The other slave-trade case is more tragic than the above.
It roused much excitement, as the conviction for slave-trading was the
first under the special law in any part of the land. The object of the
unique process was William Gordon. Sentenced to be hanged like a
pirate, the most prodigious effort was made to have the penalty relaxed
with a prospect that the term of imprisonment would be curtailed as
soon as decent. It would seem that merchant princes were connected with
the lucrative, if nefarious, traffic in which he was a captain. But the
offense was so flagrant that the New York district attorney went to
Washington to block mistaken clemency. He was all but too late, for the
President had literally under his hand the Gordon reprieve. The
powerful influence reached even into the executive study. Lawyer
Delafield Smith stood firmly upon the need of making an example, and
Mr. Lincoln gave way, but in despair at having to lay aside the pen and
redoom the miserable tool to the gallows, where he was executed, at New
York. "Mr. Smith," sighed the President, "you do not know how hard it
is to have a human being die when you know a stroke of your pen may
save him."
* * * * *