The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-23
The Respite of Ford and Murphy

The Respite of Ford and Murphy.
The action of Governor MCEEERY in,
apspending the execution of t
FoED and MURPHY, though it was,
perhaps, the most praiseworthy act OF
his career as Governor of Louisiana,
has provoked no little hostile criticism.
From some unaccountable cause there I
seems to be an unreasoning demand for
the blood of these defenceless creatures,
and this, too, in many cases, on the part
of persons entirely unacquain.ed with
any of the circumstances out of<ghich
grew their trial and sentence.
Surely it cannot be that people are
growing more blood-thirsty Is ciyiliza-
ton advances, or that human life is of !
less value; and get the bitterness and
zeal with which FORD and MURPHY are
being bounded TO the scafold would
seem to warrant such belief
In every community there are persons
who are opposed to capital punishment
under any and all circumstances. The
petitions Of such for Communication of
/ the death sentence are not entitled to
much weight, There are others who,
when guilt is clear, do not concern
themselves much about the mere form
or manner in which it has been proven,
and insist that the punishment
attaching to legally established guilt
shall follow verdict Of guilty, whether
it has been found according to estab-
lished legal forms and principles or not.
The criticisms Of these upon the exercise
Of the pardoning power, however honest
they may be, do not deserve con-
sideration. There are still Others who
maintain that without reference to the
question Of guilt or inRocense, all ac-
cused persons are entitled to a fair and
impartial trial-a trial free from all in
fuences except such as are recognized by
the forms of law. These last are the
persons who stand for principle, and
they belong to that class who have made
human freedom possible and have
erected between the citizen and the
government those everlasting bulwarks
which are the pride and glory of the
English system of Jurisprudence
As we understand it, the citizens of
Mississippi who have manifested the
most interest in the Communication of
the sentence Of FORD and MURPHY, are
not of those who have conscientious
scruples against capital punishment or
whose sympathies are stronger than
their sense of justice. Nor are they
apologists for crime. They commend
the efforts of the authorities in Louis
lana to bring to punishment the murder
ers of CAP MURPHY; but they doubt
the integrity of the verdict which sends
Judge FORD to the peniten;iary, and PAT
FORD and JOHN MURPHY to the gallows.
A much respected contemporary, the
New Orleans States, in an editorial
approving the course of Governor Nc
Emery in granting a reprieve, speaks as
follows concerning the verdict: ''The
crime for which PAT FORD and MURPHY
have been sentenced to death was un
questionably one of the most diabolicaI
in the history of our State. To, in {
measure otf-se. this fact, we may say
that the verdict of the jury that con
signs these men to death is, without ex
ception, the most illogical, outrageou.
and farcical (if farcical may be used il
so fearful connection), in the records
of jury trials. We denounced it a.
such at the time, and we designate i
now, the most monstrous burlesque OF
the trial by jury within our knowledge
To take the life of FO.;D and MURPH,
on a verdict deserving such a criticism
seems to us like judicial murder, whethe
: they be guilty or whether they
! innocent. We have been much SUI
/ prised that the conduct of the gentle
men in this State who have taken a
e interest in the Communication of til
death sentence, to Imprisonment, ha
st been criticised. The declaration ha
d been made quite boldly that it is II
business of a citizen of Mississippi tha
citizen of Louisiana is to be huns
n To this we cannot agree. Rather is
a. the duty of the citizen, within leg;
"a and constitutional limits, to respectful
y protest against the execution of whs
. he may consider wrong, and especial
al when it involves the taking of huma
ne life.
We believe that no good can resu
4, from the hanging of FORD and MUI
ia PLY. Whatever may be the views of til
ne law-abiding and law-enforcing either
y of Louisiana as to their guilt and as
Ia the regularity and fairness OF the pr,
I'd ceediags resulting in their conviction
at it does seem to us that the time has pa,
when their execution would accomplis
the results for which all punishment
T. meted out. Try as we may and we car
e not find in Gnything that will folio
re their death on the scaffold, an excus
K, for the taking of human life, eve
lie though it be under the authority of
er judicial tribunal. With the recollectio
at of their execution would come th
IN haunting thought that they had bee
s. sacrificed to the demands of a mi
e. taken sense of justice. The efec
t. of this would be reactionary, an
st the difficulty of bringing the guilty t
IN punishment would be increased rattle
it than diminished by the example. Thu
d believing, we do most sincerely pray ths
lie Governor McENE2Y may be authorize
" by his Constitutional advisers to spar
the lives CT these unfortunate men.
An Important Transaction.
81 ITndar the farms of an act of the ,es