Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-05-07
:. A PARDON. The pardon of Solomon kohn-
stamn bp the President. few days ago, has

the authors and rejected communications cannot fe
Z: A PARDON. pardon of Solomon Kohn-
stamn by the President, a few days ago, has
provoked severe criticism from some quarters.
The case has attracted attention for more than
q year past, as well on account OF the earnest
efforts of Kohnstamn' friends to obtain his
release from prison, as because OF the magni-
fude of the frauds upon the government alleged
% have been commit tied BY the prisoner. ~
kohnstammn was Indicted upon 49 distinct
charges. and as many separate bills were found
against him by the grand jury 10 New York
city, in 1864 The charges were fraudulen,ly
obtaining money from the government dis
bursting officers upon counterfeit or fraudulent
vouchers, to the amount of $260,000.
Only one of the cases was tried, and on that
Kohnstamn was convicted and sentenced by
Judge Nelson 10 ten years Imprisonment IL
Sing Sing peniteutiary The criminal was al
ready an old man. IS years old He was
wealthy and reported to be worth over halt O
million dollars. -
about year ago hi, friends fled a petition
Tor his pardon. The showing made IN his favor
was very strong and beside the allegation OF
innocence of criminal intent, among the reasons
given Tor the exercise OF Executive clemency,
was that Kohnstamn s health was failing fast
This was established by the certificates Of ply
sicians, among whom was the regular surgeon
OF Sing Sing prison, the visiting medical adviser
and the chaplain and warden OF the institution.
In addition, the government attorney, Hon.
Edward Pierpont, withdrew opposition to the
pardon, (Kohnstamn having paid the amount
claimed by the government, ffty-fve thousand
dollars, and the entire New York congressional
delegation, including Senator'S Harris, Morgan
and Conkling, and Senators Nye, Johnson.
Howard, Governor Fenton, and many others OF
note, joined in recommending the release OF
the prisoner.
The President, in view Of all these facts, and
in consideration of the long Imprisonment of
kohnstamn, directed that he be parloned. In
this the Cabinet, at lis meeting on Tuesday
last, concurred- -Wttsh. Cor. Bait. SUI.
LET THE UNFoRGEvING FEAR A soldier,
whose regiment lay in garrison town in Eng
land, was brought before his commanding Off
Ger for some offence. He was an old offender,
and had been often punished. Here ne is
again" said the officer, on his name being
mentioned "everything-hogging, disgrace,
imprisonment been tried with him. =
Whereupon the sergeant stepped forward,
and, apologizng for the liberty ne took, SAID ;
SThere is one thing which has never been
done with him yet, sir.
"What is that, sir % was the answer,
swell, sir, said the sergeant, ''he has never
been forgiven.
Forgiven! !" exclaimed the Colonel, sur
prsed at the suggestion.
He reflected for few moments, ordered the
cnlprit to be brought 10, and asked him what
he had to say to the charge -,
ha ronlv npIT 1D
sorry for what have done
Turning kind and pitiful look on the man,
who expected nothing else than his punish
ment would be increased with the repetition OF
his offence, the Colonel addressed him, saying,
s..Wel we have decided to forgive you !"
The soldier was struck dumb with astopish-
ment.: the tears started in his eyes, and he
went like q child. He was humbled to the
dust be thanked his officer and retired to
be the old refractory, incorrigipe manY No
? he was another man from that day forward.
BE who tells the story had him for years,
under his eyes, and a better conducted man
never wore the Queens colors. In him kind
ness bent one whom harshncss could not
break; he was conquered by mercy, and, Tor
siven. ever afterwards feared to ofeod.
TIE TOBACCO CROPS IN VIRGINIA
Petersburg correspondent of the Richmond
Dispatch says:
st is said by experienced tobaccouistss thai
the crop of tobacco now being brought tc
market is the most Inferior in regard to quail
ty, that has almost ever been known. 1t come!
to market in the worst condition presence
of dirt causing it to heat, aud the injury done
by wet divestipg it of the fine silky appearance
indicative of good staple. It is, moreover
ill-assorted, and shows but little of the skilltu
handling of former years. If it were not fo
the unsettled political condition of the Stat
and the great scarcity Of money there IS nj
telling to what figure the price Of tobacco
would get in the markets of Virginia, Ih
trade is active, but it is feared the market vii
be almost wholly monopolized by the agents Q
foreign governments with whom our own elti
gems have not the means to compete. The
foreign demand is at this time unusually great
az NAV be inferred from the fact that, accord
ing to the last circular from Bremen, the stoc
of Virginia tobacco 10 that city was only ftty
two hogsheads So anxious are farmers, t
get their crops to market, in order to reallz
something upon them, that II is believer o
those engaged in the trade that nearly all tn
tobacco in the State will be delivered BY mo
summer.
THE FOUNDER OF AMERICAN METHoDIsM
At the recent session Of the Troy Annual Con
20 .,noo a commiftaa was aDpOinted to raise tn