The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-05-03

At COLUMBIA, IN This State, on the
25th Of April past, til re- vas great *
element because Gov. JAS. ID Porter,
in obedience t, the recon- ncudalion OF
the whole Supreme Court (cXrrId
Judge Turncy,) apd the rrrumnrnla.
ton also Of the Attorney General, com
NUT the death sentence Of negro
named IhOmaSsOn 10 ImprlS ium"ut
hard labor in the prnitcnLlary for life
Hal the Sheriff Of Maury county and
his two deputies been a little later IN
conveying Thomasson to the cars 60
ing to Nashville, they woull have been
relieved hv "a mob of any further lrou
nj" with their prisoner. When it was
und that Thomass ms scGtrnc, hat
b u commurrd, the Indignation al
ma y citizens manifested itself in va
nous WAYS. Spocchc, were made de-
nuucialory OF Gov. Porter and Judge,
Snrcd, Freeman, NJ Farand and Dead
crck. EIligcs, with pacarls hearing
the names Of these Officials, we're swuny
TO Il telegraph pOIe ant burned. Tine
course Of Judge Turnry in REFUSING to
r"conInmenI the cummuIatiun of
Tnomasoon's sentence was warmly en-
Gorscd, Aud we have heard persons
outside Oi Marry county, even here in
Winchester bitterly dcnouncc Gov. !
Porter for his action But we have
this to say: Tnal Gov. Porter cid just
what he ought to have done | there
he any wrong. IL must attach to t5cI
Supreme judges and Attorney General
who recommended Gov. Porter to
commute the sentence pronounced by
themselves upon the murderer. THIS
way Of II hall-lOzrn men trlilg to
shift the responsibility OF breaking a
man s neck from their own shoulders
to the shoulder, Of one man will not
do, and if we were Governor would
commute, or pardon, every time the
Supreme Court recommended us To do
SO. From all we have read and heard,
We believe that this negro Thomassun,
murdered Robert &. jackson, aud the .
Snprcm' Court affirmed the judgment |
of the Circuit Court If Maury county
in the case. But after doing 50 they
and the Attorney General came along |
with the su'joined to Gov. Porter, and
we ask any unprecedented Home Jour
nal reader if Gov. Porter ought to
have dared to hang the negro when
four Judges and the Attorney General
sail some Of the evidence against the
prisoner Was suspicious. some facts un
explained, aud there WAS possibility
Of mistake. Rrai! what they say,
and judge for yourselves:
JACKSON, TENN =. April. 1S77.-iIon Jas.
ID Porter: In the case OF IhoniaS-on Tor
last term OF the supreme Court ut Nash
vile, the death sentence was pronounced
to Ice executed on the 9th or this month.
We are satisfied that the proof justified
and required the Judgment, yet. in view OF
the TACT that thr:' j. no pu>sibikt, OF re-
dress ii there should be injus ice done in
this case after the execution OF the SELL
tencr. and of Il possibility Of a mistake.
We think iC on" duty to ask Of you COM
mutation or temporary respite OF the
death sentence. The suspicious character
OF some OF the evidence and some uneX-
planned fact, in the record lead us to feel
that. though not II ground oi rcyers Il of
the acts Of the court and jury, they may
justly appeal to executive discretion to
prev' mt IA merely pos1ibl e injustice which
court could not guard against without
establishing II precedent prrrluding all
capital punishment Very respectfully.
j. b. lIEIsKELL. At'y U"n.
RoBT. MCFARLAND, Judge.