The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-05-04
NORTH CAROLINA. )
WAEr .Cnupr Z

I rIHe =
Superior Court, Spring Term 1870: ~
| /, j. N. Bunting, do Thereby certify that in
the case of the State against VIM. Bcatie,
| tried at this Term of the Court, the jury
which convicted him, accompanied their
verdict with.a recommendation to mercy in
the following words:
The jury returned for their verdict, that
the prisoner, William Beatie, is guilty of
the larcency with which he stands charged.
But the jrry unanimously recommend him
to the clemency Of the Court
Given under my hand this 10Th day of
April, 1870. j. N. BUNTING, Clerk.
The judgment'of the court is that the
prisoner be confined at hard labor in the
State prison for the term of five years.
What had the Governor to do2 To send
the prisoner to the Penitentiary? The
Governor has laid it down as a general rule
to which there can be but few if any excep-
tions, that he will not pardon convict in
the Penitentiary unless on the recommends
ton of the Commissioners of the Peniten-
tiary. The jury and the Judge had request
ed clemency for this prisoner. Would it
have been right, under these circumstances,
to send this prisoner to the Penitentisry
1t was not clear that he was guilty. II it
had been clear, and if the jury and the
Judge had said so, he would certainly have
gone to the Penitentiary, and would most
probably have served his time out. A man
who is not clearly guilty of an offence, and
who has not been pronounced clearly guilty
by jury and Judge, ought not to be
punished.
1t is very evident that Mr.. Holleman is
unduly controlled by his feelings in this mat
ter. His hatred towards some one who has
wronged him by stealing his property, has
got the better of his judgment. He has al
lowed himself, while thus excited, to be
used by set Of Radical Rebel politicians
IN Wske county, to. do injustice to the
Governor. who is one Of the best
friends he ever. had. Not only has
he published card, in which he
unjustly assaiIs the Governor, but he has
gone into public meet ng and joined with
Others in exciting the public mind for party
effect, because Judge Fowle, Mr.. Snow
the jury and the Judge thought proper
to ask for this pardon and the Governor
thought proper to grant it. Il. I'M. .s ri
But this is only part of the party pro-
gramme started by the Radical Rebels, in
the. hope Of carrying the State. The public
mind is to be still further excited against
the colored people. If the Governor hap
pens to pardon colored person, no matter
how clear the reasons for his doing so may
be, the people are to be, told that negroes
are favored at the expense of white people,
and thus Kukluxism, which has for its OBJ
ject the intimidation of colored voters by
exciting the white people against them,
will be stimulated and encouraged 1t is
already reported in Wilkes and Allegheny
Counties that 'the Gorrnor is going to turn
out eOery concict in the peniteptiary, no mat
ter rhdt the offence, and especially the colored
conoicts!" This report is totally false. 1t
has no shadow Of foundation. The Cover
nor, we repeat, has laid it down as
rule, from which there will be few if and
departures, that he. will not pardon con-
victs in the penitentiary save on the re-
commendation of the Commissioners. There
are now one hundred and thirty convicts in
by the first of Jnly there will |
be two hundred of them in the Penitentia.
~, and large majority of them will be
colored. The object of the Radical Rebels
ind Kuklux referred to, is to start the re
port in June and July, just before the cleo
lion, that the Governor is turning out the
,onvicts from the Penitentiary, so as to ex-
lite the white people against the colored
people, and thus furnish an excuse for shoot
ug and hanging and scourging colored peo-
Die. This is The object, and we are sorry to
ZEE some decent Wake county men lending
themselves to this object. They may not
now it, but the leaders of the Radical Rebels
now it, and are acting accordingly. Could
ny thing be more wicked or injurious, ord
dangerous to the peace of society? 1t seems
hat these men will stop at nothing to OBJ
ain power. But they will fail The facts
n every case will be. laid before the people,
nd these unworthy agitators and dema-
,ogues will be held up and exposed until
hey become objects of contempt and dis
ust to all decent, truthful and fair-minded
ien.ds.ti o ssso.i7 ss-f