Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-06-01

Il
law has been changed. which authorized
convict to be sentenced for life for the
alle,sed offence IL would seem improper
that one convicted prior 10 the change
should be confined for so long period.
The petition of the pardon was numerous
ly signed by citizens of the county OF
Page. and the prisoner was recommend
ed to clemency by the keeper OF the Pc
! nitentiary on account OF his good conduct.
For these reasons, and considering the
great length of time he has been conf
ned for an offence of such grade, he
was released.
In October. last. Elisha Bowling was
sentenced to be confined in the corpora
ton Jail by the Hastings Court Of Frede-
ricksburg. for three months, for the crime
of larceny. In this case, the evidence
shows that the money, the subject of the
larceny. was stolen by one of the witness
SEES who testify against the prisoner, and
that the prisoner took it from him-that
upon being questioned about it he imme-
diately offered 1t to the owner, but that
owner refused To receive it upon the
ground that it was not all that had been
stolen. The testimony is of such cha
racter as to leave great doubt of a guilty
intention to appropriate the money to his
own use. At the instance of the priso-
ner, as stated by the counsel, the case
ment. In addition to these facts, the
Grand Jury. after examination of the
corporation Jail, report, that, whilst it is
clean and secure, it is not tit place for
the confinement of prisoners, being damp
unhealthy and offensive, for reasons as
signed, and wanting in ventilation. For
these considerations. this prisoner was
discharged on the fourth of December.
On the 7th of June last, William III
Harrison was convicted by a jury. and
sentenced by the County Court of Spot
sylvania county to twelve months impri-
sonment in the county Jail, for the crime
of hog stealing. and was par,loned on the
18th OF December, the court having uraan-
inaOuSly recommended the prisoner TO Elk
ecutlNe clemency, and asked the remlS-
sion of the sentence. and the finding of
the jury to two months Imprisonment,
&c the court being OF the opinion that the
finding of the jury is excessive"
Besides these cases of absolute pardon.
l have felt it to be my duty to commute
the punishment of death to which seve-
raj slaves have been sentenced, to that of
sale and transportation .yond the limits
of the United States, and proceed to
state the particulars of each case.
On the 10th of September last, Lucy.
Court of the city of Richmond. of infant
eide. and sentenced to be hung on the
22I of October following. The evidence
establishes the fact that the girl was deli
vered of a child. and to hide her shame.
imme diately destroyed. and endeavorcd
TO conceal the infant, but it also appears
that she was only fourteen years of age,
that she had previously, uniformly sus
tanned Il good character that to relieve
her pains, laudanum and spirit had been
which might have deaLen
ed her faculties. But be this as it may,
the Court and Coroner earnestly recon-
mended the Communication of the punish
tneus to sale and transportation. because
vi her youth, and the excellent character
she had borne up 10 the time of this
crime, the court certifying g that they
have never known a better character than
was proved by many respectable witness
SEES, to have been borne by the slave up
to that period" Sustained as this re.
was, by large and re-
spectacle number OF the citizens of Rich
mond. and being Informed by the counsel
Of the prisoner that he did not believe
that the court possessed the power TO
the punishment in this case. and
that the court concurred in that opinion,
and being satisfied that the sale and
of this girl would not be
in opposition to any policy OF the State,
but rather in conformity with the apparent
design both of the trainers OF the constitu-
ton and the Legislature. manifested by
the power of Communication up
on the Governor and the courts, l inter-
posed in her behalf.
On the Goth of November, 1852. Isaac.
a slave, was sentenced by the County
Court of the county of Harrison. to suffer
death for the crime of burglary. The
evidence shows that the burglary was eff
fected by entry into n dwelling house
through a window which the prisoner
raised with intent to steal. and when de-
tected, that no effort was made to intlict
bodily injury upon any one. Upon the
petition of large number of citizens of
The county of Harrison. and of the justi-
ces composing the court, who sat upon
the trial ofthe slave, and for the reason
in the last case. that the COM
of punishment, except in aggra-
waited cases, seems to be in accordance
with the policy of the laws of the State,
did not hesitate to reprieve the prisoner.
have thus presented briefly to the
General Assembly the several cases not
heretofore communicated. in which l have
exercised the power conferred by the con-
stitution, with the reasons which influen-
ced my Judgment.
JOS. JOHNSON.