Great and influential men league together, sometimes for worthy purposes, but often for unworthy ones. It is very easy to entertain the idea that a young man just setting out in the public walks of life without the prestige of the distinguished, can easily be broken down, no matter how foully the means resorted to for accomplishment. It is strange that Governor McWillie, of the State of Mississippi, should have so tamely and willingly given up the author to the laws of another State, and more especially to the particular locality where the designing influence of the prosecutors so widely extended, while well knowing that the author could have had no motive or interest in accusing or misrepresenting any—not previously knowing anything, either of name or person, in relation to the prosecuting parties, either of good or bad—only publishing in substance the unaltered revelations as made by the convict himself, the truth of which he sealed with his last dying breath on the scaffold; and while Governor McWillie, with hundreds of others, have known from previous experience the truth of the principal particulars as related by Copeland himself. This notorious clan was not only a terror to almost every part of this State, but also of many others. But all this belongs to the past, and is only now alluded to in order to give a right understanding of all the facts and circumstances connected with the whole affair from beginning to end. Truth and justice, by oppression and by forces foul, may be held down for awhile, but the increasing and progressive power of the springs will break and throw off the impediments—again bursting forth in vigor and strength not to be crushed nor repressed by sophistry nor by the influences of money and distinguished officials. G. Y. Overall was the principal open prosecutor of the three. It was clearly evinced on trial that there were other Overalls, and, to the satisfaction of the jury, it was to one of these whom Copeland referred to in his confessions; consequently, the public sentiment was in no way changed or weakened by the proceedings of the trial; but, on the contrary, was largely strengthened in favor of the substantial truths of the confessions. Hon. P. Walker, the counsel for defense, maintained the same; and, further, that G. Y. Overall had not a shadow of right on his side for instituting the prosecution.