The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-01-13

every allegation Of error, aud give a favora-
bic response 10 every application; and hence
| petitions for pardon are becoming 50 Rumer-
ous that the mere examination of them Is
| exhaustive OF large amount OF valuable
/ time; at least an hour in each case, excln-
sive OF the time occupied IN corresPon lence
with the judges, district attorneys and other
parties. Criminals are DO sooner convicted,
than their friends, and other interested par
ties. who seem 10 think that il Is the Gov
ernor 5 constitutional duty to nullify the
laws instead Of sneiBg that they are faithful
IL executed, prepare a raid upon him, and
employ in their opportunities for pardon
every device that human ingenuity can sug-
gest and if but 4 1.-THE of the representa-
tlons set forth were believed one would be
led to suppose that our courts are daily
guilty of the grosse>t blunders. and thar
justice is far more blind than she has ever
been painted by the most skillful artist
During the year ending December 81,
1869, there have been fifteen hundred and
fifty applications for pardon, OF which sixty
two, or four per cent. were granted, eleven
hundred and eight rejected, and three humid
red and eighty are still under advi>ement
For some reason, not easily understood
II SEEMS that public sentiment has become
perverted on this important subject of par
dOns The trainers OF our government, a. /
understand II, never contemplated or in
tended an IBdIeefIminate use of the pardon
ing power. Il was only designed for the
correction OF manifest errors er expressions,
palpable mistakes, cases of after discovered
evidence, and Others Of exceptional eharae
ter. Both the theory of our government
and pubic policy require that the pardon
ing power should be kept within these rea
sJnable limits; aud not be made an instru-
ment 10 defeat the execution Of the laws
and the administration Of public justice
All ordinary cases. therefore. are wholly
outside OF, and IN conflict with, the pfinc-
pie on which Executive cemency should be
based and none such should be presented
for consideration 1t is earnestly hoped the
public will understand and act in accordance
with this view OF the suhjact, as due alike
of Executive and proper regard for the ex-
eculion of the laws
ational Ifo1s.
Having laid before you general survey
Of the affairs aud condition OF the State
which relate to the common welfare, it af
fJrds ne also the highest qualification to
add that the amicable intercourse and pleas
ant relations which have So long existed be-
tween the government, Of PENNSYLVANIA and
the government of all the other States OF
the Union, TO preserve, protect and de-
tend these fundamental principles OF hu
manity, equal rights and equal jastice to all,
universal freedom and united country, is
greatly strengthened
The general relations Of the National Gov
ernment, as set forth in the reccut annual
message Of the President, continue to be
peace at home and without entangling alh-
ances abroad" the reconstruction OF the
States lately in rebellion is being rapidly
accomplishment revenues are faithfully
c5llected-the National debt is being liqui-
dated, at the rate Of about one hundred
million dollars per annum, and repndiation
has been emphatically repuGiated. A strict
and unc0mpF0mlSlng adherence 10 this poll
cy By prudent aud economical admlnIstra-
ton has already restored the National char
acter to the fullest confidence in the minds,
not only of our countryDen but of foreign
ers, and has allayel all spirit Of discontent
that might have been dangerous to the sta
biiity OF our Institutions.
There Is another subject also of National
Importance claiming our attention, because
il directly affects the industrial operations
ia which Pennsylvania Is so largely interest
ed Movements. characterized with the
greatest energy, are now being made by
those interested in free trade, to induce
Congress TO take such action as will permit
the free Introduction Of steel, iron and iron
materials for ship buildings, aud many 9TH
er notifications Of the tariff laws. Should
such efforts be successful, the result must
prove disastrous TO the great coal, iron and
other interests of our Stale, diminishing the
production of iron and other manufactured
articles, and Consequently the consumption
Gt coal, and be destructive to our valuable
home markets. 1t would also prove dlsas-
trOus to many of cur capitalists and working
peOple-depriVing them Of all reasonable
prospects of future activity aud remuneFa
/ ting wages-and bring our producers into a
I ruinous competition with pauper labor from
abroad So Tar as the present system at
fords protection to the manufactures, labor
and products of Pennsylvania, il Is obhga-
/ tory upon u to use all honorable means to
prevent any reduction o. existing du les
Our miners, labOrers aud manufacturers
should not be thrown ont Of employment by
/ the proposed change OF duties on foreign i'm
ports, which has always heretofore results ed
+ in the prOstration of every department of
! trade, labor and business, and entailed upon
Us the manifold evils of National, State and
lndlgldual bankruptcy. We owe it as dU-
/ ~ to our constituents TO instruct our Sena
/ tors and request our Representatives IN Con-
gress 20 oppose a such attempts. For he
/ same reasons we should oppose any reclproc
ity treaties by which the people OF Canada
can gam advantages over our own lumber
men. farmers and other producers, within
our limits
While acknowledging the rightful consti-
turional authority of the General Govern
ment to dispose of all questions relative to
national affairs, and while In no manner
seeking to interfere with the exercise Of that
authority, | cannot refrain from abiding to
the fact, that for more than year, brave
people 10 Cuba have been struggling for
their independence against great odds, In the
face of barbarities and atrocities which will
forever be foul blot upon the history OF
Spain. We should indeed be unmindful OF
humanity and of the greatness of our ma
tion4lity, if we omitted TO notice this patri-
otic effort by the Cubans to throw off the
Spanish yoke, and like our own ancestors.
ITO assume among the powers of the earth
| the separate aud equal station to which ma
ture and nature God entitle them. The
neS organization has abolished slavery. and
atte,ted its right not only to our sympathy,
but 20 reco gntlon, by the vigor and determi-
nation OF It's resistance to- the oppfessionS OF
the mother country. Almost from the be-
ginning of our National Government, Con
gress has furnished numerous pr,cedentS
for the action here indicated, even when the
people struggling for liberty were not upon
the American continent. They recognized