The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-08-12

slaughtered in her terrible embrace.
The instrument OF death thus strangely
named was never used again II was super.
ccded by the more modern fashion Of execu.
ting criminals. and II may now be sen In
the Museum Of the Society OF antiquaries In
Edingburgh. with the dark stains yet ccrro-
ding on the fatal kuife. which were len there
by the blood Of him who in very deed and
truth was brough, TO justice by the signal
rctribution We have recorded.
Distrwss OF the Cstm,nai Tribunals.
Last Saturday afternoon u man--who says
he 10 named Robert &. Macdonald, aud Who
claims 10 have been born In the county of JEFF
ferson. Kentucky In the great thoroughfare
of broadway, deliberately pulled out pistol
and shot through the head . woman, named
Virginia Stewartl
The act was psrpstraied iu the presence Of
hundreds Of witnesses--there cannot BE- the
slightest doubt of the guilt Of the aggressor--
and yet, though the assassination WAS made
public, aud the accused didnot deny tho crime,
We have not the slightest doubt ot his ultimate
aquttal. lie will, II helives long enough 10
pass through the ordeal ofa criminal proseou.
lion, probably be squitted In spite OF facts. OF
arguments, and Of law. Hewill be acquitted ON
and under several plcas-he nrst of which will
be the plea OF ,asanify'
The foregoing is from New York paper,
and no doubt expresses u feeling very pre-
valcnt in the community us respects the
execution of criminal justice. Let man be
murdered. no matter under what circum-
stanc,~--lct him hc shot down in open day,
without the slightest provocation or warn.
ibg-and the feeling is "A very general one,
that II there IL money or influence that can
be brought To bear in favor OF the muir
dcrcr the chances OF conviction are very
slender. II is this want OF confidence in
our criminal tribunals in the iirmness and
discretion. " say nothing morc. OF criminal
Judges and jurics- which has reconcilcd 80
many TO the applications OF lynch Inv now
NO frequent. Men say WE had rather trust
the deliberations Of committee Of citizens.
improvised for the occasion, or even IN casc
Of open and outrageous murder, the momeu
tary fury Of bys,andcrs, acting under the
natural impulses Of Indignation and horror
nt the sight of mcniicst murder, than nj
low the murderer TO escape by availing
himself Of the thousand and one advantages
for getting clear without any punishment
whatever which the present tafdy. lax and
inadequate administration Of criminal justice
now offer TO him.
One very great defect in our criminal
laws, Ia The chance they give tor deidy IN
the trial OF thc case. Nobody suppos's that,
in nine casts ol murder out ot ten that are
committed in this country, a faircr trial cao
bc had nine months after tbr commission Of
the offence, than IN six weeks from H. The
dclayH. nos 10 cOfnmon--Day, 80 inevitable
Ear ifom promoting justice seem 30 be
sDIgh, rather 10 cvade and battle IT, One
object IL apparently to give chances for
wtncssfs 10 20 oll and, by lapse oi time
affecting The memory ol Witnesses ~ give
bcitr opportunities Tor picking flaws Ia
their nstmony. Witnessing how often
Justice ts doirauded even IN the mos, fla
grant rases, there are those who do not spare
even jufIca, prisoners counsel. and pr'~ecnt'
ing ollicefs, from charges oi corruption. 1t
il painful TO listen to such charges, nor do
we think they can bo substanta,ed. But the
enormous delays Of trials in our courts, as
ag0rdng time for the laying aud working Of
corrup, plots. give room tor the censnIols
to indulge 10 guch accusations IL ~. there
fore, On oil accounts, II We would insure the
execution of Justice, aDd would Tree its I'D
minis,ra,i0n from the suspciODs dOubtess
very unjnstly cast upDn liz purity, 10 con
alder yhetbsr Cur laws cauDot be 40 amend
.d a. 10 give no court the power. except
under bettTr d,tincd restrictions than NOW, 10
continue ca@s from the time when the evi
derce "a ffs1h and witnesses ready, 70 time
l. Al g..
h. missing, and when the absence oi material
testimony, may Justly call for still further
deky.
I lat a,rocious murder recklessy pcrpe.
trhted. is rapidly 0n the increase, y. We pre-
saine, the conviction oi all. How lar the
fact IA 10 h. ascribed 10 the comparative
impuni,y 0l this crime il u. of courser I'M
Isy.sible % cay. We cannot bat think that
!, il the f,sling of this inpani,y an imprcs-
SION that murder may BE- committed without
ANYTHING like The CERTAINTY tbsr. ought to
b. O, il. b;ing pani4hsd that r'rnoyei the
las, restraint, upDp the arm. oi ru'an or
the malicious seeker 0i revenge. We think
that Il j, were pat beyond question IN all
our cit,e., thst msn guilty OF murder
would almost inevitably ~ convicted, seo'
tpo,d aud hanged within thirty or si1iy
day. irop the oOmmi's'on Of hH crime The
kn,le aDi the pistol would h. usel much ''ss
sparingIy than they now are. We may be
n,,.,aksn. bui the srempie 0i sIs'dy aud 4
epriain panisbg,cu, IA ., Iea.d worthy al a
uAl ~ L,uns Rey,bi''aH.
TE Hartford I,n0 says that 10000 .
revolving rfea sre bsiug nah at Cots
Afmor, 'W ths B'i,'sh govefnmeut They ,
uroya!ed ai'i ,le .smI niym'i