Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-04
RICHMOND WING.
I'm COMPREHENSIVE.
The Ward Trial.

The Ward Trial.
We arc constrained to express our dissent from the
coure adopted by largo portion OF the newspaper
press in reference to the result Of this trial We are
not aware that it is within the legitimate province of
the press to usurp the functions Of our courts and
undertake, in spite Of judge, jury, and counsel to
decide upon the guilt or innocence OF prisoners ar
raigned before them We no reason or propricty,
because the decisions OF our legally constituted rbu
nails are not always in literal accordance with public
sentiment and expectations, in our public journals
resorting to sweeping denuncations and abuse Of
them, and charging corrupt motives upon men who
are acting under solemn oath to discharge the dIty
assigned them honestly and impartially, "without
fear favor or affection" The press it appears to US,
is evidently ovcrstepping its just limits, when 1t thus
prcsumes to interfere in grave and delicate judicial in
vestigaton, with the merits Of which it does not claim
to possess full, thorough, comprehensive acquain-
lance No one therefore, suppose it to be COM
petent to judge fairly and rightly, those who arc le-
gally appointed for that purpose and who patiently
devote their skill and energies for days and weeks, to
the work of anayzing the evidence in order to arrive
at the truth. or course, do not complain of its
differing ms widely it pleases from the judgment
of the jury in these instances but we do protest
against its denouncng any jury-verdict whatsoever
the result Of perjury and corruption, when not
particle Of evidence is known to exist to sustain so
serious a charge.
The comments OF large portion Of the press upon
the result of the Ward trial have been snguary un.
gust factous and reckless-calculaed to weaken pub
lie confidence in the intelligence and integrity of our
Judicial tribunals if not specially designed excite
against them the prejudiccs of the popuace and thus
;ncti0o ham pf nd
We deprecate the nature and spirit of these structures
not that we have any sympathy with Ward, or be-
lieve him innocent Of the charge upon which he was
tried but because believe they are unfair in them
selves, and clearly pernicous in their tendency. We
maintain, moreover, that when an honest and nelli-
gent jury, presided by pure and capable Judge
and aided in their labors by able and learned counsel
both sides, have rendered verdict for or against
the prisoner, there is ut end OF the matter
1t then becomes the duty o. the public to acqucsce
in such verdict, matter how much it may be OPP
posed to their own convictions of right and Justice
and be charitable enough to conclude, in the absence
ofa evidence to the contrary, that the men who ren-
ed it, acted conscienously, and in obedience to their
best judgment.
Juries, we admit, sometimes render erroneous de.
cisions, but the instances few indeed in which
At all events it is infinitely wiser to submit without
murmuring to occasional error and injustice from
them, than to encourage connivc at a summary
reversal of their verdict by ignorant and excited
mob The mob element in our population is already
sufficiently audacious and sufficiently ready to take
The administration of justice intoits own hands With
out having its lawless passions Unnecessarily stimulated
by the press 1t deserves rebuke rather than sympa
n hr-- onl ax-;cb 10 Al.
proper respect for of Justice and due rev.
for law, without which life, property, and re-
put stion all insecure, we must be assiduous to
@eep it in check, by chastising it;wthout mercy and
lending it not the appearance Of appreciation or
favor
The telegraph reports the existence of considera.
"'e excitement in Louisville, growing out of young
Wards acquittal. Indignation meetings are at pre-
'nium-burning in efiigy pastmc and amusement
What else has been done, is contemplated in the
way Of downright ruffianism, the next dispatches
will probably advise Now, it is not an illogical
inference, that these shameless exhibitions of mob
sensityeness and outrage arc due in great measure
to the uncaed for and denuncatory criticisms of the
public press. 1t is well known, that Wardsguilt was
taken for granted, proclaimed from one end of the
county to the other and the vengeance of the law in
SOheu upon nlln long before MS trial commenced
long before tenth part Of the real facts of the case
was known to those who thus furiousIy demanded his
conviction. And why Principally, because he hap
pened to belong to wealthy family and therefore,
presumed to be overbearng and insolent, having no
respect for poor man, and caring nothing about tas
king his life This fact, with many, was considered
conclusive of his gu,t-and hence without waiting
for other further testimony his blood was eagerly
and loudly clamored for. The Aboltonists. on the
other hand, assumed Ward be guilty, because But
Ter was Yankec-argung to their fullest satisfaction
that Southerners had great contempt for the nolTen
sve Yankees, and held their lives in remarkably light
esteem-just as like not to shoot them down as
they would dog. Such are some of the nice ideos
current upon this subject. To our Judgment these
things only show what tempest has been raised
merely to excite class against class and section against
section. 1t looks to us like pure humbup-rank
demagoguesm, miserable pandering to the preiu
dices and passions of disappointed mob, camorinr
for the blood Of fellow-beng. Hundreds of mon
as guilty rs Ward have been acquitted. and vot M
fuss has been made about it-no iuries and cour,
have been denounced without measure or decenc,
and terrible retribution threatened upon counsel
for simply dischargng their duty to their client All
this noise, then, about the acquttal of Ward is the
merest stuff and moonshine that ever excited the
nerves OF public painting for a little Fictitious er
element
Federal Taxation
A correspondent Of the Enquirer is very much ont
nfh umnr with the urorog;t;on b. .taI.l.