New-York daily tribune., 1859-07-02
FROM BOSTON.
State.
From Our Own Correspondent.


The fate Of Cyrus w. Plumer, the convicted mu-
tneer of the ship Junior, excites deep interest
here Petitions are in circulation aad have been
very numerously signed, asking the President to
commute his sentence or to postpone the execution
one year in order that further evidence may be pro-
cured Most of the members of the bar, and large
numbers of citizens have signed it. Many of the
persons engaged in the shipping business decline.
They probably know less about the case than the
majority Of the people; but they know that ship
master and mate were killed, and that Is enough
for them. suppose if dry goods merchant had
been murdered, there would have been quite
a general disinclination ON Washington, Summer
and Hanover streets, to ask for any commutaton
Of the sentence Of his murderer Joseph and
Frank Knapp were hanged in order to pacify the
rich and retired merchants of Salem and BOstOn
and Plumer must swing that sailors in the mer-
chant and whaling fleet may learn to be kicked and
starved without murmuriDg. A gentleman, who is
in the cOrdage business, refused to sell Marshal
Freeman rope for Pumers halter. be did this,
not because he had any special knowledge Of this
case but on the general principle that three-q1ar-
ters of the officers of chips who are killed by their
men, deserve their fate. He presumed that the
case of the Junior came within the general rule
1t is extremely difficult, however, to form salts
factory udment as TO the facts OF this case. That
Plumer deserves severe punishment, cannot doubt;
but there is very strong reason To doubt whether
the captain actually fell by his hanl, or whether he
intended to shed blood when he entered upon his
mutinous design; whether, in fine, he is not less
guilty than Provost and Fiheld, two OF the Gov
ernmeDt's witnesses, and III the same category
with Herbert, Stanley and Cartha, who have.
been convicted OF mansaughter only, and SEN
fenced to prison for six years. In one respect,
Puner has better record than either OF those
have just named. lie showed n mild and humane
temper after the mutiDy, and did good service In
saving the lives of the crew. Upon the theory
which his friends now adopt, he also showed great
magnanmiiy toward Fihed, who was regarded
by the other mutneers as traitor, and whose lie
would have been in danger if he had remained in
their company. BY taking the burden upon hi@-
SELF Plumers friends claim that he relieved Fiield
and enabled him to return to the United States.
Pumer was confident that he should make his way
safely into some unknnun raei"n aud esS-ro, s"d
he was willing to allow Fifeld chance. This ex-
pectation Of escape, suppose, is common To most
criminals and therefore the theory is not unrea-
sODable in itsef That Field was one of the original
mutneers, is not disputed; and there is abund
ant evidence that Provost Is great
scoundrel whether, as Plumer says, he was one
Of the conspirators TO take the ship or not. Be
tween the two theories-tlat OF the Government,
which is bsted mainly upon the testimony OF
Fiield, Provost and Lord (the second mate, who
was wounded by Cartha), and several seamen, who
testified to Pumers declarations of guilt after the
event, and that of Plumer himself, which is sus-
tanned by written statements of Herbert and Car
tha-tbere seems but little to choose on the ground
of the relative credlbility of the witnesses Flheld
aud Provost are no more worthy Of belief than
Herbert and Caftha and have quite as great in.
terest in lying about the afiair-for while Herbert
and Cartha have passed through their peril, and
cannot be again harmed, the Others are still un-
banged and unimprlsoned Stanley, 1t Is under
stood differs fl ON Hernert and Cartha in relation
to Plumer's guilt. This lie, perhaps, TO be partly
accounted for by the fact that his counsel was j.
Hardy Prince who is but little else than an attache
of the United States Court, and tool of the Gov
erDment officers.
His name appears quite frequently as counsel for
the defense in cases before the United States
Courts, but this fact 10 not inconsistent with bis
reputation, it being for the pecuniary interest Ct
the Government officers that cases should be con-
tested lengthily if not vigorously. Stanley's lean
ing may alsO be partly attributed to the fact that
Fiteld's testimony tended somewhat to eXonerate
him from a share in the affair. He (Fiheld) testi
fed that Stanley on deck when the captain and
mate were killed. There is some reason to be-
lieve, however, that he was below with the Others.
! saw the four prisoners when OR trial. and Stanley
was the most dsngerous-lookiDg one of the crowd.
However ply siOgnOmy goes for little, and phre-
nolocy for less. Getting Prof. Fowler to make
an examination Of Plumer's head, and pub
li.hrg bis statement, is piece Of folly, which
leads US to fear that public sympathy may manifest
itself in still more disgusting forms before the end
comes believe that Plumer behaves well. lie
is a Young man full of animal life and vigOr, to
whom death, Of course, has terrors; but he shows
DO sign Of cowardice or Of brayado. Ibere is q
little mystery about his and family, Wn!ca "
10 not desirable to clear up.
Whatever may become ofPlumer, the case oil the
Junior ia not likely to strengthen the cause of the
palows. prompt and noiseless conviction OF all
the mutineeIs, and their imprisonment for life,
might have been obtained, and the case would have
been almost forgotten by this time If mder pun.
ishnent had been provided by law for the crime Of
murder Now portion escape; another portion
receive amount Of punishment less than That Ire:
auently inflicted upon housebreakers while, 10
Keep the balance true one is hanged who no more
deserves hanging than the others. If the President
should pay heed to the petitions for commutstion
or postponenent Of sentence, b. would be kindly
for this one act at least, IN commu-
niiy where he is just now, and where he Is always
likely to be, extremely unpopular not to say Odious
Tie Boston Journal proiesses TO contradict, BY
authority. the statement that Mr.. George Ticknor
has int,ricred TO prevent Mr.. Kirk, the Private
Secretary of the late Vim. IL. Prescott, from CON-
pleting the History of Philip III. This avery easy
thing to DO, but the facts of the are not
charged BY any such contradiction. Mr.. Kirk
desires to complete the Philip H., and 10 write life
of Mr.. Prescott suppcsug, and probably with cor
rsctnets, tha. the coroined work or the two works
would furnish him with profitable IS well as pleasant
employment, while the Philip III. alone would not.
But Mr. Ticknor desires that Mr. George 5 Hill
lard should wiite the life Of Slr. Prescott. His in
fuence, however was not sufficient 10 bring about