The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-02
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1869.
aenaibtIIty for Criminals an Enemy Oh
Public Security.


Ludlow TO the Grand Jury of the Quarter Ses-
sions term for February, the SUBSTANCE otwhich
we published yesterday. The Judge sPoN7
truly when he said, "No sooner Is a man COn-
voted of the highest crime known 10 tno i""'
than every effort is made to screen MIN lrou
n inst punishment" This is indeed SO, ana
to suoh an extent is this maudlin sensibility
for criminals being carried that it seems high
time that public attention should be called to
the evil. 1t is fact, within the everyday ex-
perenOe of such of oar readers as occupy
any position Of prominence in either the reli-
eious, charitable, or even political world,
that an almost daily application is
made to them to sign petition
for q pardon. The extent to which
the spirit of aiding convicted criminals is car
ried is shown by the fact that Governor
Geary in his message states that in sixteen hun
dred cases during 1868 was he asked to use
the prerogative of clemency. 1t is time for
the signers of these petitions to pause aud
think of the consequences of their being
granted. When justice aud mercy are CON
founded one with the other, the former gives
way, and the result is a weak administration
of the law, q disregard Of the rights OF persons
and of property, and carnival of every
species of crime. Instead of there being any
further extension Of charity aud pity towards
criminals, it is more appropriate for us to draw
yet more stringently the reins of the law, aud
let il be known to each evildoer that no ioter
ference of false sympathy can sa 7e him from
ust doom.
We favor a more rigorous system of i'm
prisonment and an inexOrAble execution of all
sentences pronounced against any crimi-
nal in our city. During the past year there
has been fearful amount of crime perpetratsd
in our midst. Since tue 24.h OF March last,
there have been thirteen homicide cases tried
in the Quarter Sessions of the county, aud
548 minor bills have been disposed of. This
ia q terrible record, and one which shows that
in the future, if crime is to be checked, ex.
amples must be made of those heretofore foun
guilty. We are glad to know, from the plb.
Ished records, that the Governor of the State
has no sympathy for those who have broken
the laws and cannot be moved from his duty
by the supplications for pity either of tbs
criminals or their soft hearted friends.
making when they sign a petition for par.
donf They are asking that an enemy of law
and proven criminal bs freed from punish
ment, and that there shall be once more re-
leased and let loose upon society one who has
proven himself felon. In this there is NJ
spark of justice. Were the consequences
limited to the one man freed, after fair trial,
ha all Re-
by his case dozens OF others are melted to
misdeeds. The pardoned msn goes back III
nine oases out of ten to his old associates, and
by his release excites them to fresh desds
of lawlessness. The pardon Of a
couple of murderers now convicted would,
in our opinion, lead to twice that number Of
homicides within year. An impunity is all
that is desired by these men to stimul1ts
them to crime. We are, therefore, at q loss
to gee how any thinking citizen who has in.
terests at stake can afTix an indiscrmiu ate
signature to any petition presented him. Nor
can We see why any one should ask that this
Judgment of the law be set aside in any cases,
unless he be interested personally in the pri-
soner. Where is its logic or its justice A
man knowingly and deliberately violates
law; for instance, takes humsu
life. What grounds can he lay to
escape punishment Judge Brewster, 10
delivering the opinion OF the Court in the
Twitohell case, we'll put the issue when he
said:-"While Mrs. Hill was sent to her last
account without the opportunity of one short
prayer, the law has been jealous of every right
which the presumption OF innocence could
throw around you" The comparison of iateS
is one of wider significance than the case to
which it is particularly applied. 1t extends
to nearly every case of crime. Why, then,
should Justice not be meted out to the man,
as he has meted out wrong to his victim
The law is not too severe, it is too lenent.
But in other cases than those of life and
death do we see the mildness of punishment
In imprisonment there ia little to fear ex,
Cept confinement. Judge Ludlow says
"Now tits q well-known tact that the INN ates
of.our County Prison aud Penitentiary, in this
county at least. Evs hetler Uhan the honest. In
dustrious poor oi lhs community. No man
barbarity, but something should be done Ia
make the man VINO is a !elou appreciate his
RSpd What right has the pick POCKET VINO has
hean brought time and again before this Court
10 expect that ne shall be sentenced To term
of wears In the penitenJiaIy or prison. and &C
fhsra and with very plignt labor spend the
time and be discharged To plunder againY Il
NAV be a harsh rule, bat Divine aud s1unG
nne which would require professional Lhief
rohier or burglar 10 understand that wnen II!
ia In prison he is in a verV uncomiortaple place
The Irresistible logic of facts ia making
many people agree with Judge Ludlow. Tn
avatauo NJ ra6oruo atorv DriAons for adults la