The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-04-26

The EuGiash Press On the Sickles Case
tTrom the London Saturday Review, March ls.l
THg MELoDRAMArIC AMERICAN TRAGEDY.
We notice the Washington Tragedy," as tn
| newspapers call il, rather for the way in whicl
IL has been commented on and described, tha,
for any other popularity attending it. An ''in.
jured husband" killing an sadulterer is no grea
| novelty, unhappily in the annals Of human na.
ture, and there is nothing in the conduct o
the guilty intrigue which deserved the especia
comment. It will be generally felt that the &c
ducer deserves, il not his fate, but little COM
miseration. ~If Mr.. Sckles really die
and said all the curious things which are re-
ported Of him, We must cay that be must have
keenly relished the dramatic opportunitie.
which the case presented for some fine stage
effects. No novel or tragedy was ever more re
plete with startling hits. The grouping, with al
its happy incidents, and condolences and the
catastrophe, adjust themselves into most tell
ing tableau. Had the whole thing been arr
ranged Tor the French theatre it could moi
more ably or completely have fulfilled the &C i
credited stage proprieties. The anonymous let.
ter delivered to the husband in the full splendol
OF bis Congressional triumph, actually at the
moment when he is entertaining the PresideE,
OF the United States at dinncr--the gully wife,
all beauty aud hypocracy, at one end Of the gor-
geous board, and the husband concealng his
agonies under the conventional mask of courte :
GUS hospitality st the other-was, or il cen
ceived in the very spirit Of n. Alexandra Due
mas. The extorted confession and the demand
for the wedding ring by frenzied husband, from
gulty>strcken wife, is tinely conceived, or, il
true, is in the letter Is the spirit Of the story
books. So is the incident Of the lover making
his signals to his mistress in the very eight OF
the vindictiye aud too well-informed husband.
81 non zero ben tr0Uat0. Mr.. Butterworth-
Mr.. Sickles' friend aud confdaat evidently
dwells on the whole affair with an historic
grapher's minute love Of bis subject aud pa
tent elaboration Of pArticu ulars which shows that
his artistic taste was satisfied with his share ia
the affair. Mr.. Sickles' first communication to
Mr. Butterworth is graphic, and We dare say
true to facts-"Dear B, come to me
right away" Mr.. Bu,terworth is equally
idiomatic and concise. At first be judcously
takes to reasoning, and counsels prudence in
happy and netaphorical language" Mr.
Sickles, you must be calm and look this matter
square in the face" Blu. the spirit Of the friend
and American citizen soon prevails. Mr.. Sickles
says: ut is already the town talk" II then
said" desposes Mr. Bt,erworth. "'If that be
SO, there is but one course It for you as a man
OF honor; you need no advice" Mr.. Sicklcs
accordingly arms himself vita pistols and re-
volvecs; and Mr. Buttersort engages in con-
yersation with the doomed victim, and is thus
the instrument Of handing Mr. Key over to the
furious husband Now comes the climax, in
that fine burst which We have, We think, heard
on the Adephi boards: "You have dlshonored
my bed and family, you scoundrel-you must
die" Then followed three balls delivered in
rapid succession into Keys body with two 9th.
er barrels snapped at the dead, or at least dying
mans brain. Enter gaards-the curtain falls
on the group.
Nor is the conclusion of the tragedy by any
means out of keeping with this melodramatic
wholeness Mrs Sickles is reported as "conced
ing that her husband had done right" She is re-
ported as very anxious to get back her wedding
ring, and utterly careless of her lovers fate
Mr.. Sickles observes that the transaction was
"unayoidabe," or, as he expresses it in finer
language, satisfied as was of his guilt, we
could not live on the same planet" All the
family friends con.ur in sympathes. Mr..
Sickles is remitted to the Jail, the comforts Of
which hardly come up to his expectations
though, with fine touch Of professional irony,
the jailOr is made to observe, "This is the best
place you members of Congress have afforded
us, with pretty classical allusion, we suppose,
70 Perlus and bis bull whereupOn We are in
formed, 'Mr. Sickles caved"-a verb neuter Of
the American language, the exact meaning of
which we confess our inability to discover.
Posr OrrIcE REFoRM.-Wc make the follow
ing extract from private letter written from
Dahonega on the 18th inst. A reformation is
greatly needed in every department of the Gov.
but more especially in the Post Office,
where abuses are seen and felt by the people:
have often tried to get the press to ad-
vocate a reform in the Post Office Department,
hut without success. / did see an item in the
I1awk-Eye year or two ago calling for reform.
The Post Office Department in these United
States has got to be huge instrument of
despotsm and the Press should echo the notes
for reform from Maine to California in one
united strain, and continue fit TILL Vt is heard,
and reform made in political and business
view, it is at present nuisance. That branch
was first instituted to benefit the mass Of the
people, but has become corrupted to benefit
the reigning dynasty, and perpetuate its power.
few simple provisions would assist and pro-
mote the ends OF justice and the original intent
OF those who framed that department. An
election of Postmasters by the people of town
or city, Tor make Uncle Sam responsible for all
matter he took in charge), and penal enact
ments if Postmaster violated his charge, or
change would be for the better, even the plan
OF the New York Tribune, (though liable to
more objections than few such provisions as
indie ted above, would be better than nothing,
viz, to abolish the Post Office Department alto
gether and let private enterprise do the work,
but Gree ly is not an independent man in mind
(judging from his paper) and tn plan is pro-
badly from some one who wants to make a
raise and line his pockets with some fat job,
&C., &c.
Could you not in the Hawk Eye give wind to
the idea of Post Office reform and start the
ball in motion? 1t is time for action now, and
such action, grated on to the cry tor Freedom,
would find advocates by thousands among the
business portions Of the community, and even
all classes, for every body complains Of abuses
in that branch.
WORDS WELL SPoKEN.-The bringing in, by
Sckles, of his wife's confession, as part Of
his defense-thus putting it in the way Of news.
paper publication all over the worlds an act
OF meanness OF which it would be difficult to
find a parallel More than this, the act is one
which, in the eyes Of the discriminating, will
have a Retrospective effect, and place the whole
proceeding, from the FIRST, in u new and-f0r
the defendant-not very much improved aspect.
The homicide, standing by itself, was miserable
enough, and cowardly enough; but there was a
shadow Of excuse in the real, or supposed, or
pretended sentiments Of honor peculiar to the
set to which both parties belonged. Here,
however. is . new style of practice under the
code Of the hieh.toned. This gentleman. who,
during his imprisonment, blubbered over his
wife and her tergiversations, protesting his still
enduring love and tenderness for her in terms
that touched the hearts Of all the fast women
aud full stomached clergymen that were permit,
ted toenter his presence, went to kill his nurer,
armed as well for defense as for attack-with
the evidence Of his wife's shame to accompany
his pistols. Bursting, burning, broiling-a hu-
man volcano in the hight OF an erup,ion-he
still had the discretion to prepare document
TO be used on his trial, and get it properly cx-
ecuted and authenticated. before he proceeded
TO acts OF inconsiderate desperation. This ia
the act Of a coward; and will impart to all the
doings Of the principal in the matter, an ais oi
unmistakabIe poltroonerv.-[Cn Press.
The Maquoketa papers publish accounts Of q
queer occurrence in that place. Last Sabbath,