The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-04
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
Editorial Opinions of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics Compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
MIR. GREELEY AND THE MCFARLAND
TRIAL.


TRIAL.
From the NJ T. Times.
Mr.. Horace Greeley has published a state
ment, to which his signature is attached, for
the purpose of explaining the share he has
had in the prosecution of Mcfarland. 1t will
be remembered that he admitted in his evil
denoe that he had been instrumental in en-
gaging counsel for the prosecution, and that
he was prepared to contribute towards the
expense if he were asked to do so. Mr..
Greeley now states his reasons for this active
interference. Briefly stated, they are as fol-
lows:-The late Mr.. Richardson was Mr.
Greeley's friend. In Mr.. Greeleys opinion
the deceased has been covered with oblo-
quy." 1t was necessary to vindicate his
memory from unjust aspersion, and therefore
MIR. Greeley consulted with the District At
torney with regard to the employment of ad-
ditional counsel
To this statement of reasons Mr. Greeley
adds certain reflections or observations which,
as il appears to us, place him in very para
doxioal position. He writes, ''Esteeming the
hanging of sane men mistake, should con-
template the hanging of foneinsanewith horror.
This is quite consistent with the opinions
generally ascribed to Mr.. Greeley on this
subject. But it is not consistent with his
attempt to bring Mcfarland to the gallows,
for that is the underlying tendency of his in
tervention in the prosecution. He did not
employ counsel for the purpose of effecting
the release of Mcfarland. If the prosecution
succeeds, the prisoner will be found guilty, and
the penalty of death would be the ordinary fate
of prisoner placed in that position. 1t was,
therefore, actually to bring about the hanging
of fellow creature that Mr.. Greeley worked
when he aided the prosecution. man who
was opposed to capital punishment, and
wished to act up to his principles, would
have stood aloof from such a prosecution
altogether. MIR. Greeley was especially bound
to follow this course since, as we all remem-
ber, he could not bear to see even Jefferson
Davis in prison, and was moved by the ten
derness of his heart to set the captive free
and yet Jefferson Davis is responsible for
more blood which ought to be precious to
MIR. Greeley than is Daniel Mcfarland.
The assertion that the counsel was engaged
to vindicate the memory of Mr.. Richardson
will not have much weight with the public
1.-THE other story, writes Mr. Greeley, re-
ferring to the Mcfarland side in the affair
''has possession of the public ear" That is
not the fact. The Tribune has from the first
defended Mr.. Richardson with great per-
sistency and resented any untavorable
allusion to any of Mr.. Richardson's friends
with extraordinary virulenoe The Spring
field Republican and several other papers
have likewise come forward as the cham
pions of Mr.. Richardson, and every feature
of his conduct has been presented in the
most favorable light, from the day of the
assassination to the present time. The
eulogiums passed upon Mr.. Richardson in
the Tribune soon after the shooting occurred,
were of the most glowing kind. 1t, more
over, attempted to anticipate the result of
the trial in the following announcement
eff this murderer had any provocation for
his deed, we insist that it be known.
In this coming trial it is not alone the State
of New York against Daniel Mcfarland. 1t
is civilization against barbarism 1t is the
civil code against the code of the assassins."
This was an appeal to passions and preju-
dices which no one can pronounce perfectly
fair, under all the circumstances and it is
only an example of great deal more which
appeared in the Tribune about the same
time. How, then, can Mr.. Greeley say that
McFarland's version of the story has possess
sion of the public ear The friends of the
Tribune correspond largely with country
papers, as any one may see who has recently
looked over them. The means of publicity
at their disposal have been freely-we may
fairly say, unscrupulously-used, and perhaps
there is absolutely nothing to be said in favor
of MIR. Richardson which has not been already
said hundreds of times.
1t is absurd to complain, as the Tribune
did the other day, that the present trial has
''been made the foundation of a systematic,
concerted attack" upon it. 1t has in
vitea attack by putting itself so prominently
in the foreground. 1t caused the public to
understand that it wished the prosecution to
succeed. 1t called loudly for relentless
trial." and declared, as the above extract
shows, that the very safety of society de-
pended upon the result. Having done so
much to identify itself with the prosecution,
how can it now regard it as an injury that the
public has accepted the position? Mr..
Horace Greeley himself admits that
he takes the deepest private Interest in the
prosecution. But could he not have done
that without openly attempting to bring
about the conviction of a prisoner who is
linl,lo tl, ho tod toI2