New-York daily tribune., 1851-09-26


rSis,NE sH r. &. lErtNp
MAY IT PLEASE tbs toVRr-G sNgtrw,S
oF rHE JvEl-rhs Is Detroit, the Commercial,
Metropolis OF Michigan ltiSa pro>peroD> ,,l
beautiful city. and : worthy OF yopr pride
have enjoyed rs hospltahtes liberia and ION,
Ma, j, stand and grow ani flourish forever Sew
enty miles westward toward me center os The
Peninsula, n tie county Of jackson Is lcon, a
rural district containing TWO new anl obscu-s
villages. Leom and Michigan Center Here. -
tins dock. are The chief members O, thlt comm
nifty Either the, have committed great crime
against this Capital or there Is here conspiracy
oi infamous persons SeeAmg 20 efec. .ht,r ruin.
by the machinery o. the law state that al.
lows either great criminals 90 60 unpunl >h,d or
great conspHaci,s 10 prevail. can cn'oN neither
peace. security, nor respect This rGial occurs
IN the spring time ot the state l. involves -
many private andpubiic interests develops trlns-
actions SO S.ngu ar. and ; attended D., ucl EMS
touching, that t Will probably bc re- fr-ci not
only an important iudicial event ln the Ai>to-,
OF Michigan. bot also as enutled toap are among
the extraordinary state trials ol our country ant
OF our times.
Forty and more citizens OF thi> >,ai, were a,-
cused of a felony and demanded, VIVA, u, Con-
Sutution assured them. a trial oy ury. An al
yocatc was indispensable IN such a trial The,
required ne TO assume that office. on ,hc ground
OF necessity was an advocate by profession
For me the law had postponed thc question OF
their guilt on innocence. Can any one FURNISH
me with what would have been a Sufficient eN-
cuse for refusing their demand ITO. n'arine
cGcu >sf. az fnaisluam nGriHe opus mdigsa' ia 20
potss,n,un, opiiilan. was the instruction GWEN
by Cicero Can lhe American lawyer find bet
ter rule OF conduct. OF one derived from higher
authority
\ word, Gentlemen, on the ongln and progress
of this cuntroVersy--not to excuse the defend
ants ner TO arralgn the State. Fifteen years
ago Michigan attempted TO stretch railroad
across the Peninsula, from shore to shore ll
was honorable even To fail IA SO NOBLE a deslgi.
An imperfect road was built, reaching from De
troit to Kalamazoo. and was travelled by tew
slothful engines The state conducted It, rs
the State conduct, every thing with cancellation
and kindness towards the people Necessity
obliged tho State to give the enterprise over 10 a
corporation, (which speedily extended the road To
The Western Waters and br0ugh. It INTO perfect
condition. Engines increased equally m numbers
and speed and the road became a thor0ughfafe alike
useful and important to the citizens Oi scaigan ana
the whole country. This public gam was attended
by the usual conflict between the corporation and
citizens about routes, titles, prices, stations ani
property unayoidlbly taken, injured or destroyed
uh
opened The inhabitants we're settlers, and settlers
are generally poor Their farms were not fenced.
Public roads, as well ss public lands, habi.u-
ally used ranges for pssturage cattle, often the
settlers only convertible property, frequently
destroyed. The change wa. sudden and abrupt.
The corporation refused to pay damages the settler
insisted on them. Litigation ensuod, and laled 70
settle the contested claim The corporation offered
half price as 70 rompromlse. The settler regarded
this as a conc,..ia, Of night anG las sted on the
whole. jealous 90. wealth and power n1Amed the
controversy. OCCASIONALLY a settler re,allaled and
ultimately sey,ra' united IN committing usspasses
The corporation nyoked the legal tribunals, but
failed for want 0i evidence. The controversy be
came embit'or,i clciy IN Jackson County. Onthe
night of the l9ta o November last She ifoigh depot
al Detroit took ire and was reduced TO ashes NO
incendlary, had not a public outcast lured BY the
tempting rewards OF the corporanon conceiyed the
thought OF enrching himself by charging the crime
committed here upon persons IN Jackson County,
obnoxious for Ie spasses committed there. lie Sc
cretly gave body and form 10 that suspicion, and on
the 10Th OF April a,tlt resulted N the alleged DIS
closure Of a long concerted, profoundly eon,nvei
and deliberately executed conspiracy by citizens ot
C., a demo1ltIDn g Tie ldlis ana
structures Of the Michigan Central Railroad
Thus II is seen that the State By neglecsing 70 pro
VIDE for the consequences oi the sudden change OF
l,s pollcy caused It's citizens 10 stumble in ther
ways from the ancient paths 10 walk IN paths N a
way not cast up"
There has been a wid and fearful conhict. On
one side. unbridled ncentous speech retaliation oil
prlvate wrongs upon the body polite, BY repfissl''
reckless OF condition. sex age, and Of distinction
between the offending and the gutless On The Othef'
a eorporate police Of mercenafy spies, hausns and
pursnng lhe steps OF all Who were exposed to IheI
suspcion or their malice Secret accusations were
carefully compiled by scnbes and yerheJ BY cams
before magistrates, with the carefully s'Hlied ahl
profoundly concealed purpose VI obtaining, ID soihs
W. evidence enough 10 sustain an accIatiyn as]hsl
citzens Of Leon Of -0me crIme or cfmos iof "hi''
they could be tined away from Jackson 'oA"Iy.
When al Wa matured, an indlctmeh' 80 spee1ly
f,unJ AGAINST Abei r Fitch and others ipf burning
tbe Dsn6t At Detroit another for burning th' ne" 90
~ ahch had arisen 10 place another iof burning
ihe dspot al Niles mother for burning NE depot a.
M,rshau anOuer, 10 the l ; Court, Tor mahliac
trrIng and passing counterfeit money and sui an
otb.r for burning mails. tisn artiOns we're simW'
rapeously brought agaInst the defendants. BAL 70
lngntlul sums, Nas eKacted IA eagh " lhe's tfuOi
aId on ever one OF these indictments Able and
.ympaihizng frleICs were ready 10 become OoaH
Dut the wealth Of Jackson County could not nee
the large demand, and the defendants, .,sf an
have been held fast a. IN a cage Of nOn. The cory"
ration employed ten lawyers fmong me mos' eiD
nent within the state and assuming the dfechoH -
the prosecution and deIayIng large portion o. -
expense, has poured iorh, through the Dps o. ~
- m. comuIled volume Of secretly gathered tr
cusations Tie prisoners have come eAIE NJ
Court to encounter these accusations ana ~ nA,' 49,.
tuned al nlght cOniront pestilentlai oi's@o ~
ali The pres ol Michigan received tns oisc IT,
I a. true ana proclaimed them 10 the "ofn II