Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-06-30
NO Exrcur1ys MERCY FOR co1oREp MEN,

Governor Salisbury never pardonH or repreves
a colored man, A few months age, there was a
simple, weak-ninded negro, 10 be hung at New
castle. He was party, unquestionably to a
base crime bat there were many circumstances
going to prove that his part was indirect, mac
tive, and confined simply to knowledge of the
preparation. Governor Salisbury was asked to
reprieve this man, so that he might be imprison-
ed instead of hung. He was asked this by some
of the most prominent gentlemen of the town of
Newcastle; by Christian ministers who had visit
ed the poor wretch in Jail, and seen how feebly
glimmered his intellect by leading members of
the Governors own political organization, whose
words of advice could have had no origin but in
sincerity; and by other gentlemen, who hesitated
to hang such man for such an offence. But
the Governor was deaf to such appeals There
was no reprieve the Newcastle gentlemen petit
toned to marble, and the colored man was hung,
eaying upon the head of Governor Salisbury, AS
his own party friends passionately and publicly
declared, the blood of the victim.
Again, last week, the black man Darnell lay in
Dover jail, under sentence OF death. In his case,
it was urged upon Governor Salisbury that II
was grayely doubtful whether he was a,iilly at
all. He protested his Innocence to the last mo-
ment as he had at all times, done, and for
these and other reasons petitions were sent from
the leading men OF Dover, the lawyers at the
bar, and others, asking for at least n reprieve.
Like those from Newcastle, the petitions were
signed by the Governors own party friends. who
would surely have taken no such steps but III
compassion and Christian unwllingness to kill
an innocent man. But again, their words OF APP
peal were wasted. The Governor could have re-
proved the man with stroke of his pom, but he
preferred to hang him. If his heart was moi
steeled against appeals for mercy, it was worse,
| it thirsted for the black mans blood. Darnel
died.
| 1t need not be sail, in reference to these facts
that Mr.. Salisbury never interposes the Exect
tive cemency which is in his hands to ase. II
the most marked contrast to the cases we cite
was his treatment of the man Register, who a
| the bay-slore, in Kent county, some three year,
ago. unprovokedly and maliciousy shot down
colored man. The act, done in open daylight
| was most coll-blooded, and causeless, muir
| der, for which the reckless prepetrator shout
have been severely, if not not capitally, punish
ed But, in this case. the Governor ceGid no
| hang the colored man he was unfortunatel,
dead by the bullet of Register. Had lie survived
that, the Governor would have been glad. if W,
may draw a reasonable inference from his subse
quent course, to have seen him upon til,
gallows. As that could not be, however, til,
homicide was first favored by the remission of
part of his sentence. He had been ordered b,
the Court, to be whipped, but the Governor hur
ried to interfere that that should not he done
Though men are laslled for stealing loaf q
bread or an ear of corn, they could not he TO
the thrilling offence of shooting negroes SO TIN
whipping was RENTED. Next, the Imprisonment
of the convict in the Dover jail was reduced t.
q mere formality, so that lie passed in and on
almost at will, dined at hotel and was hot al
ways inside the prison, at night, Finally afte
this farcical pretence of punishment for a fe,
months, the same Governor salisbury kind
and humanely came to his relief, wrote Ills broa
charter of pardon, and released him and tina
was the end of the pretended punishment.
These are facts not at all pleasant to relate
but they concern the exercise of the highes
public office in the State. They are of nteres
to the people, for they show that the prcsei
occupant of that office is not an Executive who's
heart and Judgement arc open to Christian il
iiuence, and humane conviction, III eases whel
the life Of a cnlored man is concerned.