Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-08-16
T1Ig BAB18DAl0g DOUR[lA9a
Ahuse Of the Pardouiue Power.

Abuse Of the Pardoning Power.
The following extract, is from the 'sNorth-
hampton Farmer a Democratic paper, with
the names of the Democratic candidates flying
at its masthead.-
Our town was thrown into the most intense
excitement on Tuesday last, by the intelligence
that Gov. Bigler, by pardon, had released
DIR. Lachenour from imprisonment. Never,
upon any OCCASION or from any cause, have we
witnessed such unanmity of condemnation OF
an act, or SO deep and hearty anathemas evok-
ed upon the head of the man who committed
it.
The people of this community feel it to be
an outrage upon the Court and jury who pa
tiently sat for three long weeks, affording this
man every opportunity of proveing his lnno-
cence of the foul charge OF conspiracy--of rob-
bing, by the most infamous means, an imbe-
cile, weak old man of his money-that every
principle of law which individuals and commu-
mites look to for protection from the hand OF
the assassin and the foul Conspirator, has been
trodden under foot by Gov. Bigler, in thus
releasing this man from the righteous Judge
ment of the law which had been imposed upon
him.
We call upon the people to pause. Gov.
Bigler may be able to justify this act, by the
facts and circumstances presented for his con-
| sideration, which we think he is bound TO
make public. Nay, we demand that he IN AK
| ing to convince the people of this county that
he was justifiable in interfering with, and set
| ting aside verdict and sentence which nne-
| teen twentieths of our citizens considered
right and just, he will find that, in despite OF
all the efforts of those few Wings whose friend
| ship and support he has secured by this act,
the people will pronounce such judgement
| upon him at the ballot-bOX, as will convince
| him that the verdicts of our juries, and the
| sentence of our Courts, are not to be trampled
under foot,-even by a Governor.
| If Gov. Bigler, is satisfied that Dr. Lache-
nour is innOcent,-if he has been shown that
| the verdict of the jury erroneOuS-or the
| sentence intolerable, why did he stop where
| he has-why does he suffer innocent men TO
| be incarcerated in a State PriSon-why not
| liberate those men? If he is justifabe in par
| doning one he is in pardoning all, and the peo-
| pie will demand it of him. Petitions are al
| ready in circulation public meeting Will bc
! hGld-the Governor must extend his clemency
| to them. and not suffer them to remain there
until ssafter the elcction''-the time at which
| it is said, he has agreed to liberate them. II
| would not only be just, but good policy, fol
they are democrats and will deposit in the bal
| lot box an article which he will be very short
of in this country unless he take some effectu-
al means of satisfying the people that he is
| iustifiable in what he has already done.
| Two poor young men were sentenced to SIX
months Imprisonment in the county Jail and a
| fine of $50 and costs. Their time EXPIRED
They were unable to pay the fine; and were
| kept there for three months on account of theiI
poverty. Our Commissioners petitioned the
! Governor to remit the fine, stating the utter
inability of the prisoners to pay that they were
| only an expense to the county. Gov. BigleI
| treated the Commissioners with silent con
| tempt-he never even noticed them In the
case of this millionaire, in opposition to the
will of the community, almost to a man, the
Governor RENTS the fine-robs the county of
| S2500-whicn was her just due as the penalty
| of this mans crimes, and refuses to give us
| anything in justification, even in EXPLAIN
| tion of his course. These things viii not do,
and Gov. Bigler will thus find it before he is
| many months older.
IfGovernors have the power to thus SET
aside and render nugatory the doings of oul
| Courts of Justice-ifa Governor can, with i'm
| punity, trample every principal of law and jus
tice under foot, then we say, abolish our courts
| do not call our citizans to serve for weeks as
| jurymen, hand offenders over to the Cover
| nor, and let him deal with them according as
his interest or his prejudice shall dictate,