Corydon Press, and Anti-Masonic Democrat, Volume 2, Number 8, Corydon, Harrison County, 18 August 1830 — Page 1

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'a ' (DdDmWODM mmm And' Jlnti-Ma sonic Democrat. CORYDON; HAIUUSON COUN l Y, (IND.) AUGUST 18, 1C30 fNO.8. V

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PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY, BY MAXWELL PARKISON. - Office; South of the Court-House. TERMS. One Dollah and Twestv-Pive Ce:7a, J-rT'i " um?crr , -paid in advance ; Vollp. a?:d Fikty Cents,. within the tr. Advertisements inserted at the usual rates. Letters addressed to the Editor, mnl he frr e of r.osta?

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ANTI-MASONIC.

PORTER AND WILSON. The following extract from the Philadelphia Sun," will give the ' reader a pretty good idea of the excitement which the execution of the former, and pardon of the latter has prodnced among the citizens of Philadelphia, After giving the details of Porter's execution, the Sum proceeds: Somerset Herald. The concourse of spectators was immense perhaps 30,000. The convict was guarded with a posse commitatus, and some marines, brought from Fort Delaware. It is reported that requests were made to several officer for tbir companies, wiiicu we're indignantly refuse!. This report we cannot vouch for, but it appears to have been the fact. We were among the crowd and expected, from the public excitement every where so leud, strong and deep, to see a strong expression of sympathy at the moment of the awful catastrophe. We were disappointed, at the same time surprised and alarmed. There was little apparent sym.

jpathy , but while the exacerbations of nature were ifti&ij one murmer run thtittgh tfttxror burst of ii repressible indignation at the authors of his fate ! All natural sympathy seemed, for the time, to be completely absorbed in this feeling; and the solemn word murder! murder!1, with an accompanying execration, seemed to be poured, like a torrent of burning lava,, upon the executive and his advisers! We are not coloring this statement. Subsequent facts show that our remarks are even below the naked truth. Thus died James Porter, at the age of 26 Years. May his fate be a warning to the wicked, and deter them from their evil courses by the dread of a similar end. Our own sentiments are with the public, that both should have been pardoned or punished. The Attorney General of the United States, placed the President in a situation, by the nature of their trial, so that an execution or an absolute pardon mu-t follow. Had the mail robber? been tiret tried for the minor offences and not been convicted,vlhcy could have beeu .tried for ; tke-higher. Eut if we are not mistaken, (for weave net learn-

ed m the law,) their having beee tried loi the higher offence coer3 all the others; and that while .the pardoning power has no prerogative of commuting punishment, they uc$t either be set free, or b(. capitally executed! To 'anion men convictoJ of the hig-jt c-iti e in our static look?, when that offence is combined with -others fiomj which it 13 not toLe separated in the trial and condemnation, and then to punish him for the less, ifl contrary to the spirit of the common law. Byp reference to Hale and Hawkins, it will be found that when the blood is attainted, the condemned cannot be punished for a minor offence of the 6 imo class. This would be attairiting him twice f i flic same crime, the lesser being embraced within ft On a subject n both aides of which much can bt said, and requiring nice legal distinctions, we are neither prepared nor inclined to enter deeply. But we will allude to another of great present interest, and also deeply affecting our liberties and rights. It is reported by the friends of the administration for they gave this report as the President' apology that several individual proceeded to Washington with petitions in favor of Wilson only. Wo, uu &apid.' v jn?tnsrhi' ir dzziztxY or punishment. Had we had the power, they would both have been pardoned, as we are not friendly to capital puuishments when we have, or can raise the means to build houses. The application for Wilson's pardon ifaid to have been ac companied by a report of Porter, most unfavorable to his character. Here commenced the miir chief. The President, it is said, refused to do any thing at that. time, but said that what was done would be done under the gnllovvs! This part, v;o believe, is literally correct. But the report goe. further -it ptates, that on the representation of the mail contractor by whom they were taken, the President, on leaving Washington for the west, filled blank reprieves and warrants, or one or more of these reprieves or warrants, left them in the hands of the Pot Master General, w ho wa9 going on to Philadelphia, and authorized him to examine into the case, and fill them as his enquiries would authorize him to do. Whether this report be true or not we cannot prove but it comes vveli shaped from credible gouru ?. and we are. authorized, and will give it-full credit, until the executive vindicates ihelf in a plain and explicit way. We think this report to be. founded upon .'acts, but if a clear and explicit denial without quibble appears we shall give it credit. .Much pains hae beeu taken to blacken Por-. te: a:ui whiten Wi!soi, by saying the latter wal " youo, ami pla-lic; and le.-vl by others, older anc! .' . mre hardened in ciime. Ti?e very revejsoof all ' this wa? tle fact. Vi!ou,'uuw aUul JSytarW'

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