The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-27
Governor Hunt ON the Fugitive Pardon.

Governor Hunt has deemed it proper 10 no.
tice, in letter to Senator E. D. Morgan. which
appears in the Commercial Advertiser. the cas-,
OF Snowden, colorcd convict, and a fuoitiv.
slave, recently pardoned out of the Sing Sim.
prison. The letter is subjoined
Albany, Saturday, May %, 1852.
DEAR Sir reply with pleasure to vour in.
quiry in relation to the pardon of James p.
Snowden, colored convict.
The newspaper statements to which YOU refe.
are erroneous in several important particulars.
An application WAS made to me few DAYS be-
fore HIS term expired, to pardon him on tb.,
ground of his innocence.
1t was clearly established by the proofs pre-
sented to me, that he had been convicted Of
crime which he never committed. He was sent
to the State prison for larceny which never
occurred. Under these circumstances. | cor.
sidered his Imprisonment clear violation of
law.
granted the pardon, therefore, not as q faytr
but as right. 1t was an exercise Of Justice AMI
not Of mercy. In my action upon Wis, AZ unoo
all similar applications, | intended tdbe governed
by the intrinsic merits of the case. Ii was not
known to me that he was fugitive slave.
AT the time of granting the pardon had no
knowledge or suspicion that Snowden was. tbe
same person referred to in the letter addressel
to me by DIR. Allen Thomas, of Maryland. In.
deed, 1t did not occur 20 my mind that had re-
calved such aletter until my attention was sub
sequently called to the fact This inadvertenca
Will not surprise you who know something Of
the immense pressure upon the executive for
pardons, and the hundreds of applications con.
stsnty pending before me.
On reference to the letter of DR.. Thomos
find that it contains no expression or intimation
OF design to pursue and reclaim Snowden a.
fugitive slave 1t was not for me to assume
that his inquiry was made with any such inter,-
ton. 1t is the first instance that has come Ia
my knowledge where a distant owner has at.
tempted to regain possession of slave who
had been convicted of felony.
When it has been satisfactorily shown that
an innocent man is confined in the State prison.
have never stopped to inquire whether he j,
black or white, bond or free. To detain hir,
longer would be a fragrant subverson OF law
and justice.
TO you, who know me, am certain that n,
assurance is needed to satisfy you that am in.
capable of exercising my office with view to
defeat the execution of the fugitive slave Law.
or any other law. My explicit avowals in fa
vor OF the Constitutional compromise, and
against further sectional collisions, are befor,
the public OF my liability TO err in the exer.
else OF the pardoning power, none can be 80
fully conscious as myself
When l consider the labor and cmbarrass-
ments which are inseparable from the discharge
OF this responsibility in large State like ours,
1t does not surprise me that erroneous inferen.
ces should be adopted in some cases, BY persons
having imperfect knowledge of the facts govern.
ing my action. But | have learned to regard
unjust censures and injurious comments wit,
that calm composure and unconcern which
'prlngs from conscious recttude of purpose.
remain, with great regard. YOURS truly,
WASHINGTON HUNT.
To the Hon. EDWIN d. MORGAN, Senator.