The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1860-04-13
The Pardoning Power.

this State, as the consent OF the Senate
is necessary to enable the Governor to
open the doors of the Penitentiary to
any convict. But the unusual number
of pardons granted, within sixty days
affords evidence that the jealousy ex-
hibited by the trainers Of the eonstitu-
tion of Executive clemency, is not suf-
fcient to make the certainty of punish
ment for crime terror to evil doors.
During the last session of the Legis-
lature, with the concurrence Of the
Senate, no less than twenty-one con-
yicts were released from confinement at
bard labor, many of them receiving
unee nditional pardons. Of these, thir-
teen were convicted before the First
District Court of New Orleans, and
four were sent up from the neighboring
parish of Jefferson. The crimes which
they were expiatiug were murder, man.
slaughter, assault with intent to kill,
arson, rape, burglary, and larceny
those demanding the seyerest punish
ment known to the laws. Eight Of
the pardoned eonvicts were convicted
of manslaughter, one of murder, four
of arson, one of rape committed by q
negro on white girl, three of assault
with intent to kill, one of burglary, one
| of larceny, and three of embezzlement.
Seven of the number were condemned
to the penitentiary for life, two to a
term of fourteen years, one, negro, to
capital punishment The term of pun
ishment of the remainder ranged from
one to ten years at hard labor.
Is not this most singular exhibit
ton of clemency? In what State, tho
no restraint be placed upon the action
: of the executive, has such a number o
pardons been recorded in one single
year?
Loud complaint is made in certain
quarters of the failure to convict those
accused of fearful offences in this city
Crime, it is asserted, grows apace from
g the impunity with which it is commit
t ted, and to the door Of the First Dis
S trict Court of New Orleans is laid tht
7 responsibility. The Legislature has
|, by its acts in favor of the Fire Depart
t ment, exonerated from jury duty many
f Of our best citizens; by failing TO Civ
I: the court the power TO hold witnesse
q until the time Of trial, it has deprived
g the State of the possibility of making
i out a case; and when justice has, ever
t under these disadvantages, overtakel
d the transgressor, it now, through th
n Governor and the Senate, discharge:
i by one act, thirteen convicts, to b
e standing evidence that even incarcera
ton for life is a mere bugbear. Is
just to hold our courts responsible IN
i der such circumstances
: 1t cannot be doubted that Execu
tive clemency should be exercised wit
) great caution. In DO case, unless me-
light has been elected by the progres
% of time, showing the prisoner to hav
d been unjustly treated, should pardo
i be granted.
n 1t is impossible to estimate the ev
o influence of these twenty one pardon
% uy our Governor and Senate. The
= are the strongest assurance of the vi
certainty of punishment. They ope
! up the visions Of hope to those who al
!, about to commit deeds that should TO
: ever shut them out from the world
is They remove the terrors of the las
1T and arm justice with sword of lath.
al The singular feature in the presel
20 exercise of the pardouing power is tt
TT large number.of those turned loose u
he on society who had forfeited forever a
10 rights to freedom. We must COME
as our surprise at this uncalled- for int
- :, ference with the regular course Of ju
= tice. We do not understand that sym
pathy that would restore to socie
men convicted of the blacklist Grim
nd slaves, violators of chastity al
H. guilty of arson; aud white men, n
ed less degraded, who, by the solen