The Portland daily press., 1872-11-13

| VICTIMS OF ITS MALICIOUS ISLANDERS
LAFLIN's AND CLEws-HowE, MURPHY,
| ETC.
New YORK, Nov. 9, 1872,
Peace and reconciliation have come already.
1t is astonishing to note how suddenly and
completely the asperities of the late cam
paign are passing into forgetfulness. The
overthrow of the Coalition has been so COM
4 plete, that indignation has subsidized into rid
icule. A week ago many wrathful men who
had been grossly lbelled and slandered by
Mr.. Greeley's organ, we're resolute that as
soon as the election was over they would
invoke the thunders Of the law upon that I'M
fortunate journal. But now that the whole
country with surprising unanimity has vim
Dictated the characters of the individuals as
sailed, and pointedly proclaimed that no Gre
dence is to be attached to the political
Roorbacks with which the Tribune has un-
Willingly contributed to the humiliation of
its Editors ambitious pretensions it seems to
be conceded that punishment enough has
been inflicted in that quarter.
Mr.. Greeley's card-the altered tone of his
paper-his evident remorse and penitence-
all indicate realizing sense of the grievous
mistake he has made and an anxious purpose
to retrieve it.
Nevertheless, here in New York where the
facts are better known than they can be else
where, the atrocity of the assaults of the
tribune on respectable citizens has subject
ed it to vehement censure. That it has re-
peatedly published grave charges against
irreproachable Republicans, with the knowl-
edge that they were utterly false, does not ad-
nit OF doubt. That it has done so " it'll ma
licious motives is equally clear.
In the interests of justice and decency, it
may be worth while to cite a few of the most
flagrant examples of this mode of defama-
ton.
Hon. A. 81. Latin was for some years a
Representative in Congress from the Her.
kimer District. On his retirement from the
House, the President appointed him Naval
Officer of this port, on the solicitation of
large numbers of his fellow members, and of
Senators of both parties. Mr.. Laflin's Con-
gresslonal career was marked by the strictest
integrity, and acknowledged usefulness
While in Washington, he had in his possess
sion State bond of North Carolina of the
market value of about $500. It belonged to
his brother. Suddenly he missed it, and it
could not be found. Some months subse-
quently he discovered that just such bond
was in the possession of a constituent of his
at home. 1t then became evident that in
mailing public documents he had inadver-
tently Enclosed this bond to the constituent
A demand was made for it. The holder re-
fused to reinquish it. A suit was brought,
and judgment obtained for the amount. A
criminal prosecution was then instituted
against the man for larceny of the bond.
He was indicted on that charge. Of course
this action led to bitter feeling. The counsel
OF the indicted party alleged that there was a
discrepancy between Mr.. Laflin's evidence on
the trial for the recovery of the bond, and
before the Grand Jury on the allegation OF
larceny. Thereupon, they adopted the re-
taliatory policy of making complaint against
MIR. Latin for perjury, and succeeded on their
er pdrte testimony in obtaining bill of in
dictment against him for that offense When
the case came to trial, the presiding Judge
ON looking into it, decided that there was
nothing in it, the pretended discrepancy
In the evidence not being material to the
issue. But Mr.. Latin through his counsel
demanded that the case should 60 to the jury
as he wished it to be adjudicated on its
merits. Acceding to his wish, the Judge
allowed the trial to proceed. Thereupon, the
defense called as witness the Judge who
had presided at the trial of the civil suit and
he testified on reference to his minutes that
the evidence given by Mr.. Latin on the first
trial correspondent in every essential particu-
lar with that which he gave before the Grand
Jury. Five of the original Jurymen bore
witness to the same facts, and when it was
proposed to call the other seven, the court
ruled that the testimony was merely cumula-
tive and therefore unnecessary, complete
defense having already been established. At
this point, the case went to the Jury who re-
turned verdict for the defendant without
leaving their seats. The feeling of
the town was so deeply aroused at the
injustice of the complaint, that on
the evening of the day of the trial two bands
OF music were engaged-a procession formed |
Mr.. Latin serenaded, and Democrats and |
Republicans We'd with each other in express
slons OF sympathy, respect and confidence |
for their fellow citizen, who had received |
such triumphant vindication. The Demo- |
cratic newspaper of Herkimer deprecated the |
prosecution to which he had been subjected.
congratulated him on the completeness of his
exculpation, and paid generous tribute to |
his character.
All these facts were known to the conduc-
tor of the Tribune. They had been recited
in its columns at the time of the occurrence
and were patent to every well informed
journalist and newspaper reader in the State.
And yet, year afterwards the Tribune de-
voted an editorial column to carefully pre-
pared state nent setting forth that Mr.. Latin
had been indicted and tried for the crime of
perjury and had barely escaped conuictiou bv
a technicaaty. The whole gst of the libel, It
will be perceived, is in the words in italics
which contain wilful falsehood.
Now any gentleman thus aggrieyed. NAV
appeal to the law and if his case could ever
reach jury of twelve honest men. there
could be no doubt of the conviction, eitker
on civil or criminal process of the miscreant
who could thus trihe with reputation. But
this offence was committed amid the excite
ment of great political crisis, when every
body was unusually busy. The courts are
argely in the hands of Tribune sympathizers,
who could delay action for years. So that
really there is no redress for such wrongs
save in an appeal to an enlightened public
opinion. Once in while spasm of public
virtue seizes our judicial tribunals which
makes this sort of assassination of character
dangerous.
The two wretched women who have sin
yled out one of the most eminent and highly
clergymen of the United States for
heir matchmaking adventures are likely to
ind that there is limit beyond
which licentious press must not go.
But unfortunately political libels are
90 common, and political lbellers too numers
Jus to justify the hope that adequate justice
will be melted out in community like ours,