The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1852-02-14
vo1. 12-Mo. ezz.
: THE FORREST CASE.

THIS pratrac,ed trial was brought to 4
conclasion.s yesterday, by verdict in
favor Of the plaintiff. on ali the issues, and
awardtn. iser $4,000 a year for aiisnooY
Avery large portion of the comtnunity
will regard this an extraordinary resuit;s
DOT sus..iqedi by the evidence "a large
poetioa wsIt look upon it as Just what ie
shqnld sbe, and, perhaps, the largest p.e-
ton of the three sviit regard it with perfect
iadltterence. The amount of aiiMonv
looks a little vindictive,; or else If the
jury approved Of the course ofIife, whichs
according to some Of the witnesses, the
RlAial6 xsena. to- have !eslk and " wished to
kRave her the means to kee nApy certainly
they have declared thcrsbesief sisat~Mrs
Forest has been the intended victim Of
plots "r cnnspiracies too base to be readily
conceived Of.
But the verdict is Of very little impor-
ta"ce as regards the real struggle betwee
the parties. for the jury were only called
IN as matter Of legal form. The cause
has not in point of fact been tried before
them. but before the community. The
evidence has not been confined to the
issues which the jury were professedlv
sworn to try. but has been permitted to
sweep over all creation. aud to draw in
the character Of everybody. dead or alive,
who had ever anything to do with either Of
the parties. All this was for the purpose
OF influencing. not the verdict of the Jury.
but that Of the community. And what
has been gained in this respect, La our
opinion. nothing at all.
The cause has been OH trial before tbe
public a couple Of years. All the material
facts had been published aud commented
on IN the newspapers, and all who took an
interest IN the controversy had formed an
opinion according to their view Of the facts.
long before the trial came on They had
taken sides, and we doubt whethe anv Of
them have changed in consequence of the
Developments made before the courts.
Their respective opinions and feelings
have only been rendered more intense 5y
the excitement OF the trial. The friend.
OF Mrs Forrest and those who hated her
husband. will congratulate her upon he
three thousand year. and will cling closer
to her than ever. On the other hand, the
friends Of Mr. Forrest will regard him 4
victim Of perjury and of a strongly biassed
Court. and will regard him with more
| enthusiasm than ever. When he next an
pears III the theatre his friends will secure
him such triumph as no actor ever re .
ceived before.
Such, then. Is the result, and the only
result, OF a trial upon which 80 much time
has been wasted. In every aspect of the
matter it is painful 10 contemplate it.
Mr. Forrest. as an American, and as tn.
first OF living trage,'ians. had, and still
has, troops OF ad,niring friends. For wears
he enjoyed uninterrupted domestic han
p'ness. quarrel between him and his
wife finally arises, which is dragged before
the pub'lc, and after prejudces are excited
which render just Or satisfactory verdict
next to impossible. it is brought into Court
and tried as If before town meeting.
The Court is flooded with perjury the
rules OF evidence are set at nau yht and
what ,s called a legal Investigation is per-
m'tted to take as wide range as a per-
sonal or political discussion before an
election. The character of the judiciary,
the character Of the parties. the character
of the witnesses, and Of all concerned. if
not greatly damaged, certainly cannot be
materially elevated by such a meice.
Long may it be before we have another
/ like it.-.V. I. San.