Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-02-02

sTAUNToN, VA,
SATURDAY MORNING, fBH 2, 1856
Sentence Of Bob Carter.


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Sentence Of Bob Carter.
The slave Of Chesley Kinney, Esq, con-
vixted Of setting fire to the Barn Of Capt.
Hartman, aud sentenced to transportation
beyoud the limits Of the United States, as
mentioned 10. another article, requires
mere than = passing notice. The evil
dence in the case, was SO conclusive that
the ingenuity Of able counsel was so COM
pletely haffled, as to render an argument
as to the guilt Of the accused entirely use
less and anavailing. 1t was premeditated
and direful revenge on the part of Bob,
produced by being classified BY Capt
Harmxn, when aching in his official capac-
ity a. 'Capt. Of police, and as Magistrate
The counsel for the prisoner made no
effort to acquit him after the evidence was
given; but directed his argument to the
procurement of the lighter punishment, in
such cases proyided-yiz: transportation
instead OF hanging. It'equires the unan.
imous vote of the sitting magistrates to
hang in such Instances, and majority to
TRANSPORT. The court could not agree
upon the frs. grade Of punishment, but
were unanimous in awarding the second
as the penalty of the crime. While we
do not in the remotest degree, question the
purity Of the motives Of the magistrates
who favored the lesser punishment, be-
cause they are above suspcion,) yet we
dissent wholly with them in the couclu-
sion to wh,ch they arrived. Bob should
have been sentenced to death. Justice,
and the interests Of the slaye.holding COM
muuity and the citizens generally, dee
masded it. What punishment is uans-
postation for q high crime, positively and
undoubtedly proyen' 1t is mockery o.
the intent Of the law, Of justice and Of hu-
mani.y itself. The legislature never. in
our humble opinion, contemplated such
an application of that alternative, OF appen-
,dage Of the law, as has been deemed wise
10 be applied BY the court which SIT IN
shis case. 1t was only intended that the
sentence Of transportation should be i'm
posed where there might be doubt Of the
guilt Of the prisoner. Such is our view !;
but we are no lawyer. We believe it is
a view sustained by practice. common
sense, ard expediency. Where would
have been the necessity, or the sense O.:
afixing the death penalty to the commits.
RI IA hon he,
You'd the possibility Of dispute. and ac-
knowledged by the counsel Of the accused,
the policy of the Legislature was to avoid
it, aud substitute that which Is not even
the shadow of punish ment TO persons whom
it was designed 10 apply1 In the case Of
Bob we conceive the whole tenor oil the
policy of the legislature has been contra
vened, and instead Of punishment for the
commission Of q high crime-a crime
which our laws recognize as felony-the
fplon is rewarded with an agreeable change
from a chilly temperature and barren Fields
IN wnrm sun and delicious fruits. IT is
not simply the taking OF the offender lille
that 10 to be considered here. The right.
The security aud protection Of person and
nronertv are involved. 1t is the example
The infection Of the highest punishment
known to the law is calculated TO have
the moral effect, in restraining others OF
vicious propsnsities from cultIvatlng and
exercising them. Where IS the security
TO our people-lo mastels-'t the com.
mission Of such crimes ~ the one Tor
which Bob was tried and convicted, are
only punishable with Change OF masters
We have none. A license is given TO the
wicked and the vicious. and property and
per,on are jeopardized. Our slave poPu-
iation is becoming entirely too insolent
and self-relying. aud il there Is not Sc
we're example given, we cannot anticipate
TO what degtee such pernicious precedents
as the decision in the case OF Bob, VIII
lead. Every day develops some new out
rage committed BY slaves. AT the last
court, negro was tried. convicted, ana
sentenced to be sent out Of the State, Tor
beating a white man. The other day, one
Of the servants at one Of the Hotels in this
place. knocked his master down, because
he wss threatened with correction. And
the case Of Rices negro. is another OF the
fruits of too lenient dealing with this class.
where crime is involved, by the courts Of
the State. Transportation IL no punish.
ment at al. as was admitted by the coun.
eel for Bob, in his argument to induce the
court 10 fix larger sum than $500 as his
value. We regret, exceedingly, the de-
cision of the court, however much we
NAV con6de in their conscious integrity
They have erred. The example is a bad
one, aud we fear will prove to be SO. by flu
ture crimes Of similar character.
The "WgsTERN .ORAToR "KNocKED
,xro A Cooked HAT."-DurIng the pro-