The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-05-05
The SfChieS Trial.

The man who shot Philip Barton Key,
in a public street. in Washington on Sun
day, has mot OnJy been acquitted, but made
hero, by certain class Of people all
over the nation. We cannot appreciate
this state of feeling. If Slekles did right
III shooting Key, then there are at least
a score of men in this county who ought
to be shot at once But 10 candid, we'll
balanced mind can permit Itself to come
to any such barbarous conclusion.
Thus much for our own opinion. Be
low we give the opinion of better and
ADLER heads:
From The Independent, Apra IS.
"Nobody is surprised at the verdict of
the jury at Washington, which declares
that the man who deliberately and bar
barously shot down his wife's paramour
in the street, at midday, is not guilty OF
any crime. The acquitted manslayer was
greeted with huzzss, and triumphal pro
cesslon was extemporlzed by the m9ltl-
tude. 1t is intlmated that an ovation
awaits his return to New York. But in
face OF this verdict aud these demonstra-
tious, it remains true that the hero OF this
tragedy has only succeeded in publishing
to the world the infamy Of his wife, in
staining his hands with the inefaceable
blood OF a fellow, in proving himself Ca
pabIe of eowardly revenge, and cons ign
ing himself to political oblivion when his
brief term of office, if he can brave that
out, shall have expired.
Correspondent of the ". Y. Tribune
"WAsHIHGToN, Tuesday, April 26,
1859.-Daniel L. Sickles is acquitted OF
the murder of Philip Barton Key, and to
that extent public expectation is fulfilled,
for this verdict was oIearl y toreshadowed,
even over the limited belief that there
were one or twJ men on the Jury vino
still regarded the law as obligatory, and
considered if any clemency belonged to
the case, it should proceed from the par
don'ng power. 1t may now be taken as
settled, after the rulings OF Judge Craw-
ford in the cases Of Herbert aud Sickles,
that as long as ne sits Oh the criminal
bench, no member of Congress can be
convicted, whatever max be the nature of
| the crime for which he may be arraigned,
or the el araeter of his antecedents Her.
bert had been q notorious gambler in Cal
ifornla, and committed as revolving mur-
der as ever disgraced the criminal annulS
The early career of Sickles is well known
in New ork, and if the deliberate killing
/ of an unarmed man be murder in the eve
OF the law, he is guilty, and 30 sophistry
can relieve the bloody deed Of that com
plexion."
From the Baltimore American
"The result of this trial mas been fore
seen from the commencement. Nobody
has expected Mr. Sickles to die upon the
galloWs or to suffer imprisonment for it.
The attempt to justify his act, however
has been failure. lie who assumes the
character of an executor of Divine ven
gesnce, should have clean hands. Atilla
called himself "The Scource of God, anC
Caesar Bor9ia charged many of his cruel
ties and crimes upon Heaven; but tho
verdict of humanity at this day has glver
him far different patron and instigator
The most general decision Of the public
mind seem to be this: Mr. Sickles come:
out Of this trial with reputation which
shall never be lost His name is famou;
all over the civilized world Whatevel
of sympathy man suffering great wrong
imposed upon him is entitled to-and We
~ould give that sympathy the widest lin
it consistent with correct principles anc
public justice-Mr. Sickles in this case Is
entitled to but little of it. His conjuga
in6delity may not in law, nor perhaps il
morals, be urged as a set,off against tn,
offence committed by his wife. But as