The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-03-02
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1870.
Nal. Harrison Functus OMeio.

NATHANIEL dARIuSONi Ho" HaPPLH9
no longer Judge, escaped trial formal
administration OF his office, W FeAgnihg
his commission TO tho Governor, at l0:16
A. NJ, yesterday, q few minutes Before the
Legislature WAS readylto arraign him for
trial, In connection with his resignation
he sent another impeachment letter to the
Legislature, defending himself; which, in
order that he may notfhays any reason 70
complain that he Is denied . hearing, we
print in another column. In this letterhe
attempts to Justify himself in resiguing by
the pretence that be would not have had a
fair trial. We do not care to go into any
elaborate examination Of this pretepcc. We
print the regulations for the trial adopted
BY the two Houses, ofswhich HARRISON
complains, and leave our readers TO Judge
how far these justify his action, indulging
only some general comment. Hc Inns
friends in each House who have resisted
his arraignment as far as with propriety
they could; and if they believed these
regulations were unfair they would have
resisted and could doubtless have defeated
them; but, If We are not misfnformed,
these resolutions came from lis friends.
1t does not seem an extrayagant conlec.
ture, that they were designed to furnish
the excuse which HIARRIsoS so much
wanted, and which most Of the members
were not unwilling he should have, Of
rendering his resignation. Whether this
be true or not, they were very opportnne,
and Furnished ground on which he could
frame an ingenious and plausible objection
to going into trial. 1E ~
It lis no business of ours 10 dOfGnd the
regulations adopted by the Legislature,
nor can VIC do more than surmiso that
they were deslgnedto do anything but IA
cilitate the trial so 9s 70 confne II to the
three days Of The session. 1t seems to us
that under them there might have been n
full, fair and sufficient hearing Of oil
parties; and knowing that Legislative bod
les IN trials Of this character arc always
more likely to grant thp culprit too much
rope than restrict him 10 too little, we do
not doubt fora moment that lift had been
found in any instance that injustice would
have been done Mr.. HARRISON by rigid
enforcement Of the rules adopted, they
would have been relaxed. We do not be-
licvc ltwould have been possible to en-
force anything against him, in tho trial,
which would have done him the least in
Justice; nor do we believe he had my
real apprehension OF wrong; and despite
his expression Of fear that he would not
get Justice, justice was exactly tho
thing which ofall others he did not want.
There is little room TO doubt that this
man never meant to be tried, If any posi-
.ble excuse to escape trial could bc found.
When the resolution giving him notice
was pending in the Senate, and when the
Senate had taken Informal evidence and
developed such a case against him us To-
compel that body 10 concur with the
House in proceeding against him, he, hay.
ing come hero to look after his interests in
the matter, leGt the city. lie denies that
he went as 20 fugitive" Yctifhe had in
tended TO escape as fugitive from thoser-
vice OF notice, he could not have dlsap-
peared at more opportunG moment, Had
he been as fortunate in choosing place of
retreat, he might have cluded personal
service altogether. The effect Of his sud.
den absence from the city was to delay
service of notice and the day Of trial, sew
eral days. When he came to make up his
witness list, he made a most cxtrayagant
demand, both as to the number ofwitnes.
ses and as to their compensation, throwing
himself upon the charity Of the State and
asking to have them paid not only the
usual mileage and per diem but their
necessary expenses" coming, going and
while here, five persons being allowed to
como here from other States bn these
terms without process. If he had intend
cd to make his demand too unreasonable
to be granted, and to have taken the rcll-
sal as an excuse FOR rcsIgning, lie could
hardly have chosen a hotter method.
When one House proposed 70 curtail this
allowance, he tltaintimutc a purpose tore
sign, lift was done; and we believe want
cd II done that he might have an excuse
to resign. Then he proposed through his
next friend, through The columns Of our
paper, that he would resign, II the LegiS-
laturc would pass an act for his special
benefit But the Legislature did not give
him that opportunity. And so he was con-
strained to hold on till the resolution Of
Monday happily afforded him the long
sought opportunity.
The complaint of limitations, rendered
necessary by the limited time, does not
come gracefully from Mr.. HARnlsoS. II
he Ind not run away 1--WE beg his pardon,
we mcant to say, If he had not LEFT the
city somewhat unexpectedly 10 his friends
without advising them Of his destination,)
and thus delayed the service Of notice, the
trial could haye begun several days ago,
and none Of The limitations complained Of
need to have been adopted. Then there
would have been the fullest opportunity
to measure him out tho amplest "iusticC.'