Page:Black Jacob, a monument of grace.djvu/29

Rh thing could satisfy but the violent death of their victim. The court saw that appeals had been made to Jacob's sense of obligation to his employers; and also that in addition to the promise of co-operation in the crime and a large pecuniary reward, his moral sense had been stupefied by freely administered stimulants. From these considerations, exertions were early made to save him from the fatal sentence that had been passed upon him. And some of the court, even while they felt that justice might demand the sentence of death, voluntarily promised to recommend him to the clemency of the legislature.

Providentially, the legislature of the State were in session at the time appointed for Jacob's execution. While the executive had the power of granting an unqualified pardon, the legislative branch of government alone could change the sentence which the court had passed upon him. Upon representations being made in favour of Jacob, his sentence of death was commuted to that of hard labour in