Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-05-12


unhappy lives.
GOVERNOR RROGDEN,S E.ETTEF
! TO JUDGE CLOUD-AD DGSG RACE
FBI. AFFAIR.
The following account of a most
disgraceful transaction we take from
the Raleigh Neaos. We sincerely trust
there is some misrepresentation as tc
the completely of Governor Brogden
in the matter. Is it not possible the
letter to Judge Cloud was written by
some understrapper about the Gov.
ernor's Office and without his knowl.
| edge?
WHAT Is IF CALLED ?-Some weeks
ago mention was made in this paper of
an application made to the Executive
for the pardon of one Atwood, con-
victed at Davie Superior Court of the
murder of one Sandy Hauser. The
information of the petition was COM
municated to the local editor of the
Ne,os by Governor Brogden himself
in the executive Office, Mr.. Evans, as
usual in his morning rounds, calling
at all the offices of the departments for
items of news. This application for
pardon or commutation of sentence
was voluntarily produced by the Gov
ernor, and it was from information
furnished by him that mention of the
circumstance was made in the col
umns of tie NeiUS.
Among the names appended to the
petition was that of John M. Cloud,
the Judge before whom the case was
tried. On a subsequent visit to the
executive office Mr.. Evans was told
by Governor Brogden that Judge
Cloud had written to him complaining
that his name improperly appeared in
the petition and requesting him to
have a correction made through the
newspapers. The Governor seemed
much amused at Judge Clouds an
noyance, but no correction was made,
nor was there the slightest intimation
given that the signature was other
than genuine one.
Within the past week q gentleman
connected with the News Office trav-
elled with Judge Cloud from Green's
boro' to Lexington and IN the course
of conversation the Judge referred to
the interpolation of his signature in
signed it and said that he had written
to the Governor on the subject and
had, after some time, received a re-
ply. The letter was placed in the
hands of our informant by Judge G.
following-perhaps not the exact
language but conveying the exact idea;
I'm reference to the appearance of
tho rotifioD
tive cIemency, / am persuaded that
the editor of the News inserted it,
The Governor may have thought in
inf1icting this cowardly stab that no ex-
posure of the transaction was probable.
But Judge Cloud was communicative
and not at all reluctant to exhibit the
Governors letter. He may have be-
lieved the statement contained therein
If His Excellency had thought it
probable that the letter would have
been exhibited he might have been
more on his guard, because he was
perfectly aware that the editor of the
News had no information beyond what
he furnished himself, voluntarily, in
his own Office, from q paper now in his
own possession and on which, unless
careful erasure is made. the name of
John M. Cloud will appear as it was
presented to Mr.. Evans,
At all events, the memory of this
gentleman is not the subject of eras-
ure. He has vivid emembrance of
all the circumstances connected with
the interview in which the information
was given of the nature of the petition
and its signers.
Comment is hardly necessary.
There is always the inclination to as
cribe to Chief Magistrate qualities
that elevate hum above the masses.
His office is kindly presumed to purify
him and dignity his nature however
despicable it may have been in private
station. We have wasted magnanimi
ty in supposing Governor Brogden
bettered by his occupancy of the exec
utive Office, since by his ascrip ton to
us of base act, without the slightest
foundation in fact, and capable of
proof that he was fully aware of his
false statement nd made it malignant
ly and designedly, he shows his own
capacity for any act of baseness.