Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-01-12

dlsti IOatfoH u Tie O6Iir ATS dha ou'Sno"o W
government Iheee are snne of the distin-
! gushing features IF the New Constitution,
| viii, Ia is nav in fJrca. 1t il Radical, Pro-
| gressive and Democratic. Very many Of its
provisions were called FIR By the spirit Of the
age. 1t was brought into exi>tence by no
one party, but by a7i. Itis for no ono, but for
oil. All have an equal interest in it, as the
Es1preme law # our Sth,e, in connection with
/ the Conttduiicn OF the Union, treaties and
law If Congress.
Snctf being the c,se, the people have the
right TO expect that this General Assembly,
which has been honored wthtlle;r confidence,
W Il feel deeply the responsibility with which
It's n, nbers have been clothed, initheir Leg
islative capacity that wi hout distinction us
TO party. they viii keep s'eadiiy in view the
public Interest, and, uniag their eounsels,
that with harmony and commarfdable zeal
the first General Assembly under the New
Cnns.itutien will carefully revise the existing
or frame new statutes to meet its acquisitions,
and, with fidelity, endeavor to provide such
legislation as in their opinion will be the most
likely to secure the be. efts the people have
anticipated they are 10 derive from their new
Organ:e Lnw. For my self, l trust that every
Senator and Representative is fully conscious
Of the importance cf his position. and feels the
necessity Of making this thorough harmo'
nious business session of the Legislature, one
to which reference may be made hereafter
With pride and satisfaction, that each mem
Der has honored himself and done essential
service TO the commonwealth.
The Governor is required by the Coustitu-
tion to recommend to the General Assembly,
at every session, such measures as he shall
deem expedient. Under this injunction
brevity and clearness will be his object. 1t
is deemed entirely unnecessary to even touch
but few of The subjects of legislation which
will demand your action at the present ses-
sion, to provide system for the new organi-
zation of the different departments of the
-Sta'e government, as complete as human
frailly VIII permit, and to secure other objects
of vi al importance to the interests and well
fare If the peol L. o. Ohio. Those subjects to
witch no par;it uiar reference is made in this
communications, are believed to be sufficiently
apparent to ceDmend themselves to.the good
sense uni better Judgment of the legislative
authority. Should other matters hereafter
occur to me. as they doubtless will, with that
frananess ami e1nflence which should ever
exist between coordinate branches of the
government, they will be made the subject of
special communications.
OF all tho duties which the Executive is
called upon t. discharge, there is no one more
difficult to be lightfuily pei formed, more del
isate, or better calculated to create dissatis-
faction, however honestly executed, than that
which arises under the lth section of the Sd
article of the Constitution, "that the Gov
ernor shall have power, after conviction, to
grant reprieves, combinations and pardons, -
&c. There is reason to believe, that petit
tions for pardon have, sometimes, been pre-
sented to the Governor, where many of the
names of the Subscribers had been obtained
by false representations, and, perhaps by those
rho had pecuniafy interest in the result Of
the appl.cations thus made, which was con-
cealed. They have doubtless been accompa-
MED with assurances favorable to the success
Of the applicants, not always consistent with
truth and, in some instances, have produced
tue desired result. Had such applications
been notorious, it is thought, remcnstraces
would have ordinarily prevented imposition,
as the Executive would have had both sides
of the question before him, when he came to
determine whether pardon should be grant
ep or not. This section contemplates legis-
lation. 1t confers this power upon the Gov
ernor, subject to such regulations ss to the
manner of applying for rardons, as may be
prescribed by law"
1t has occurred to me, that it might be well
to provide, that no application for pardcn
should hereafter be considered by the Gov
e:nor: without satisfactory evileree that no.
, lice had been gwen TO the Prosecuting Attor-
ney of the county, where the conviction took
place, of The intended application, and for 6
! reasonable time; or, perhaps the publication
ina newspaper, OF advertisement in some pub.
lie place. may be deemed more appropriate
Cuses Of extreme exigency, however, as dan:
ger to life from delay in the exercise of the
pardoning power, should be permitted to form
| exceptions to the general rule.
As the Executives who have preceded me
with perhaps one exception, have never es
tablishei any specific regulations, I feel my
self unwarranted in doing SO, wi hout the ex
press auth rity of law, although it would pre-
vent, as it is believed, much annoyance, by
| the less frequency Of unnerited applications
| The 4th article of the new constitution pre-
scribes the g. eat outlines for the organization
/ of the Judicial department of the government
l approach it with dffidence. 1t is the onl,
sheet anchor cf our hopes for safety and jus
lice, in times of excitement and peril. 1t
powers and duties should always be commen
surate with the objects of its institution, tha
it may pr tect innocence, punish guilt, an