Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18
HOW pARDoNs ARE OBTAINED.

Nothing interferes more with the effect of trial,
conviction, and punishment of criminals than hasty
and inconsiderate exercise of Executive clemency.
1t is, in fact clemency; for, whatever advantage
it may be to the prisoner, the public arc wronged
by the nducement which it creates to the commits
sion of other offences. We can conceive of but a
few where pardon should be granted and those
arise when it is made to appear that the subject was
unjustly condemned, palliatng circumstances too
strong to resist have been brought to light since the
conviction 1t is hardly possible that faithful public
officers, on whom the law has devolved the duty of
prosecuting and trying offenders, will lightly recon-
mend pardons, or do any thing to aid in arresting
the course Of justice when the Executive appeals to
them for information in given case. 1t is hard to
resist the appeals Of friends and all the machinery
which is brought to bear on them TO effect this pur
pose mother and sister pleading for the release of
brother; wife, with all the eoquence of grief,
urging the pardon of offending husband; all the ef
forts Of friends oftenmes aided by the most powerful
influence hard deny but that is not fit for
his place who resist it all if justice demands that
their prayers and opportunities should be rejected 1t is
to be feared that pardous have been grant
ed for political purposes and not the merits of the
case. more fragrant outrage than this cannot be i'm
agned and any Governor who thus oends is worthy
the seyerest condemnation 1t has not happened in
State but there States where the Executive has
not been free from the charge
Nothing powerfully contributes to the increase
Of crime than pardons inconsideratey granted for the
criminal thus has third possibility of escape added
the chance Of not being detected escaping punish
by the tricks Of the law understood that
the power lodged in the hands Of firm and discrim
mating man, who could be approached only through
avenue made by the sheer justice Of the case should
not hear Of many applications for Executive pardon
1t has become matter Of course with men, who
fail obtain the acquittal Of criminal at the hands Of
the jury TO apply directly for pardon and measures
not the honest satisfactory resored for this
purpose II is public notice is given Of the appca
tion and that the community is notified that attempt
is to be made to loosen the criminal the world but
who wishes to be active in opposing it, who Of all the
number that fully satisfied Of the guilt Of the man.
will take II himself to represent the to the Ex
ecutiyei How many persons who and read these
tees know any thing Of the matter until the convicted
felon is again in the midst Of the citizens? How many
persons in this city know what applications to be
made the Executive for the pardon Of men who
convicted here Of aggravated felonies The matter is
left the friends of the eon and to the Executive and
often upon partial understanding Of the maer-oftener
petitions hastily and indscreey signed signed by
persons Of whom nothing favorable can be sad per-
haps petitions worried out Of uries and public officers
by the pertnacity OF fendsa perdon granted and all
the purposes Of justice openly thwarted Sometimes
gadfy in the shape Of INSCRIPTIONS and lying petit
logger with his wits sharpened by promised reward at
tacks the Executive with papers, petitions impudence
and camor and his patience and temper and
comes away with his igotten trophy. OF what
courts and all their machinery If trial and conviction
is to be turned into farce by the Executive pardon
And what encouragement is there for the faithful and
energetic discharge Of and unpleasant duties by
the officers Of the law? II should be remembered that
certainty Of punishment is great preventive Of crime
and that Executive mercy i'll bestowed is incentive and
encouragement TO oGenders.--Bufaio Com. Advertiser