced to the al
OF the execution oi the sentence as it stans
sor H.. pardon There is another mode o, uun,.L
""ent, when, To man OF DR.. ebsrer's habit, and
s'ssoclauous, win operate with severity sufficient il
Smdy he believed to satisfy even ho>e no ihin nm
! Is the greatest monster OF arpruyilV on whom tic
, VA" ever iaij It's hands. Making due dl>cru,iia-
'o among NE various grades OF guilt Imprisonment
4 the STATE Prison would seem to be the punishment
tH'N appropriate to the actua. character OF Dr. Web
ss r. offence And may be- allowed to suggest that
\ hS Is the punishment which in this case will hr.t
iswer the public ends oiJnsticr. Punishment tam,
a" I7 mora ELECTS upon community and even pro-
/ ucrS contrary effect from that intended whenever
!. i Is 'eit TO be dlsprOporoned to the crime.
J When DIR. NebSer's statement shall have zone
eou 10 the public, II II shall be believed, us we NAV
Aptct mat 1t VIII be believed by muittudes even hy
"a greater majority OF the millions who have. b-cos
lnIeresed IN the cast,-believed on account OF ms
CONSISTENCY It's lnherent probability and the circun
SS'alcts favorable TO truth under which il was frs,
1Haue ana H. then, the extreme sentence OF the law
fSloud De executed upon him, he viii certainly be
s'AougAt TO have been dealt with unnecessary ,iunr
4aud TO have crpdtrd his deeds too severely Ard
men the public sympathies, by uuallerahe law OF
, the ihlnd must pass over from the side of law and
lAstce to ham, as n wronged nan-wronred with that
5i'sl wIu0G, winch Is Unreasonable ana lrreparabc
Ana II It should be elt that the innocent and discou-
! ISOLATE family to the convict-the most distressed
\ fanny, think on earh-hud had their unequalrI
sangush increased ot beyond the bonds OF justice
sand the acquisitions OF the social welfare the public
theait could hardly pardon that. Let the punishment
ace g-aduated to the guilt proved ami believed and
fine exact line OF right cannot be certainly found lot
THE penalty fall little short OF it rather than 90
shaiIS breadth beyond it, Ii the imperfect sea Of
3pIhlic justice cannot be exactly poised, let that in
Ewhich the prisoners interests placed be clearly
gsecn, 10 desccnd-though by the slightest possible,
sdcgree of prcpondersnce. Otherwise the examine
lis lost, and the public feeling and conscience come
INTO fearful antagUnism aLains the administration OF
{he law Let compassion and charity fellow the
terminal IN his punishment, however deserved but
sake care to keep all rational ympathies fast bound
ION The side OF law and Justice.
The present question, Interesting to mulHudes,
|and unspeakaby momcntOus to a few, is m ihc
7hands Of body, to whose wisdom, rectitude and
,clemency the public and the prisoner look with equal
5conhdence tor decision at righteous merciiu
sSuch decision as shall leave him debtor-though
8hy ever so little, sill debtor-to the Cannon
wealth whose peace he has violated, and at the same
"a terror TO eyl-doers.
pr Putnam further stated that if the committee
ANNOUNCED the better but if the decision shoud b.
tons in DR., w IS favor.