New-York tribune., 1873-03-13
CERTAIN PERSONAL ASPECTS.

There are certain personal aspects of the
case of The People agt Oakes Ames et al which
the attention OF The Springfield Republican, that
the trial and judgment Is entered No generous
peope can favOrite servants stricken down, as
some of the defendants in tins have been without
sorrowfu emotion. Some OF the instances are more dis
tressing than others; Of the cuprs have imme-
date opportunity TO expste their slip they are yet in
pubc fe and they may the easy generosity
and short memory OF their constituents or those who
have no such hope, and 20 whom such chance IS de-
MED, The Republican thus specially mentions two
Schuyler Colfax and James W. Patterson men 10
whom the good opinion Of their neighbors aud fellow
citizens has been hardly less necessary or less priced
the air they oreathed In sense, they have lived
upon It. To DO deprived OF II Is as dreadful punish
men could we'll Defal them They had farther TO fall
than the others, and worse bruised
Take Mr. PattersOn's He TO the Senate from
New En- gland college, where he had been for years an
hOnOred professor Dartmouth ana heW-Hainpshre ana
New England were proud u him. His ability quickly
gave hm weight in hs new position His associates re-
spected him and deferred To ms advice The public
press without regard 70 party spoke we OF him. No
had better prospect fOr useIA me ana an non
Ored old age. In evil moment he yields 70 tempta
ton. Threatened with detection ne gives way To panic
aud refuge behind falsehOOd. he s dragged out
aud exposed Old personal and party friends turn
him. Avenues OF honorable labor that were open 70 hTn
but yesterday suddenly barred 10 his face His col
ege the town which he lives, the state whose conf
has betrayed, hang their heads for hun II e
were a thick-sklnned capitalist or sharp criminal
a. nr rate he would have something to turn
his and busy himself with Beng James W. Pat
tersOn New-Hampshire sohOOteacheT his case is GER
tainiy a very pltlabe one.
In some respects that Schuyler COlfax is
40 He had climbed higher than the New-Hampshre
Senator, enjoyed "A much wider personal popularity
indeed IL probably safe 10 say that he the most
potma ar man M public lie-and sot greater value upon
H. He was liked for himself than for his poi
tcs OF services thousands aud tens OF thousands
OF people scattered through ali the states OF tins UniOn
have read the reports his with ache at the
heart. 4 a mlstlness III the Many Of them still
refuse IN their faith in the 10 believe
the Congressman VcePresdent guilty OF this thing
that ], Land doors. Certainly there il such
direct proof Of guilt in Mr. Pattersons II 1t
simple question VI Veracty between Oakes Ames
ana Schuyler CoiaK, statement against statement ana
oath against OATH should ali know which 70 believe
Unhappy, Mr. COfaX Is enmeshed in net OF circum
stanta evidence strong and entanging that 10 is i'm
pDssble AT this moment how he IA 10 eKtrcate
himself He still adberes to his original prUtestatOn OF
innocence, however and expresses hopeful confidence
that VIII ultimately e established TO the satisfaction
of the country. Pending tins vndicatOD, he back
ms old home among his old neighbors. who receive
him open We glad 10 think Of their gen
erous and sympathy encOmpassing the fallen
man AZ hour with neghDOry charities ana helpful
nesses We are fain To hope he may nndf he has not
already fOuud-tne inner meaning and benediotlOn Of
thai most touching prayer OF the most prayeru Of
our day: y God. help 10 forgive ourselves Com
pared with this fOrgyeness that Of the people even Is
OI secondary Importance