Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-06-01
10 Ms Eaiors Of tle Uaitsd Stafss.

To he Eaiors Of tie Uaited IStafss:
GEsrLExzE: If / felt less confidence
in the justice sad magzanimity Of the
American people. I would not now M
trude myself upon your notice. Ny
position is one which may well be con-
sidered peculiar in the United States,
where the laws have hitherto been re-
spected, and where the verdict of a jury
has been regarded as final in all criminal
cases. Acquitted, though still accused;
free, though still prosecuted, Imust ap-
peal, through the columns of the Delta,
to your generosity, and beg a susPen-
sion of opinion until the evidence in my
case can be laid before you.
can blame no man for feeling strong
tpreiudice against me, or for expressing
the loudest condemnations of that un-
fortunate deed, which has been so dark
ly and ingeniously exaggerated by my
enemies. The public have as yet seen
but one side of this case, and that one
has been most unscrupulously misrepre-
sented by those eager for my blood and
ruin. / have been acquitted by a jury
of my peers, and in most cases this
would be vindication enough, and even
in my case, perverted as it has been,
my acquittal should at least argue a
presumption Of my innocence, strong
enough to induce the most hostile to
pause till they can examine the testimo-
ny produced at my trial. This is all |
desire, and surely it is not much for
man to ask who has uncompfainingly
submitted to as much as have done.
A full and impartial report of the tes-
timony in the case has been prepared
by Mr.. A. D. Richardson, one of the
most accomplished shorthand writers
in the West, and will soon be issued
from the press of Messrs. D. Appleton
d Co., New York. Although l felt
the highest confidence in Mr.. Richard
sons ability and impartiality, yet when
l remembered the former course of my
enemies, the precaution- was taken to
have the report authenticated by sever
al gentlemen, whose positions place
them above even the soaring accusations
of the Courier.
All that 1 ask from you, gentlemen OF
the press, is silence until this report can
be placed before the public, and if you
do not then discover some better reason
for my acquittal than the corruption Of
the jury, lam willing to submit to your
r,;yar-,l oonJa,,nafto, bova m ada
no previous attempt to resist the designs
of my enemies-not, as they would
falsely Observation-Disclosures / had no de-
fense to make, but because l relied with
confidence on the just administration of
the laws of my country. break that
silence now, which the better judgement
of friends formerly imposed upon me,
only because my prosecutors seem to
have lost all respect for law, and have
constituted themselves higher tribu-
nal, to reverse the dscision of a jury
regularly empanneled by the proper au-
thorities of the State.
Once more appeal to the generosi-
ty of the press of this country, and
conjure every editor, in the name of
justice and humanity. TO read the report
of my trial-weigh we'll the testimony
on both sides--and then declare to the
world whether 1 have not the right to
say that injustice-black injustice has
been done me. And if many are con-
vinced by the testimony tina; my per-
secutors have not been sustained in the
case which they made out against me, l
have too much confidence in the mag I
of American editors to doubt
that they will confess that they have
misled, and will expose the unjustifia- !
bic means used to deceive them, and to
injure me. Be just! be generous, gen
tlemen of the press. Read this report
and consider closely its contents.
The Louisville Courier has, believe,
proposed to publish my trial in pamph-
let form, but the gentleman who was
by this paper is not steno
grapher, and the report could not be
full and satisfactory in all the details of
cross examination, even if his notes
were fairly published. Mr.. Cole would
not. l know, make an unfair report for
any consideration; but, from past ex
Derience, should apprehend that some
liberties might be taken with his notes
before they see the light. make this
suggestion for his sake as we'll as my
'wn. 1t is fact worth nothing, too,
hat whilst Mr.. Cole was preparing this
,eport for the Louisville Courier, he
wrote letters to his paper, the Cincin-
laii Gazette. in which he expressed an !
opinion that would be acquitted, which
vas based on the evidence in the case. 4,
Ne may hereafter have an opportunity 8
f comparing Mr.. Coles opinion of the
estimony with the version the Courier {
nay give it. MATT. F. WARD. r
TRIAL OF A MURDEREss.-At Troy,
I York m Monday last the frioI of