The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-07-17

tariff in the House of Re sentatives last week
Mr. Wentworth, of Illinois. said THAT in REVISING
the revenue system of the country we should re
member that the amount paid into our treasury
during the last fiscal year was the largest eve,
collected by any country. 1t reached nearly
$3.50 100000. and exceeded by $3.50 600 600 the
largest revenue ever collected by Great Britain.
Of this immense sum. Sl7O.OOO 900 in gold
equivalent to 1898 DOC. 900 in legal tenders-had
been received from customs. Our receipts from
customs before the war had never exceeded 500
OOO.GOO; and indeed save in the years 1853 So
and 90. they had never reached S5O.OUOUOO.
And this year they had reached $I7g.U00 OOU.
more than double those of last year. and more
than 500, 0OO.0OO in excess of any year but the
last two Of our governmental existence. Our
government was the greatest landed proprietor in
the world, and its lands, richer than the most
highly cultivatedo of the old world. given away
to those who will cultivate them. Yet were
importing agricultural products. With the me-
chanic arts as highly developed in any coun-
try on the globe. we were patronizing foreign me
chanics. Needing laborers. we were carrying
work to foreign labor, which starvation would
drive to if we did not go to it.
Il The Raleigh Sentinel copies paragraph
from our last issue in relation to the pardon, by
Gov. Worth, Of w. B. Nash of Union county,
who under sentence of death for rape, and
makes the following explanation, which we copy
matter of justice to the Governor, and that
the citizens of Union county may see the grounds
fer his action:
Though perhaps, not designed to reflect upon
Gov. Worth's course. the paragraph may. to some
persons. indicate u disposition on the part OF the
Governor TO exercise the power of pardon with
out due consideration. or in the absence of evil
dence which fully justihes it. We therefore
think it proper to state the facts in this case,
which Influenced the action of the Governor:
On the Both Of May last. a petition was pre-
scented to the Governor, very numerously signed
by citizens Of Union County, representing that,
at the last spring term of the Superior Court of
said County, one Micheal Nash convicted of
rape the person of Minerva Little, she being
the only witness for the pro>ecation.-that she
proved. by her own oath, that many years ago,
being then very young, She resided with her
aunt, and the prisoner resided in the family
that three several occasions he had violated
her person,-that she could not remember in
what month of the year these several violations
occurred.-that she had not told her aunt with
whom she lived. nor her father living in the neigh
borhood nor her grand mother who lived in a
mile Of her residence, till some or y months
after the alleged rape,-that she lived Cor months
afterwards in the family without disclosing the
alleged outrage to any person whatever.
The petitioners further set forth that the prl-
snner and his family connexions were very poor
but very honfst-that the prisoner of good
character up to the time this prosecution was in
sttuted il April laSt,-that he had served four
wears faithfully as a Confederate sodier.-that
the Jury convicted him and he was sentenced to
be hung on the first day of June last. The petit
TONERS prayed for his pardon, on the ground that
the life of ought not to be sacrificed upon
a charge stale and Improbable, and when no
specific time was given. whereby the prisoner had
OH IN *
petition. a gentleman of character filed in writ
ing u statement. that this petition was gotten up
soon after the Court. by brother of the prisoner,
who was very poor and unable to defray the e1
penso of going to Ralpigh-that day or two.
before. subscription had been raised of $40 by
the people of Monroe. to detray the expenses of
this gentleman in bringing this petition t" Raleigh.
The Governor refused at this stage of the case,
to pardon, the ground that he wanted to hear
from the judge and jury who tried the case. but
granted respite fpr month. to give time to
hear from the judge and jury
Before the month elapsed the messenger re-
turned with divers ahdavlts. made by persons OF
questionable veracity. proving facts rendering
the evidence of the prosrcutrx exceedingly I'M
probable. and with petition. signed by eleven
of the Jurors, 1.-THE twelfth being sick alleged.)
praying for the pardon of the petitioner. and
with the certificate of the Judge that if the facts
set fol tn in these afavits had been proved on the
trial, they would have raised reasonable doubts
of the guilt of the prisoner. These afhdaVlts
proved grossly immodest familiarity with the
prisonet after the date of the alleged rape.-that
she had lived in Il hrothel, &c.
Upon this showing. the Governor granted the
pardon. We presume that no one. after this
statement of facts, doubt the propriety OF the
action of the Executive"
After we had prepared the above for insertion,
we received u communication from friend at
Raleigh on the subject, but the statements are
similar to those copied from the Sentinel, we
deem it unnecessary to publish it.
1t has been represented to US that many OF the
citizens of Union displeased because the pris-
oner pardoned. We care nothing about the
affair ourself.
WAsHINGToN. July l3.-Mr Wilson offered
resolution calling the President for ipf"rma-
ton as to the shooting of % Federal soldiers at
Kinston, n. c., by'order of Gems. Hoke and
Picket. (Confederates) in 1864.
The radicals appear to be anxious to again get
somebody on trial nasmuch as they failed in Maj
Gees case. The men shot were deserters from
the ('onfederat army They deserted from Gen.