Daily American organ., 1856-08-23

man could not properly refuse. In doing so he
released the government from continually accru-
ing expense IN keeping and boarding the prison
ere, and in no way created any claim against the
government in behalf OF the owners.
Any statement in the communication signed
"Quantico," and published in the Sentinel on
the I'd instant, Inconsistent or at variance with
the above Is incorrect. The above are the facts,
as the papers in the case will show, and l hope
gentlemen viii not do themselves more harm in
misstating the facts, than true state Of them will
do Mr.. Fillmore good, when the public come to
know what the facts are. Very truly, yours,
8. G. HAVEN.
VEsPAsIAE ELLIS, Esq, Editor Organ.
The owners of the slaves had not lost dol
lar,--the defendants had suffered four years
and ore close confinement for their attempt
to deport the slaves majority of the owners
had themselves petitioned for their discharge
they were wholly unable to pay the fines-the
Government had already expended hundreds
if not thousands of dollars in the support of
these men, whilst in prison, and the question
was ought the President to remit the further
imprisonment of these men, still holding them
responsible out of whatever property they
might acquire, for the fness or should he for
such an offence, great though it was, continue
them in prison during their livesf Reforma-
ton and not reuenge is one of the main pur-
poses of criminal law. There can be no ex-
cuse offered in behalf of those men for their
conduct But was not justice satisfied in
their incarceration for term of more than four
years2
1t is certainly true that, in point of morality,
their offence was precisely the same az if the
owners of the slaves had wholly lost their
property. 1t is true, also, that their offence
was complete in the eyes of the law, when they
had transferred the slaves beyond the bounds-
ries of the District of Columbia; but is there
reasonable man, the owner of a slave, who
would demand higher punishment than four
gears incarceration in prison to be inflicted
upon a man who made an Intellectual attempt
to rob him of his slaveS But suppose this
were otherwisep Suppose that there are slave
owners who would demand a greater punish
ment than four years imprisonment of man
who should mike an unsuccessful attempt to
deport his slaves2 The question in the present
case is simply whether Mr. Fillmore acted COR
ruptly or unjustIy in exercising the pardon
ing power which is confded to his discretion
by the constitutional
This can only be ascertained by careful
examination into all the facts and circum-
stances presented in the papers on file in the
State Department Why are not those papers
torthcoming' Colo lel Marshall, of Kentucky,
nearly thrss soseks ago, procured the adoption
of aresolution by the House of Representatives,
calling upon the Pre- sident for copies of those
papers Three hours, or at most one dag,
would afford suff cient time to copy them, and
get they are not Furnished upon the call Of
Mr.. Fillmore's. .1rSendsi The "Quanticoes" and
ether hired scribblers of the sham Democracy,
can be furnished by the State Department with
the means of asssiling Mr.. Fillmore, but when
his friends openly demand that the papers be
turnished to Congress fer publication, they
are kept baeS, till the public mind shall be poi
soned by tne Misrepresentation Of his enc
mics! There is no act of Millard Fillmore, as
President of the United States, or in any other
capacity, that either himself or his friends de-
sire to keep from public view.
But it was thought expedient, by this cor
rupt and contemplate dynasty, to hold back
the papers in the case referred to, till Congress
should have adjourned, whom publication of
them could not be ordered and the vindication
which that publication would afford, could not
be made
We regard the conduct Of those, who orr
ginated this attempt to prejudice Millard Fill
more with the South, for the exercise of his
pardoning power in remittiag the further ina-
prisonment of Drayton and Sayers, as wholly
unworthy the character of honest politicians -
it can orily be palliated on the miserable maxim,
that "'All is fair in politics" AS to the failure
of Frank Pierce to respond to the call of the
House of Representatives for the papers in this
case, it is in keeping with that disregard OF
duty and that recklessness of purpose, which
have marked his whole career as President