Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-09-24


justifier of his crimes, utterly declin-
ing to admit that he had been guilty
of any violation of the law. When
the day of retribution began to dawn,
Governor Holden's advisers and &C
completes shrank from its light, and
skunk away to their hiding places, and
left him alone to bear the burden of
crimes of which they were as guilty as
he. Not SO with Mr.. Badger. He had
VIGOROUSLY guilty client, but none the
less did be stick to him for that, from.
ernor Holden would be arraigned for
trial before the High Court Of I'm
parchment, to the present moment,
Mr.. Badger has been his constant legal
adviser. In his preparation for the
Impeachment, and during the progress
of that great trial, Mr.. Badger was his
faithful and devoted counselor.
Not until the sentence of that most
august tribunal known to the laws OF
the land had driven his client in shame
and disgrace from his high office, did
Mr. Badger cease to importune it III be-
half of his client. Nor did he stop
then. From thai tribunal he went to
another, seeking to create all appeal, as
it were, from the judicial to the legis-
lative department of the government.
When before the court, Mr.. Badger
was simply of counsel for the prisoner,
but when he went into the Legislature
he became his Judge, as we'll.
Mr. Badger wa n member of the
House of Representatives, of the Leg
isatllre of 1S72-73, and as such mem
Der. asked the Legislature to reverse
the sentence the Court had imposed
upon his client; or, as it was then, and is
now phrased, he asked the Legislature
to remove the disabilities of W. W.
Holden; that is to say, to remove from
him the restriction imposed upon him
in regard to holding office, by the
Court of mpeachment, But Mr.. Bad
ger was no more successful as leg;sla-
tor vito his brother legislators in be-
half of his notorious client, than he
was as counsel before the Court of I'm
parchment The Legislature, for the
| one sufficient reason, if no other that
| they had no power to do SO, refused to
| take any action in the matter. But for
all that Mr. Badger did not cease his
efforts. Near five years bad passed in
fruitless endeavors to lift from his
client the burdens imposed upon him
by the sentence of the Court, when a
Convention of the people assembled in
Raleigh with absolute sovereign pc wer
over all things, save those only over
which their power was restricted III
the Act calling the body into existence;
and in that Act there is nothing to re-
strait the Convention from removing
the disabilities of ". W. Holden; aud
once more and straigtway, Mr. Badger s
voice is heard in behalf of his client.
Mr.. Badger is a member of the Con
vention, and the very first ordinance
introduced into that body is one by
Mr.. Badger, proposing to remove the
disabilities of w. w. Holden.
But it seems that Mr.. Badger and
his client are not likely to meet with
any better fortune before the Conven-
ton, than they did before the Court
and before the Legislature. The ac-
ton of the committee to whom the
matter was referred, recommending
that the ordinance be not adopted, is
to say the least of it, significant of the
opinion of the Convention upon the
question. But the matter cannot long be,
IN uncertainty, for the Convention has
setapart next wednesday for its con7id-
Grafton, and if it shall decide adversely,
it will be an end of the matter, as even
! Mr.. Badgers zeal for his client. viii
| find it difficult to discover another tri-
| bunal before which to make furth er
efforts in his behalf.
Precisely what line Of argument Mr..
Badger will adopt before the Congcn-
ton, in urging the passage of the or
dinance relieving Gov. Holden, 1t is
difficult to say. If he takes the ground
that he was wrongly convicted, be will
! antagOnlze his colleagues in the Con-
ventiOn. Mr. Lehman, of the Rad
ca! persuasi' n, and Messrs. Robbins,
Scott, of Ouslow, and Morehead, who
We're members of the Court of I'm
parchment, and who voted that Gov.
Holden was guilty.
If Mr.. Badger admits that his cIient
was guilty of high crimes and INSIDE
meanOrS, he will do more for his client
than that client has e er done for him.
self. If we understand his position
correctly, Gov. Holden takes the ground
that he is an I'M ured innocent victim
OF most damncble conspiracy, re-
bell1on and treason, and further, that
he would not hesitate to pursue a SIM
| liar course under similar circumstances.
Ii he regrets anything that he did and
! for which he was convicted. we have
Yet to see the evidence thereof, nor do
we believe Mr.. Badger ever put i'll such
plea for him. He will demand for
his client, not pardon as a repentant
criminal, but right and justice ana
restitution to an injured man, unjust
ly deprived of his rights.
If Gov. Holden, through his cour :
sci, Mr.. Badger, should place upon
the records of the Convention a for
NAL admission of his transgressions.
and then should ask for pardon, it
might be well to consider his petition.
but so long as he demands pardon as
matter of right to an outraged citi-
zen, we cannot see what Justification
there will be for the Convention to
waste the time and money of the people
III listening to him.