The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-18

were to have made, this day, upon the Scaffold for
the crimes which they had committed, and for
which they were condemned to die, has been de-
ferred, by the action of the GOVERNOR, until anotb
er occasion. The motives that have prompted this
interpostion of Executive clemency are already
known to the public. They were embodied in
the letter which the GOVERNOR addressed to the
SHERIFF. counter-mandng the execution, and post
poning it until the Sth day of April. That letter
we published yesterday, and behind its printed
statement of The considerations by which the Gov
ERNoR was actuated in the step which he has taken
we do not propose to go. We are fully aware of
the solemn responsibility which the law imposes
upon the EXECUTIVE, in such cases, and which is
felt to be all the more painful, because the weight
OF 1t cannot be divided with another We have
also some knowledge of the extraordinary efforts
that have been made to induce the GOVERNOR TO
grant the reprieve in question, and of the truly
heart-rending appeals which have been made to him
for the purpose, by the friends and relatives of the
condemned. Yet conceding that the GOVERNOR
has been influenced in the matter by no other
motives than he himself has mentioned and
making all due allowance for the trying circum-
to consider the act ITSELF as aught else than what
we pronounced it yesterday-an Exhibition Of
weakness" 1t is receding from the high position
which he had hitherto occupied and in which he
was sustained by the appreciation and the sympa-
thy OF this whole community. 1t indicates an
lnhrmty OF purpose which is, of all things in the
world, best calculated to awaken-in the breasts of
the wretched objects of his mistaken kindness, the
very hopes which, by his language, he vainly
labors to dispel-and in the minds of the commu-
NIFTY at large, not unreasonable degree of sus-
picion and dlstrust. Nor-as we ventured to an
hcipate yesterday-have the reasons which the
GOVERNOR assigns for his conduct, proved at all
satisfactory to the public. If those unhappy per-
sons, in whose behalf his sympathies have been
thus effectually awakened, are not prepared to
die to-day, what certainty can there be that
they will be any better prepared three
weeks hence? Is not the opportunity
which they have already enjoyed for that purpose
greater than that which Nature vouchsafes to any
of her chdren-whom she summons from Life TO
Death-wthout one word of warning as to the
hour or the day, when the certainties of the one
must be exchanged for the uncertainties of
the other. We do not suggest it, of course as af-
fording the smallest justification for treating with
unnecessary cruelty these victims of the Law-for
we sincerely commserate, while we cannot but ap-
prove their dreadful fate. But what time for
preparation, 1t may be asked, did they give to the
victims of their crime? Even, viewing this exer-
else of Executive discretion solely in its relation to
The prisoners themselves, we may well question
of tba ipJp olo
may not impeach the goodness of the motive
which prompted it. By one of the prisoners it is
said, the news Of his respite was received with an
expression of regret-which, we are assured, re-
suited not from callousness or indifference to life
either affected real but from heartfelt desire TO
be tortured no longer upon the rack of suspense;
while the language used by another, illus
trates even more forcibly the evil effect which
the GOVERNOR illudged clemency is likely to pro-
duce upon the minds of the prisoners themselves
CYPRUS, we are told, after hearing the letter of
The GOVERNOR read said to the SHERIFF. according
TO the report published in The American-that
when first condemned, he was perfectly resigned
ITO his fate, although an innocent man, and he
''then hoped it would all soon be over: but since
his former respite he mad less resignation-he
'hdd got fresh lore Of We-and the present re-
''spite was so gladly received by him as TO make
him thank the LORD for His mercy" In these
simple words, we are furnished with a conclusive
argument against the wisdom or the kindness
even OF granting reprieve for any other pur-
pose than that of staying an execution, in a case
where subsequent developments have created some
doubt of the prisoners guilt, and further time is
needed to solve the doubt. In the present case,
no such reason is pretended to exis-at least, none
such has been assigned by the GOVERNOR and il is
but fair to presume that he has been perfectly can
did with the public, in matter which so ne arlv
touches the safety and wel-being of the public.
From whatever point of view, therefore, we
may choose to regard it, we cannot but consider
this act of the GOVERNOR, as an error of iudg-
ment and of the gravest character. The
only atonement which he can make to
Society for the consequences of that error, is to
adhere with infexible frmness to the resolution
which he formerly announced-then afterwards
broke-and has reiterated-of suffering the
law to take its course, without further let him
drance, or delay. To this course he has now IT.
revocably committed himself-and to strict COM
piance with his duty and his word, he may rest
assured that this community will most inexorably
hold him.