The Sun. — 1824-03-15 (London, England)

THE TIMES.I It is not long since we were called upon to exercise a wholesome partof our duty as journalists, by remonstrating against a very mischievous and very melancholy perversion of English feeling— we allude to the case of the heinous murder in Hertfordshire, perpetrated by the villain Thurtell. On that occasion a series of attempts was made to excite in the breasts of a humane people an interest in favour of that most atrocious murderer; the direct tendency of which efforts was to encourage guilt, to disarm honesty, and to confound all just notions of the 'difference between right and wrong. From mistaken tenderness, perhaps, in some members of the press,—in others, we fear, from 'a motive not so good, this contagion was fostered assiduously, and was rapidly spreading among those classes of our countrymen who, when an appeal is made to their compassion, are apt to receive it " not wisely, but too well." The Times appealed in its turn to the sound nerve and moral instinct of Englishmen; the danger was exposed, and the evil in a moment eradicated. We now again protest—(and with no reasonable man will a second remonstrance on the present subj....t.b.e rn co 4 are necessary )—against the exertions. which making to withdraw another criminal from the grasp of public justice. Patrick Connolly found guilty a few days ago by a Jury (who did not hesitate five minutes about their verdict) of a ferocious homicide, was sentenced by a Judge whose observations on the case were forcible, impartial, and instructive, to be transported out of England for life. This verdict, if not openly arraigned, has been piteously lamented ; this sell. tence has been deprecated—nay, stigmatized, by a certain portion of the press—" Poor Mr.' Connolly I kind Mr. Connolly ! ill-used Mr. Connolly l" It may suit the ends of individuals thus to poison the springs of justice—they may. feel a depraved alacrity to rescue the criminal from punishment, at no higher price than that of taking away from the innocent the natural protection of the laws ; but such a course, if beneficial to thieves and cut-throats, their patrons or associates, is ruinous to the interest of all other classes of mankind. Here, as in the case of Thurtell, We put in our cla'm to reprobate the abuse of public confidence and credulity displayed by more than one of our cotemporary journals. Why should this man, Connolly, be pardoned by the Crown ? Was there ever conduct more characteristic of a fierce and ungovernable ruffian than he has exhibited ? When officers of juiitice same to arrest him for debt, he stabbed one, wounded another, and after wounding, declared his wish that he had killed him. When a third officer came to take him prisoner for the assault, what did Mr. Connolly ? He only shot him dead ! What then ? Suppose the arrest had been irregular, is an informality, for which the law provides redress, to be punished capitally, and 'by an individual not clothed with any legal • power? Who, then, will accept the office of constable, or be prevailed upon to execute a search-warrant or writ of arrest ? Who may not, who will not, hereafter blow a constable's brains out, rather than be taken prisoner for debt, if Mr. Connolly should now receive the Royal pardon ? If Mr. Connolly he pardoned for shooting a constable, who, we say, can hereafter be hanged or transported, without the most flagrant and cruel partiality on the part of the Executive Power? As for any difference of danger in letting Thurtell, guilty of murder, or Connolly, condemned (but that was no merit of his) for manslaughter only, once more loose upon society, we affirm, in the most solemn manner,that Connolly would be an instrumentof more extensive mischief: for a deliberate and calculatingmurderer is less likely to shed blood than an outrageous ruffian, who sacrifices whatever offends his passions ; whereas a man of Thurtell's frame of mind would require the stimulus of some urgent sense of interest before he attacked a fellowcreature. Away, then, with this false and sickly sensibility. We call upon the King's advisers to do their duty, as the Judge and Jury have set them the example.