Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-11-24
From he Nel- IdrE Nei~s.
THE FsaNf.Tyf: or WIRZ.

Wirz, uppn the scafi0id, with but {
few seconds between him and eternity
conscious that before the sun c0ulC
reach its zenith he would be in the
!. / presence Of his Creator, said: " am
innocent What the popular sentiment
may be upon the question Of his guilt, We
know not but we believe thatthe words
OF that diving man were true. In view OF
the evidence upon which he was con-
yicted, In view of his conduct and Ian
guaae throughout the trial, aftersentence
was passed and with the rope about his
neck I'm view of his solemn declaration
when lac must have known that there was
no possibility Of escape from the doom
% which he was condemned, we are
7 convinced that he was guiltleSs Of the
. charges alleged against him. We regard
. him a. the victim Of q cruel Vindictive-
ness that claimed some drops ~ blood as
a iibatiOn 70 victory and marked him for
. the sacrifice, because, as an obscure and
F frieudlesS adventurer, he was less likely
than nOhler offering to enlist the SYM
pathy of the masses. The people Of the
North have naturally felt deeply for the
sGfferings Of their friends and kindred in
Southern prisons; and the circumstance
that the name of WirZ was associated, by
virtue Of his Office, with the horrors Of
AndersOnville, pointed him out as the
most convenient object 10 be dragged 70
the shambles and slaughtered, without
shocking the popular sense Of Justice.
Among the unfortunate results Of a
sancuiuary war Is the Indifference 20
scenes Of bloodshed and homicide to
which the public mind Is educated So
many have persisted by violence within
the past four years that one death more
OF less fails 10 impress the people with a
sense Of the awful espOusibility involved
In the taking OF that solitary life. Many
viii consider il Of little consequence
whether WirZ is with the living or the
dead: but let them reflect that il Is of
great consequence 10 keep the annals .
of the Republic free from stain, that our
pOsterity may look at them without a
blush. II was not a brave or brilliant .
70 make a poor, friendless .
foreigner a scapeg0ut to eNpatiate The .
real or faucisd crimes that are, in fact,
attributable TO the influences e an alb .
normal condition of desperate warfare.
We confess that, up TO the period Of his
immolaticn-tO use no harsher term-we
regarded Wiz as man of inferior men,
tai and moral attributes; but his de
meauOr in his last moments invested
him with a mantle of nobility. The
calm dignity, tinCtured with same de-
gree of quiet bitterness, with which he
refused the pr0ffered intercessiJn of the
Swiss Consul General proves him 20 have
been possessed Of some of the elements
If manhood that appeal TO admiration
and respect His c0untryman deserted
aim when his friendly Offices were re-
Iuested, and the doomed man preferred
he certainty Of death 10 a hope as-oeia-
ed with q memory of that desertiou.
II NiFZ was q criminal his behavior
ln the Scafl1ld was c0Hsummate acting
or he faced death like a martyr. So
perfect an exhibition Of prOpUety, under
uch terrible circumstance, viii at least :
Iisarm contempt. There was neither ]
lravado, excitement, vindicuveness nor
ear in the manner of his acceptance Of
Dis doom \ placid conf posure. serene ]
.XuressiOu of religious hope for the ia ,
ure. an even cheerful resignation attested J
hat he was either a hypDgTite that
hought 20 deceive his God, OF man .
hat spoke the truth ian the presence Of
hat God, in saying: 4" ! am INNOCENT"
d feeble health, broken down by pain,
lis nervous system pr0Strated by wounds 4
nd suffering his moral courage con- j
uered his physical inlirmity, and what e.
yer may have been his earthly career, C.
+ close was her0ism. 2
So ends. we ferveutly hope, iu this Re
Ublic. the history of military trials and (
NecutiOus. Bat the Southern people b
ave a duty to perform that, for tie sake y
# the honor 0f their Amcricauism, they Z
must not neglect. The execution OF Nirz !
implies that the en0rmities alleged To d
ave been perpetrated against Federal z
ri-0uers were actually committed. q
cleanse your record of G.
III stain. We believe the charge /
slse. and we believe that you {
m prove il false The time win &
ONE when YOU shall have tha gp- NJ
ortmity 10 plead not guilty at the bar a
{ public opinion and 90 support your f
Tea with evidence that no judge adVD- a
ate, in his passion or his prejudice, can h
eject or silence with the arrogance and g.
liUstice OF lIsulped authority. BE pre- q
ar.=l % lay your proof before the trihu- q
al when JAc tiilG shall have come, and Z
perhaps. the c0nsciences OF some OF you 4
iav whisper that all was not done that D
lizsht nave been done to save your COM .
sde. " no perish5d yesterday, atone then d
lr Your neglect 10y redeeming his mem
~ from reprua0n, J