The Fenian Michael Barrett, who was twice respited that the
Government might examine into new evidence as to his identity, was nevertheless executed publicly on Tuesday, the new evidence in his favour turning out worthless. This is a good precedent. Nothing can be more mistaken than to give the friends of any prisoner just ground for complaint if a respite is not followed by a commutation of sentence. It could only lead to a regular practice of withholding unim- portant evidence on the trial in order to produce it later for the purpose of getting a respite, in the hope that that respite might render the execution impossible. No false hopes are excited if the prisoner is told, as Barrett was, that the respite was granted solely to sift new evidence, and that no lenity can be expected if the new evidence turned out valueless. We trust also that the shocking scene which took place before Newgate will be the last of its sort.
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