Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-03-27

the President is not inclined to accord special
merit to party fidelity, and is willing to re-
cognize worth and qualifications regardless OF
facts to which party men sometimes attach
undue significance"
The Car.hook Murderer Hanged.
-On Friday last William Foster expiated
the murder of Avery D. Putnam, whom he
killed nearly two years ago. Every inagina-
BILE influence was brought to bear upon the
Governor in order to save the life of the doomed
man. But all the efforts of lawyers, divnes,
jurymen, the relatives of the prisoner, and
even the widow of his victim, were without
avail. Governor Dix refused to interfere, and
Foster has been hung. The business Of the
sentence and its execution cannot be question
ed, and the Governor of New York is winning
golden opinions among the thoughtful and
law-abiding people throughout the country
by the calmness and frmness with which he
resisted the pressure brought to bear upon him
in the case of Foster. In his letter to Rev.
DR.. Tyng refusing to commute the sentence,
Governor Dix, after reviewing the facts of
the case, closes as follows:
"It thus appears that all of the remedies
provided by law for contesting the rulings of
the Judge, before whom the trial took place,
have been expressed, and that his action has
been affirmed by two judicial tribunals, hav-
ing cognizance of the case; the latter the
court of last resort. Every proper appliance
which wealth and the influence of a most esti-
mable family could command has been en-
ployed to save Foster from the scafold. The
case has been carried through all of the
Courts by eminent counsel. The opinion OF
gentlemen learned in the law, and earnest ap.
plications from respected clergymen and citi.
zens in good standing have been brought be.
fore me, and the widow Of the victim ha,
come forth from her solitude to plead for the
life of her husbands murderer.
I have given to these appeals my most
thoughtful consideration. If there were any
reason to doubt that the law was rightly ruled
at the trial, or that the evidence fully war.
ranted the jury in rendering a verdict of muir.
der in the first degree, would give the Grim
inal the benefit Of that doubt. But, with a
firm conviction that there was no error in
either, and that there is nothing in his case
which can justly commend it to executive
cemency, can not interpose to mitigate his
punishment I am panied to say this to you
appreciating as 1 do your sincerity and purity
of motives, and I desire to announce my
decision to yourself and the other respected
clergymen who have joined in interceding for
him in the spirit of kind consideration due to
those whose sacred vocation teaches them to
look with tenderness upon the frailties Of
others. To the representations of the gentle
men in secular occupations who have appeal.
ed to me in his behalf, I have paid the same
respectful consideration. But I am constrain.
ed to think that they have neither given sufh.
cient forethought to consequences of what
they ask, if it were granted, nor considered
that with the best intentions we may by mis-
directed sympathy contribute unconsciously
to endanger public safety, and our own.
am asked in disregard of the evidence and
judgment of the highest judicial tribunal in
the State on the law, to set aside the penalty
awarded to the most atrocious crimes. 1t
seems to me that the inevitable effect of such
proceeding on my. part under the circum.
stances of this case would be to impair the
force of judicial decisions and to break down
the barriers which the law has set up for the
forti6cation of human life. To this act Of
social disorganization cannot lend the exc.
cutive authority confded to me by the people
of the State. deem it due to the good order
of society to say that so far as depends upon
me, the supremacy of the law will be inaexi'
bly, maintained, and that every man who
strikes murderous blow at the life of his fel.
low must be made to feel that his own is in
certain peril. If we can not by frmness of
purpose attain this end, we may soon be forced
to acknowledge the disheartening truth that
there is nothing so cheap or so Unprotected as
human life"
Oakes Ames at Home.
- The saddest comentary upon the degen'
eracy of the times is the honor and ecdt with
which disgraced Congressman or other pub
lie functionary is received at his home, by his
neighbors and constituents, after exposure,
and after being held up before the nation as
guilty of crimes made respectable only by
their enormity. Two Of these public demon
strations have recently occurred-one in hon.
or of Vice.President Colfax, on his return to
his home at South Bend, Indiana, and the
other by the people Of North Easton, Massa'
chusetts, as a public endorsement of their
Representative in Congress, Oakes Ames
Of course, the recipients of these testimonials
were greatly surprised at the disinterested
action of their constituents, and copious tears
were freely shed as they recited the wrong and
injury they had suffered. Particularly was
Mr.. Colfax pathetic, and in over two columns
of plausible argument and pointless rhetoric,
he convinced his South Bend constituency
that he was the most innocent man that had
ever been falsely accused, and the hearty res
ponse to his specious pleadings only demon
strated to what extent a people can stultify
themselves when blinded by partisan feelings
and political motives.
Mr.. Ames, the sturdy shovel-maker Of New
England, did not, however, in the ovation to
his honor, deal in specious argument, nor was
even special pleading necessary to make good
his cause before New England auditory
The dinner was preceded by music and prayer,
and after the dinner was over DR.. Cogswell
made short address, in which he welcomed
Mr.. Ames to his home, and spoke in highly
laudatory terms of his course, expressive Of
continued confidence in his honor and integ'
rity. He announced that the demonstration
was made irrespective Of party, and he felt
that he expressed the sentiment of all when
he said that while others sought to cast a
stigma upon their Representatives. fair name