Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-12-01
DAILY IIRGlNIAN.
Acquittal of Dr. Thompson

aCIulCIal OF III Inoilpson
Intelligence has reached this city that Dr.
Thompson has been acquitted This verdict will
produce no ordinary sensation wherever the facts
that have heen elected in the trial Of the case
have gone. The evidence adduced in that trial
has been of such nature as tn carry with 1t the
conviction of the guilt of the accused aud while
sworn jury NAV not have felt justified in CON
victing upon that evidence, their verdict will not
alter the fixed belief Of the public TINT pr
Thompson is guilty of the G,rocious crime mpa-
ted 10 him. Never have We seen eircausiontlal
evidence make cat a stronger case than this or
bear more powerful indications Of the guilt Of
the accused; and it's conceded fact that when
circumstantial evidence is strong it j. the most
unerring kind. Persons may lie. bnt fiefs can
not; man may be bribed, but circumstances can
not love. fear, passion, may aetuate the man,
but they are mpotent 10 swerye connected
chain of circumstances. Bat let the relative
merits of oireumstantial aud positive evidence he
actually different from the generally received be.
liefit would not be material in case Of the nature
of this,wher such devel ,pments have been made,
such facts brought to light, such circumstances
proved, am where such combination Of things
have. with unerrng voice proclaimed the guilt
VI the prisoner anu tue lI'IfN@lpu Ala' tti'7'
have made would not be changed by thousand
verdicts Of not guilty. Bat the verdict OF this
jury we pass by. II the jury were honest aud II
is 10 be presumed they were, until the eoniraryis
established, they have performed what they con.
ceiyed 10 be their duty. II. howcyer,t be brought
to light that corruption has been at work, as has
been minated. then the denuneiations and i'm
precautions OF the press and the people should,
with unsparing power b. hurled upon all con
neoted with that corruption.
But in case such as this. where from the
is,ence Of the shadow Of doub, the law in is
clemency will not eonvict,an obligation is thrown
upon the PRESS to visit 10 the fullest extent the
punishment of its denuneiatiens upon the culPrit
who, though guilty of crime Of the blacklist hue,
the most ficnd,h nature, goes unShpped by the
law, and i, permitted to walk forth in liberty and
triumph among those whom he has injured and
outraged. 1t is here that duty Of the press ,tho
defendant and advocate Of rieht,the stern dcnoun-
of wrong arises, and it is rcereant 10 lis duty
when it fails to deal out the full measure Of r.
probation and denunciation in such "a case. It's
its duty 10 mark and hold up 10 public mdigua-
tion the monster who can commit IL crime at
which fend might well revolt, and yet 70 un-
scathed by the law. 1t is its prcrogatist, when
the law is at fault in furnishing guilt, 10 visit the
damning punishment Of it. een,ure upon the un-
unjustly acquitted. When the law Is admins.
tered TO let the guilty go free,th press should
unhinchingly discharge IT. duty, aud brand
the demon incarnate the Perpetrntor of such
crime that which circumstances proclaim DR..
VIM. b. Thompson guilty of. While in 50 do
ing It's bat carrying out the demand, Of Justice,
it IL also dong something toward, reetitsing the
alarming state OF things existing in the country
in regard ia the loosness with which our erimI-
nal laws are bong executed. aud the false scnti-
ment that is couutenancng that state If things.
Let the pres. with all its energy aud power batte
agaius, this sentiments sentiment TIM, Is thwart
ing the aims and impairiug the eteirneyof the law
-defrnuding Justice and licensing crime and it
will perform duty Of no ordinary nature and one
that will be productive Of no ordinary results.
GEN. CAss AND TIE PREIplNrY.-G Gen. Cas-
or at least his friends do not abandon the hope
of eleyating him To the Presidency. The Wash
ington Star having declared that Gen, Cass had
given up all ambitious longings, looking toward
the White House, the Detroit Times says:
The assumption that General Cass has laid
aside all aspirations for the Presidency is entirely
gratutous on the part of our Washington eotem-
porary. Here at home his friends protest against
thus coldy despatching him with single stroke
of the pen, and will by his own consent bring his
name forward ia their own time. We say dis
tncty that General Cas- will be candidate be-
fore the National Convention, and nothing is more
calculated to sharpen that determination than
just such paragraphs as the above, and the oc-
casonal blows which be receives from IA large
portion of the Southern press. Besides the idea
of Western Cass men being transferred over TO
Douglas is too silly to be commented upon"