Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-04-18
Governor Wright and The PardOning
Power.


Power.
We naiice that some Anonymous writer in the True
Republican Jacksonville, is out the signature
Of JHsfita in which he pours volume of abuse upon
Governor Wrigh; for the exercise of the PardOniag
Potrer.
He charges the Governor with pa rdoning cold blond
ed murderer, who had been sentenced for life. We
walked over the Secrearys Office, and asked for the
papers in the case referred TO- and if the
writer of the article to read the papers on file
he would as gentleman take back ell he has said in
this case. We were so much struck with the letter
Of Judge Mcdonald who presided at the trial Of Rich
ard Jewell. the individual convicted and sentenced to
imprisonment for life, that have obtained copy
and now publish the letter to the Governor entire.
BLooMINeroS.
rssR SIR-At he May Tenn l54s) # the Martin Cir
emit Cunt, RichaId Jewell indicted and convicted Of
the FIRST degee, and sentenced peniena'y i'm
pisnnment for life His defence WIS insanity do not
this defence fully made IL that sot
Of isany which is induced by natci and therefore,
difficult 0 be understood by unearned men.
II appeared in evidence that he Roman Catholic
that his parents had intended him for priest that pecuna
~ had thwaItd that intention that he
grew idea Of hi being sti chung his mind
with mobd sensbily and became length, the idea
that ruled him years before the homicide he
quite insane afterwards partially recovered
Of S47S attacked with pleuTisy, and
he recovered from IT, grew and more lnsane-fsncy
heaven 'many thousands OF sinners '-praying
must feTveny 10 his house, in The ioad every where-
proving sin -buIsng into teas whenever he heard man
sweaE-insgining that there snake his
sch and drinking immense quantities Of make it
fiat 10 his thoai that he might get il out thes thrust
ing his finger down his throat for it ill he would vOmi,
fancy while he the Bible
changed under his revealing heavenly visions aud occult
mysteries Of his mind &c Sc These things existed during
the week previous and The day of The micde
Under these ecUmtlnces he went t. the Of Dovehi
witness who met him on the way was ffghed at his
devIlISh avoided
DoveIh he went to the of AT Lord 1.-THE deceased
No beng he brnke open door, Lords
ard hat and another Of the town. where he met
Lord. Al Lords request they back the grocery
There fight ensued between them Then Jewell again
up and Loid int his grocery
Jewell went raving about town, pruclaiming that he
General Jaks and talking about Ahadon and ApoIyOn
People thought he drunk though eemed he noi
lie then returned to Lords and remained with him in the
house (no else presently hours. Toward down
Of the nSighboTs To the huuse aud found Lod y
ing on he hoT expiring and Jewell standing by him h'ow-
ing him. Lord had evidently the
hs4d-ihen thrown on The hre-hen tiken eff and snow
thrown him. When Jewell asked what he had been
dng he said he had killed what people called the Lord
but what he called the devil They seized him. lie had bis
packets some OF Loids money and had lied 10 cloth
quantity u plumber, such small vice aud the like He
made Effort cuncesl snyihng escspe, though
clearly he might done boh All this ppened in open
day in Dave hill To rebut this evidence of insanity the
State proved that before Jewell Rad casually said
that il he did commit cIime he would FIST pretend
TO be crazy No medical witness called.
This about The substance # the it,
Such mpioms of unacy proved Jewell, very il
opea oelu.lon he noion OF serpent 10 ois oo"eis he
talk about Absddon and ApOyaB, the gush Of uppn
uneultiva ed Besides It's appearance the uia
was, to my mind, that Of crazy He had wild stare
and other indications Of mental alienation.
had and any doubt Of his insanity.
But the muiude thought oherwise the jury thought 9TH
eve he judges thought and oveIruled
a motion for a trial.
Do you ak why matter did % 10 Supreme
Court (? Alas the il poor He has money. He has
nothing but miserable wiie several helpless little children
and he wreck Of n uneuitiyated mind.
During the Bench OF this Circuit have not,
think recommended half dozen cutve mercy.
You know have acted with mness in matters Of this kind
a. least nave All along houSht 'nat our governors pave
been quite meIcful. But this is extraordinary
one which public ought 10 take The responsibility.
The am ought TO be PaIdoned and feel CONN.,
dent that recommending your eemency his unfortunate
Very respectfully, DAVID MCDONALD.
The Governor had this letter together with the APP
plication Of the members of the Bar the Prosecuting
Attorney. five hundred Of the citizens of Martin
County, the Witnesses and parties in the trial, all ask
ing the Governor to grant the Pardon. Knowing the
character of Judge Mcdonald his strict regard for
the due administration Of the laws, and his extreme
caution in interfering in any application for pardon,
we should not have hestated 20 grant tie par
don upon his statement Of The This is the case
however, that Gov. Wright {" in the penitude of his
mercy" did extend pardon to. in the language Of the
writer in the Jacksonville True Republican We
have looked over the pardons granted by Gov Wright,
and we can say to The writer Of the article that in
every the papers file show the names of the
Judges Of the Court Jurors who convicted the in
dividusl together with the Of hundreds of citi-
zens Of the county, inclutng in every bur one,
the Prosecuting Attorney who prosecuted the person
asking for pardon.
We have no doubt but what the pardoning power
is abused, and it ay be that Gov. Wright has grant
ed eases, when it should have been refused but II
go. others who ought to have known better have mis-
represented the facts to the Governor.
We remember TO have heard Gov. Wright speak Of
the pardoning power at the time he commenced the
discharge of the duties Of his Office and Of the remark
be then made, which struck US with some force at the
time" That he believed in every application for par
don when granted, he Governor should publish month
" o. oftener the number Of pardons granted. with
statement of the facts before him upon which the par
don was granted that the public might know the facts
Of each case"
We can say further to Justita (for we are inclined
to think, from The Of bis article, that be has
some interest in publishing I'D that he does not know
Gov Wright If he supposes bis article will herenfte'
have any innsence upon the course Of the Governor
IN the language Of Gov. Wright, when he refused te