The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-28

delir1um OF passion and spirit oil blind vengeance
such as never before disgraoed our annals
and we trust for the honor of human nature,
never will again. Three men and one woman
were tried by military court, which hardly
possessed enough of the forms of Justice to
make it respectable, aud, after proceedings
little better than a miserable buresque
upon law and common sense, were sent
TO the scaffold. Three other so-called accom-
plices, against whom there was scarcely
shadow of proof were bauished to a barren
sand bank in the Gulf Of Mexico. O1s of
them, if we remember, has died, but the two
survivors are still dragging out wretched
existence to which death tsef is a preferable
fate. 1t is not crsditabe to the American
people that these poor eXiles should have so
long APPEALED for mercy, and appealed in vain;
but it is a matter OF no SMALL cougratuiation
that even at this late day movements are iu-
itated which are likely TO result in their par
don and release. Leading radical journals,
like the Boston Daily AdyeytjSer, express de-
cided convictions of Spangler's inuocence,
and petition in favor OF DR.. Mudd, signed
by prominent Radical and Democratic mem
bers OF Congress, has already been presented
to President Johnson. There is no reasonable
doubt--Or should be none--that this petition
will he granted and the pardon OF Spangler
will either accompany it, or, at the worst, hs
not lOrg delayed. John SurratL, who, had
be been caught at the time would inevitably
tuDate enough 20 escape arrest until the
thirst for slaughter was queuJhed aud reason
assumed its rightful sway. Chased fcou one
end OF the world to the other, at an expense OF
over one hundred thousand dollars to the
Government, brought home in irons, i'm
prisOned for months, and then prosecuted by
the ablest talent the administration could
secure, backed by the evidence of such
miserable scoundrels as Weichmann aud St.
Marie, his bitterest enemies could not rob him
OF fair and impartial trial, aud to-day lac
walks abroad free man.
The vast majority of citizens OF all parties
and both sections accept this result willingly.
They will do the same when Spsngler and
Mudd ale released from Dry TOrtugas. This
sympathy, Iepentance-call it either or what
we may-dOes not proceed from any indilfe-
renee TO or ioTgetiulness OF the terrible murder
| which robbed The republic of its chosen head
and materially changed the political COM
| pleXiou of subsequent legislation The slayer
| OF MIR. Lincoln is pillOried in history Tor all
| coming ages, and his proven cOufedsraJes will
| share tie same uudyipg iuiamy; but beyond
| that point the moral sentiment OF the country
! will not 90. The people were crazy in thoss
dark weeks OF 1868; they are getting sane now,
| ana ready To recognize tho lesson taught by
| the ancient proverb-''Let justice be done
| though the heavens fall"
But while we rejoice that this is So and
|
| felow-oountrym can atone tor former errors
! by wise msgnanimity towards those for
! whom that magnaniInity IS not forever too
| Late we should not fail TO remember that there
is one victim OF judicial butchery whose blood
| still cries from the ground; one pale ghost
| which Vill not down at our bidding until its
| names are appeased, its fame redeemed. We
| presume that there are comparatively few
| persons at home or abroad who are not con-
| vpced oi the innocence of Mary Surratt and
| who are not willing to acknowledge the fact to
themselves if to no one else, that the hang
| mans rope strapgled the life out OF guiltlsss
| woman. Public opinion barely sanctioned her
execution, even during that period of intense
| excitement, and since that excitement has
! died away, it has almost universally reprObated
| the action as an awful blunder or something
worse. Rardly an officer of high OF low degree
in any way connected with the trans action,
who has not epdeavored to rid himself of the
fearful responsibility and shoulder it upon
! somebody else. But no efforts of theirs or
ours can rid the nation of the foul stain. It
clings to the garments OF the republic; it
crimsons her hands, it blots her escutcheon,
it will track her like an avenging Nemesis
until the wrong is acknowledged as openly as
it was perpetrated. In England and Europe,
when human life has been unjustly taken
| by legal tribunal, on a proper and satisfac-
tory presentation of the facts, the sentence is
formally reversed and the reputation of the
dead cleared of crime. Nothing more can be
done and nothing less should be. Mrs. Sar-
ratt sleeps in a felon's grave beneath the
pavement of her prison yard. A daughter has
begged again and again for her mothers dust,
and the piteous request has been denied. Is
not the Federal Government strong enough
now to dare to do right Can it not afford to
give back that corpse, and tell that child that
her parent was no murderess Or shall we
indorse the infamous verdict of Hunters
drum-head court, and accept the conse-
quences in the eyes of the world and the judg-
ment of heaven?