The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-25
srxRxT OF EED pRESn.
Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current optos-Compi'e Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
PARDoNTNG CRIMINALS.

From the Boston 1TaOeiieT
There is no power granite! to the Executive
of the nation or of this Commonwealth so
liable TO abuse as the pardouing po YER.
This is so of necessity, because the Executive
seldom, if ever, personally knows the merits
of the case, but is almost always obliged to
act on the information furnished by others,
who usually are the friends of the parties for
whom executive clemency is sought. 1t is
not unfrequent that criminals Of the most
desperate character, by means of wealth fraud
ulently obtained or through the aid of ac-
completes who thus repay tho silence that
saved them from like punishment, are able to
secure strong influences in their favor, when
men convicted of a first otfense are left un-
befriended, with no one to ask that their
Imprisonment may be shortened. That
many members of the bar will engage in this
business of securing pardons is not strange
in these days, when lawyers too often inquire
the amount of the fee they may expect rather
than the character of the cause they are to
advocate: and it is doubtless true that the pri-
soner often relies more upon the political or
social influence of the counsel than upon the
force of his arguments. But 1t is not upon
the professional defenders of rogues that
most reliance is placed. Good-natured phi
lanthropists are secured by tales of suffering
families; politicians by the promise of votes
on election uay; ana SOmeClmeS, we lear,
other persons by more disreputable means
and the soft-hearted executive, yielding to
opportunities rather than acting on his own
Judgment, signs the sought-for document,
and the criminal, before the public is made
aware that pardon is sought, is free to COM
mence fresh career of crime.
The remedies for this are twofold. First,
the Executive should remember that bef ore
passing sentence the judge is made aware of
the nature of the crime and the character of
the criminal, and that to set aside a sentence
made with full knowledge of these, is at
once a reflection upon the court, and direct
overTuling of its action. Bearing this fact
in mind, the pardons should be few, and only
for reasons that cannot be questioned And
that the community may be secured against
undeserved pardons of dangerous men, no
pardon should ever be granted until the fact
that it is sought should be made so public
that all who may be interested, or may know
reasons for the sentence being carried out,
may have opportunity to appear and object
We hope our excellent and careful Governor
may adopt this course in future applications
for clemency, that he may not again be 80
imposed upon as he seems to have been re-
Gently. If he does not wish to take the re-
sponsibiity of publishing theapplications for
pardons, we hope the Legislature will enact q
law which will define the course to be taken
with such applications, and that hereafter the
names of all such petitioners, and those who
endorse their claims will be made public be-
fore any action is taken upon them.