Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-05-04

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E #RkKfE ~ ss Sss ss3s'' 81 SO
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w H q ELM G. v
THURSDAY MORNING. MAY . 1854
The Ward Case.
Mostof ths papers in the vicinity of louisville
are ansparing in their lenunciations of the jury
of Hardin county, which acquitted NJ. r. Ward.
charged with the murder of Mr.. Butler in Louis
vile some months since. The feelings OF the peo-
pie of Louisville appear. gteatly excited, and
large meeting on Saturday passed series Of
strong resolutions rejecting severely upon the ac-
eused and the jury " Inch acquitted him, andalso
commenting IN the highest terms the character of
hesdeceased. From the report of The local coll
umn of The Courier, we indtthat another set of
resolutions were adopted by the crowd outside the
place otmeeting, ON motion of Mr.. @. F. Cop
page, who acted as sdesnonshator Of anatomy 10
the crowd outside, pointing out and naming 10
them the dramatic persona from the Hardin county
inrysup 10 the Hon. JohnsJ Ctittenden of the
Senate of the United States ali of whom were
succeSiyely burned in ef6gy. These resolutions
are pndignifed and some of them irreyerend.-
The resolution forinstance, referring tothe Hon.
]. ]. Cnttenden. who, 1t is charged. volunteers as
counsel for The defence, is as follows: Resolved,
that the volunteer Counsel the once honored and
honorable John ]. Gntteneens has given evidence
thatlmen in high POSITIONS viii, stoop
so LOW that nothing but GaBgiePs trump can raise
tltm.,, " hiEe This per formsnce was going on at
the Court House. about 1000 of the boldest citizens
marched off in the direction of the residence of
Robt. j. Ward. having etigies of Mat. w ard and H.
fJ.sWasd, il. TheyienteTedJthe house and fonndsit
tenantless; then hung npSthe effgies in the hall.
The boys meanwhile stoning the house. summer
house. and conservatory; and then "some thoughts
less persons in the crowd set IRE to the efgies IN
the hall thereby setting the Building ON fire. which
was extingnished by The ffremen before the house
was much injnred. This seems to have been the
sumof the performances on Saturday night; il we
may except request to Mr.. Critienden 10 resign
his seat IN the Senate OF tie u. S., to Mr. Wolfe
toresign his seatHinthe Slate Senate. and to Col.
Preston to resign his seat IN Congress. Senator
Guthrie seems 10 have escaped.
The hrst resolutions evidently the product
of substantial men who felt whit they sad, but
who yet bow ed to- the supremacy oflthe law AID
were willing TO rest uponthe firm. yet decidediex-
preston of their slberate jud gment, while we
1egretto say that inthe resolutions andper-
formances, we can see but little other than Inob-
octacy in its most detesteds hape. IS 81
~ We know not whether Mai. " ard was guilty
OF lnnocent ofthe laid to his charge, though
If the newspape reports and opinions correct,
hewas guilty: We know too " ell, however. the
5ncilents bearing upon the cIedibility3 of witness
ss, ant. consequ ently deeidin the weight OF eyi-
dence, not to know that few persons are compe-
petsnt 10 decide correctly upon the guiltot inno,
cence, ola prisoner, unless they both see tie Wit
The mannerc of a tness, the conn ection or wnnt
of connection of what he says his clearness or
confusion. in fact everything Connected with
himself, his action on he stand, and what he says,
are necessary ingredients in order 10 lead them mind
of the heafers aud 10 determine the cfediBiiiy of
the witness, and the weight proper to be given to-
histestimony. None Of these things can go upon
paper, nor besadequn tely eportels while theym
yery properly changes the hole faee.of theImat-
ter. Nor can the res geste bepropeIIy placed be-
foTehe reading public for the posltonlof tie par
ties their gestures and as connected there
with, the pace itself, and numerous other Incl:
dents are necessarily LEFT OF the canvass of the
most accurate reporters. Hence the little less than
improbability of having data from,which to form
just conclusions as 10 so nomentops a question as
that5oflnuIder: g
The Appellate Courts are ever acting under
these principles rarely ever undertaking tosde-
cdeas to e1edbillty of witnesses in the court
below properly leaving he decisionsof such ques
tionsto the aTbiIament.o of those whose and hear
the witnesses. The sshne apdscry hen, which
has been raised by the press in various parts the
country, seems TO us to euncal ed for con-
trary 10 sound and safe principles Such opinions
musteither be the echo Of othersor else be found
upon Insufficient and nnteI able data 1t has be-
cometoo much the habit of the press of late years,
to pre- jsdg cases winch can properly be deter. +
mined by The judicial tribunals ofsthe county
alone. Offences are committed, and before The
prisoner has parted from the officer who arrests
him, the press announcement of tbrnial nutder,,'
shameful outrage,'' edsgraceful assault, ct id
o,nne genus of terms so pat in The Vocabulary Of
locals, accompanied by the articni gather
ed from Mr.. a.. who heard Nh. b. say, that Mn C.
told him thatshe had seen n man, who ..saw tile
whole afair; tottl; TO thetwortt 10 forestal
and dire public opinion, seal up the fountains of
impartial judg and eFcondemn The ACCUSED.
We speak generally While no one viii goiar4
Their thanswe Wilt uphold the freedom.ofG
press, regarding as the gseat bllwatk Of popular
rights, yet we know but too wei that under lis
guise and form is concealed, too often, thu most
nnbonnded icentiousness. While our libeItyeis
sacred We should thst tie rights of otls.
ersste equally sos lsaiss o. ss.sses.
no shall say but That Judicial muTdenmay not
have been oftentimes commits by the agency Of
ga report, 2 which has from1he press stoIendts
wayspneonsciously inio lie mind Of al juror or
Jurors and there nave poisoned the Impartial
mind, without which he could not doiinstice tothe
accused. ,ss
OF the merits of the w ard gex press mn