The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1868-03-21
THE PAREONlNG row
[The following communication was
received and should have appeared last
Nnck Lnt rn1nn TO hnnd ton Into

week, but came to hand too late
RIDGwAv, March 18th, 1863.
j. f. Moo2E, ESQ, Editor Of Els 1R-
g0c0tc:
ask space in your columns
to make a statement respecting the par.
don Of Sarah Davidson, lately confined
in our Sail, pursuant to sentence Of M
prisonmcnt therein, Of ten months, pas.
scd upon her by the Court of Quarter
Sessions-Jrlge Williams, presiding
at November Sessions, 1867. 1t will he
rccollected that Thomas Davidson snd
Edward Hughes were tried at the An.
gust Sessions, 1867, for the felopious
entry Of the house Of Henry Pearce. mt
Shawmut, in this county, and for the
larceny Of $+i0 IN geenblcks," and
some gold soyereigns the trial result
M in their aeYu..al Subsequently
/ Edward Hughes confessed having stoI
en- the money as had been chrsal
against him and Davidson, implisatnq
the latter and also Mrs. Earan Davidson.
Davidson, having been acquitted, was
ct course sale, as was also Hughes. from
iurtEcr prosecutions, but Sarah David
son, (with two other parties implicatod)
were arrested, charged with the larceny
Of this money and having received it
knowing it to have been stolen. Very
siugu'arly the parties arrested with Sa.
rah were acquitted but she, after a
lengthy trial, ably defended, was con-
yictcd and sentenced rs above. AsI
propose speaking Of her pardon, l viii
say OF the circumstances attendant UPON
this robbery, nor the prosecutions which
grew out Of it; they a!c well known to
the citizens OF the couuty-tho trials
having excited great interest ;-cycept-
ing that one OF the persons acquitted at
November Sessions, after bidding goJd
bye to Sarah Davidson, showed to a cit
izou OF this place the two gold coins
which had been stolen from Pierce. At
the January Sessions, lS6S,-Judgc
White preSiding--lirs. D's counsel re.
queatcI inc to sign an application Tor
her pardon, which refused, though the
petition was signed by the bench, the
officers Of Court, and many prominent
citizens. The reason given being the
state OF the prisoners health. | emark
cd to counsel that no notice had been
given to me as counsel for the prosecu>
tor; noI had notice been given to the
Judge who presided at the trial-nor
had notice been published in the county
paper. In short, that not one Of Gov.
Goary'a rules ha3 been complied
with to which counsel replied that he
did net think in this case that strict
compliance with the "rules would be
required. replied, | thought other,
wise, aud that | would oppose the grant
Of pardon to the utmost In the latter
days OF January last, being in Harris.
burg, / called on Gov. Geary being ia
troduced to him by gentleman, one OF
the officers Of the House--in relation to |
this matter aud having stated my bus.
iucss, the Governor said he thought the
application had not be,u received, !
which was the fact | told the Cover
nor Of the noncompliance with his rules,
aud the remark Of counsel on the sub !
ject The Governor cccy cmpIuiicuj,y |
SaH he 1r,HhI aot sU&pcnR lis ,wles, re.
marking that had been il few mo,
ments earlier, | would have heard that
very question gone over and decided. |
thereupon told the Governor my reasons
for opposing the pardon, at some length:
as well as OF the previous arrests, and
the circumstances Of the parties, and
those attendant on the robbery. | fur.
ther said, if on full examination Of the
case, he deemed Mrs. d. fit subject
for clemency, | could have no objection;
but as |, Ilayhap prcsumptuously, did
nat deem hcr such a subject, I claimed
the right, under his rules, to be heard.
and to have sufficient notice given Inc
to prepare my reasons ton demonstrating.
To this the Governor said thathe ,c1uH
lotiLy me should the pnti,ioa arrive
that lac lr0Hid he mH.h otiyed if I
would send him remonstrauce. That
he 7roaId corefaHP conS51e,' It, and re-.
marked finally, " that those who SOUGHT
mercy should do justice" You may
hen, Mr. Editor, judge Of my surprise,
when, on the 22d of Feb. last. Mrs. D.
vas released on ha5aas corpus, sued out
before Judge 5chuItzo, cajch 5cas the
'aH notice Goe. Geary sent me Of the
act that he had pardoncd her and her
counsel told me he had the pardon
week previous to her release. l have I
10 objection to the oxerci:e of the at.
rlbute Of mercy, but | do object, first
Governor Gca,y making rules, an send, {
ne them with his compliments over ,
he State and secondly to his max.
ng special promises, and then fragrant.
J violating them. There are cases in
which it is impossible to comply with I
ur promises This has no excuse.
Finally, rcitorate my opinion, that !
his was not case for executive Gle n
ncy. Mrs D., being but year or so :
rom England, aud being a woman, GER
a'njy can have no voice as regards the
ext Vice Presidency she has but H. I
la Y1,rD,-- g.. che l..l...g