Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-03-29

Reading Matter on Every Page
WASHINGTON CITY:
sATt kDAY. ............March %. lS73.
The Chronicle, the President, and
the O'Brien Comm tatiOm.

Some one Of the dozen editors Of the Chronicle
has the cool assurance to term the frank, but
fair and temperate criticisms by The STAR
upon the Arguments made in behalf of the COM
mutation of the sentence of O'Brien, as "cen-
sures OF the President" This, too, In view of
the fact, that, mp to its recent sudden change of
base, the Ci,s~ieEe has been explosiyely de-
mandatory Of the act of the President, as the
following citations will show:
''OBRIEN's SENTENCE CONMUTED.-lt was
tated In yesterdays Chroniele that the sentence
of O'Brien had been committed from death to
imprisonment for life. The announcement ere
ated some surprise, particularly in view of the
fact that the public mind is just now deeply ex-
of the law against criminals. The action of
Governor Dix, in the Foster case, has received
such unqualified appreciation IL ras naturally
t<Pectsd that u Ivostld strengthen the psrpose Of
those generally 10 scOse hands is intrusted tie
a. Of pardon and the right TO change the degree
CT KIND OF punishment inflicted by the courts.
mere may De reasons for what has been done
unknown TO the public, therefore we withhold
criticism, while expressing a conviction that
Win the light we now have upon the subject it
rs TO be regretted that the law not permit
ted to take its course.
We k1loc that at tie hBse hs murder seds commit
having even the plea OF drunkenness in extern
uation- After having knocked down and stunned
his victim with bludgeon, the murderer re-
turned TO the assault when he the former
arise and shot him through the head-all this
after having shamefally iDsulted the wife of
cunningham. II dsA.RgtOs Morning Chronicle,
NGTch 20.
The O'BEIES CasE-It seems that mn till
last evening no official or even informal notice
had been furnished the warden of the prison of
Communication Of O'Briens sentence. 1t is
said, however, that the prisoner has been as
sured by General Butler that a promise of COM
mutation had been given.
B1e President has giren sr>& prop,ise ,-ithort
GtHH EEoried1s Of the facts ke osces t 10 himsef,
10 tie i1sr, and to justice look carefully into the
natter to see If there IL any ground for inter-
case Hs ought not 70 establish q psiscAieroBs pre-
6sdent that nIy hereafter prore rery serious an
roydRee 70 linn and inspire viti false hopes erimi
walls the District. The social posi- ton the re-
lstiOns of the criminal. the character and stand
ing OF the victim, and his associations, have
nothing TO do with the merits of the case, and
should have 10 influence upon the final result.
lte Murder stdrds ont IN unrefiered dtrocity. 1t
seems impossible that a man who had other
than very bad heart could have perpetrated
such crime under such circumstances. 1t Is
easier to palliate the crime Of the poor, ignor-
ant, eOlOred man, Wright, horrid as was the
deed he perpetIated, than 10 find reasons for Err
ScBtire Interference Ia this cdse."-W Gshingt0n
Morning Chronicle, March n.
"wASTED-A REAsox-A correspondent
desires To know what reason can be given for
granting Communication OF the sentence OF
Brlen- We are not apt at aRsceripy such coaua-
oTUn,S- III we are TO be candid with our CORES
IOndent we know of no reason, except that the
prisoner and his friends desired such commu-
fatlOn lie may be unfit to die. lie as eertasaIv
iNtt 20 hre- We are under the necessity of re-
terIing our correspondent 10 Ae President for
JETtAer information; and II If it should turn out
committed We hope the reasons for such action
VIII be made public Washington Morning
CiroEicie, March 81.
"CoNNUTATIoS PAPERS OgpEREp-It is
now authoritatively stated that the commuta-
ton papers have been issued in O'I,rien's case
~ order of the President. A manifest error hns
In so~nittsd in his case, or public sentiment is
eiTcUnssiaRcs jusfif ing TIE cAangeD- Vasktagtoa
AoTHahg ChT0Hicle, March -.
Well, the Czreaicle after firing off its guns. as
above, seems 70 have become panic stricken
over its treason, and has since been assiduously
eating its words, commencing by decrying cap
ral punishment, as ssleading by its demoral-
izing influences to more murders than it pre-
vents" and ending by expressing the profound
conviction that sending O'Brien 10 the peni-
Tertiary, to be humanely treated and kept at
hard labor during his natural life, will have as
happy an effect in restraining crime In this CITY
as an infiction Of the death penalty"
Now We do not think we are mistaken in
saying, from all we know of the man, that
President Grant has more respect for a paper
Ike The STAR, that does not hesitate to ex-
press It's convictions in the way of candid dis
cent from his views upon a matter of public i'm
Iortance, than he has for the spirit of turnkey
.sm that would insist upon his infallibility upon
every one of the many affairs upon which he
must pronounce daily.
A Washington dispatch in the New York
Herald of yesterday is calculated to produce the
impression that the President cherishes a feel
Ing Of hostility to Secretary Belknap and Gen.
sherman, and that, prompted by that feeling,
he solicited the opinion of the Attorney General
In regard to the legality of Gen. Sherman
temporarily acting as Secretary of War know
IN adverse ODiUi0n Ia
1t strikes US that such srns-,,,vIr., :.s : 49,.
quite the thing for a usually well-ipformed
PAPER like the Herald, especially when the fact
Is 50 well known that the best Of feeling exists
between the President and the Secretary of
war and the General Of the Army. The way
Ia which the opinion OF the Attorney General
was elected is understood TO be this: At the
Cabinet meeting on Tuesday last the President
Stated that II there was no objection General
sherman would act as Secretary of War during
Zen belknap's absence; upon which the Attor-
iey 1enerai' who was a member Of the Senate
IN 1870, reminded the President that, while |
10 member Of the Cabinet could have apv |
personal objections TO Gen Sherman's acting |
as secretary Of War, there is a Law ON
'le statute book Passed in the wear named
Nheh PROMPTS any military officer from hold
ing civil position. The President, desiring to I
appoint Gen. Sherman, in accordance with the !
request OF Gen. Belknap, but yet not being
Wiling to violate the laws, thereupon in writ |
1ng' as Is customary in such cases, requested a !
formal opinion from the Attorney General,
winch was duly rendered. fact which mate
rally strengthens this view of the case. and
shows that the President did not desire to put |
an anront upon Secretary Belknap and Gen. |
sherman, the circumstance that the An
nouneement Of such a decision did not come
from either the White House or the ATTORNEY \
Generals Office, but was obtained by a repre-
sentative of The STAR direct from Gen. Sher- !
man himself, and first published in our issue of /
The same day. On the day following. General I
Belknap gave members OF the press copies of /
the correspondence on the subject
The CATOHieIe says Of the o'Brien commuta-
ticn:
The President having committed the pen
ATTY OF death 20 imprisonment for life he can
not be hung; and II there Is no law in force in
this District, where the offense WAS Committed
authorizing imprisonment, the SrAR i'm its
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