New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-08
case az tho tJncartrna,e Clemens LII.
10 TIE EDITORS OF TIE TRIBUNE


10 TIE EDITORS OF TIE TRIBUNE
The service 1 have assigned to myseifin
tins Article is an examination OF AIR District Attor-
Iey Halls report, and the grounds upon which is
based. as ayowcd by himself. Ii may he pertnen,
here for me 10 show wal ii WAS that President Fill
more referred to McsSrs. Hall and Tamadgc. am
uce without apprehension that this was not precisely
understood by the gentlemen themselves. Charity
prompts this apprehension. rs more honorable 10
Them than other viewsI might entertain. The Ian
grige Of ,hci Executive was ncariy.s follows - This
application for pardon is rclerrcdio tho US. Dis
,r,cs Attorney and the MARSHAL iorihe Southern Dis
tcI OF New tk,,o examine into The circumstances,
and report to me whether Clemens WAS wronglully
/ convicted OF the murder OF tiavenS''
Now this reference made after the Confession
hadbecn carefully read by Nh Fillmore, and he had
received, from the TWO ccrgymen VINO Laid Ii before
HIM. full account Of ali the circumstances under
which II made and had asked for and received
!r<I them iull explanations III those parts OF tho er-
dcncc on the trial which Scemcdto make against Cic-
mems. With mind, therefore, evidently impressed
by lh,s testimony tla. had come TO hight. from
the only source whence direct evidence could be o.
tanned, and offs Importance TO the po&r condemned
Toy, ne directed the officers above named to cN;ln
me INTO the circumstances. and make report TO lll
whether he was wrongtulv condemned. This is
il statement OF The case, Tor the trulhot which
stake every thing dear 10 1lr III HE. Ii there can
be but side 10 this case. the op,icSNt lawyer
Will he necessary TO discover ii. At hrS., Mr. Tall
nudge Seemed 20 understand the case as l did, and
pyonnsed 10 write The President so that his letter
SHOULD he N Washington by Monday moSning, adj
r,sne that, IN vlcw OF the circumstances, Clemens
shoGld rccclvc 4 full and free pardon nc did not
dolI. Why did he not Had any evidence come
10 hight against the boy No; Ill all. Whv then
WAS he not true IL his convictions and &c his word
Let hun answer 10 his conscience and TO God.
have ar explanation iur has sudden Jim Crow
8 exercise On Lord STAY morning he ascertanctl
that Mr.. District Attorney Hall did not 20 III for
4 favorable report, and therefore he would not.
/! Mr.. Marshal Tallmadge has any other cX-
PLANTATION than this, that really true and win
good. conscience, Let him turalsh i 10 the pub
he, and 1, as Very small past OF that proEc.
wll.s acknowledge II rs proc; Of IN ln1epeild-
encc that | had begun 10 fear WAS about as
scarce with hlla as integrity u Il politician.
hu re:urnto Mr.. Halls report, ard The reasons
X, This declares that the District Attorney can see
nc reason for changing previously expressed oE,l-
'on--taat the conviction and sentence OF Clemens
Was legally correct. In that previously expressed
oiison, AIR. Hail takes the ground that one OF the
three men shot Mr.. NavenS, that another stabbed
han in the thigh and that me o:hcr struck the blow
with the aN: ThlS,NaS certainly avery cool apror-
sol,ment OF the terrible tragedy, il fair one.
nsueI be allowed here toQCeSuon whether any ~,
tee subtle ninG of,one thoroughly Scnoolc6 II isS
legal profession could ever have reached such COR
clnShon as thai, or whether, having reached IL the
expression OF MNsould ever have been given but By
ono Nho Was rather ccSirouS .hat:ae whole .hecc
ShoUI hang. for the socI of chose OF Us who are LEI,
behind; and that we Should be made fully sensible
the law is NO. pNsr
,o.;..l oss,er GctrS, whether ersi or good.
The District Attorney GdAereS 10 his opinion, ,h6i
The bov was properly and Fira!eouSy convicted AID
has SO reported IL me President. He does SO oecas>
he c,,ro admit. he The confession. Of thu
,,yi,, men amounts 10 anything lie remembers tho
t2Ss o. men III ernGc.,wo both, whlse under
sentence otlcatlln;>on charge
;nat ,.ev we're guilty. .iiG ai.trw.lId II turned out
tAaf the man was no. murdered IL ali, nor had
h. been III aar peril of i.ie or ent. The men sScr
obviously confessed 20 crime O: ;sGch they were
ROT cs:,!tv circumstance =; i.sst 50 strange and
unusual tina: We arc 5ounGto i4oS iotSa motve 10
it.lfnct paramount ~ least Wc,Ssy eoGSe 10 nave
inaucedit lirown memory Goef nc: reiaMtas cir-
c,mSia9ecs IN iicir occurrence, hut distinctly re-
member having read of; ItS marx iSvc-E distinct
upon the history o.; capital convictions IN cur coC.-
Try and asa cited case u utterly fails NJ Agdl IN
the purpose to-swSIch he uSed j.. I'VE read that
upon ZINE che perSl once had audience with me
ord of sios:s conccrpn,s the good Iaa !oe. Satan
= SSn toy skin, ~ TIA. ma: aaia WI. he give
Tor Us h!c The truth of this declaration the Nos.
si,sa eit not dispute. and K remains tre II these las
Sta times l. wiis true Up n FcrUon, and the men
under SeG-encc 81 INC law hoped hr appearing
trn:fc! and pealtcsnt, 10 p-opitasc Executive Gle
licc! by coIieSSinG crime they .ler or cn.alt,eG
But ~ all this, a. AIR. Ha,l@svci; knows there
is rothlng parallel. Douglass and Benson ha.,
10 such tro:t.c. because. IN the nature OF La,
caSc. ,tev could not. Their fullest couicss.orS
were rGi snaGc uE,a twu :aTec hours " ,,lSsF
before .hev were executed AL hcpc o. resnise or
pardon Mas with ,hs:n CT: OF the question Doug
Ss could not hope io- *, 20! nc PseS.e.. iias sey
.ral ajIeS refused !; 70 HIN. and the :s; zine hi.
icw hc,ls before NJ pl@e rs coesslcni ;:nd ,oDy