Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-03-21
The Grayelln Case.

We PRINT the brief communication in
another column, because it illustrates
the curiOusly narrow way in which
mary people regard case like that of
the man who on Friday last, at Windsor,
suffered the extreme penalty Of violated law.
Expanding into distinct expression the i'm
plications in "Zichariah's" statement Of the
case, it is as follows: Here was "poor
devil falsely accused Of crime. 1t rested
with the Governor to hang or free him.
The "bohcmians" said "save him." The
"lshmaelites" cried "hang him." The latter
out-shouted the former, and Gravelin was
chung by the newspapers" in order to sell
papers! One feature of this view of the
case is the implied insult to the Governor,
as a man of putty, yielding to the side which
puts the most pressure on him. Another is
the utter ignoring Of the fact that at great
est elaborate machinery Of justice
courts, juries, judges, forms OF law-has
been provided, alike for the protection Of
society at large and Of the innocent who
may be falsely accused ofcrime. The worth
of this machinery to society consists, first, Of
course, in its intrinsic fitness to its end and,
second in its being allowed to exercise its
proper functions without molestation. The
community needs good courts, judges and
iurics and while they are doing their duty,
lney should not be interiered with; and when
they have done it, their work must be respect
ed their conclusions must have some element
of finality about them. the sentences they
inflct must be executed, OF We might as
well abolish them, and let the private
avenger of blood " be judge, jury and
executiouer, as in the days Of old, and in
barbarous communities. Vermont has we'll
arranged system of criminal law. Our courts
are Of high repute. Our judges are learned,
experienced, humane. The average jury in
a capital case will be pretty sure to be
reasonably intelligent and fair, and We know
of no such case wherein they have hastily
or lightly gone through their work and
sheffield off their responsibility. They are
commonly made strongly to realize that
with them rests not only the life and good
name Of the accused, and the happiness Of
those dependent on or connected with him
but also that they are the guardians Of sOcie-
ty, whose welfare demands that 10 innocent
man shall be condemned and no guilty man
escape punishment. When they have done
their conscientious duty, in the light Of eyi-
dence duly weighed on both sides, under all
the safeguards that centuries Of experience
have sanctioned, their decision should stand,
unless the clearest newly discovered evidence.
sifted under the rules Of law, makes it plain
that it was erroneous.
The escape of every guilty man the re
opening Of every such case after it has been
once closed whatever lessons the certainty
that punishment will follow crime. imperlls
the safety Of the community. Plenty Of
mavkish sentiment is commonly expended
by weak PERSONS on criminals and especially
on murderer. But judges, juries, legis-
la.ors and governors, must reserve some
nifty for the victims Of criminals, must
regard the innocent blood that will be shed
and the innocent wives and daug hters that
must mourn, if crime Is to stalk unpunishc1
through the land.
Gravelin had a full and fair trial before