Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-12-05

THf. ALIENS.
\ great inan, prominent pco-
pie are itAiuE Ju nave the death
sentence pronounced upon Floyd
auu (luulc swanson Allen CONF
Nlutrd 40 imprisonment Tor Tie.
\ heavy c-pun>ibiuty rests upon
Governor Mann. ana those VINO
know him feel assured that nc
will give the matter the most
careful consideration. if. after
dac collaboration. nC believes the
death penalty should be- inflicted,
painful a. it must hc 90 him. ne
viii so direct. ON the other hand.
should hc feel that clcmcncy and
mercy can bc properly exercised,
hc viii lee brave enough Co COM
mute the sentences. The burden
OF his responsibility i- heavy
one. and the public conhdcs la
his Judgment and fairness.
The HnlSyiilc tragedy was
truly dcpiOrnblc affair. No
one would attempt Co Justify the
course OF the Aliens; but the
Governor can consider the mat
ter from standpoint denied 30
the jury. Without being moved
By any NAV ki,h sentiment,
very large percentage of the
thinking people OF Virginia would
approve "a communication OF the
sentence OF the Allcns Co life im-
the death penalty cuuhi not re
store Co life the good and up
right judge Ma~-ic and the other
victims. nor would it have a more
deterrent effect upon the noun
tainecr- than life Imprisonment
would have. m AZ De possible
that the departed are conscious
Of and interested I'm what trans
pirc~ ON earth. who can doubt
that these victims themselves, as
all must be. debtors 60 Divine
mercy. would say. he mcrcitul.'
The case OF the Aliens diners
very materially from the case OF
Henry Clay licnttic, The latter
deliberately planned the murdcl
of his wife. and took her HE
after cool delibcratiOn. Tho Al
lens acted on impulse, and the
public mind cannot dtNcst Itself
OF the impression that at least
some of the court officials cN-
pcctcd. A they did not actually
welcome. trouble with the Aliens
under the conditions that OBJ
tanned az Hillsyilic.
But there are other and more
Cogcnt considerations. Has the
state done her fun duty towards
these mOuntaincCrs2 Has she
tried 10 educate them and elevate
their standard OF citizenship con
the contrary. has she not actual
Is licensed n traffic I'm their midst
or dcmOralizing tendencies and
promotiVc of iawicssnesst
The environments OF these pco'
pie must De considered People
are the creatures OF environment
and always viii be. The day l.
coming when the infection OF cap
itaI punishment viii DE Regarded
a. "A relic of harbarism. 81
Thomas Dale. one Of our earl,
/ j HaamNH huraNnN
with malcfaCtors. One offender
history relates. had "a bodSil
thrust through his tongue ant
was chained co tree until h
peri-hcd. while Others were pa
10 death hy hanging. shooting
breaking ON the wheel and On
like. Yet. 10 e. related. Sir Ihomu
had "nssiduouslN labored Co in
press the truths OF Christianity %
the Indian maid" (POcah0ntas
and wrote "a friend Ina London ths
4 .-all his work i'm thc plantation q
Virginia was undertaken for God
Il cause. and His immortal honor
His inhumanlty must be- Con~i,
cred in connection with the Cu
N toms II the times aud the localu
q ia which hc lived. some allow
anCc. therefore. should be- ulat
q Tor the crude training and al
III NirOnmcutS OF these mouutalucct
u for which thc state IL in uO ~ina
measure responsible.
T The case of Claude Allen seen
- Co appeal specially for g. mcrct
- consideration. Who. with spot
Ct manhood in hi- bosom, Won
stand idly Pos and see hi~ intht
thouGh o. iran~grcS-Or, shot
death without raising "a hand
TcprI hi- a~~ailunt-t Commndu
stephen Decatur. iu his tClc hrll
toast. ~Our country. May she
- ways hc in thc right; buL OBJ
country. riglit or Wrong.' ~tru, Z,
patriotic and responsive chord
- the hearts or his countrsucn. GEL
ID i~ hard go utterly condemn "a
H. withhold mercy from Claude .
o- sen when hc acted towards hi- d
- pui~iyc, though crring. rather
SO Decatur would have acted towai