The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-26
THE BRILL PARDON.

The more the pardon of Brill by Governor
Geary is considered the more indefensible does
it appear, and it is astonishing to find Re-
publican journals that profess to have a re-
gard for decency and virtue attempting to
extenuate the Governors action. 1t is alleged
that Brill is an old man, that he has family
depending upon him, and that his pardon was
asked for by large number of Influential"
citizens whose opportunities his Excellency
John w. Geary could not possibly refuse to
listen to-all of which reasons for pardon
would be equally as forcible if urged in
behalf of any burglar or murderer now con-
fined in the penitentiary. If Brill is not too
old to commit crime he is not too old
to suffer the full penalty, and he
should have thought of his family
before committing the deed for which
he was tried, convicted, and sentenced.
If Brill had been a Democrat, and Geary the
chosen representative of the "unterrified"
instead of being shining light of Republi-
canism, we can we'll imagine the howl of in
dignation that would have gone up from the
journals which are now endeavoring to repre-
sent this last abuse of the pardoning power
as a commendable action. 1t is because Brill
is hanger-on of the Republican party, and
because he allowed himself to be made use of
by certain trading politicians of the Republi-
can party to defeat the wishes of the people
in their favor, that the attempt is now being
made to apologize for the action of the Gov
ernor. The principle in a matter of this kind
is the same, however, whether the offenders
profess to call themselves Republicans or
nj, 1ool,
very well for Republicans to abuse
the Democrats for fraudulent prac-
tices at elections when they excuse
the same kind of performances if their own
party is benefited. If the Republican party
cannot maintain its ascendancy without bal
lot-box stuffing, repeating, and the falsifca-
tion of election returns, the sooner 1t gives
way to the Democracy the better, and the
surest way to bring the party to destruction
is to countenance the commission of just
such crimes. There are attached to every
party hosts of unprincipled political trick
sters, whose only principles are to be on the
winning side and to fill their own pockets
at all hazards. Brill was the plant instru-
ment of an INSCRIPTIONS ring of men who
have disgraced the Republican party of this
city ever since its organization, and it was
at their dictation that Geary granted the
pardon. That the Governor is conscious of
the fact that this transaction will not bear
inspection is demonstrated to our satisfac
tion at least, by the peremptory refusal of the
State Department to permit the papers in the
Brill case to be published If this pardon
was proper one, and if it had been procured
by proper means, there not only would not be
any necessity for concealment, but the Gov.
ernor would only be too glad to vindicatt
himself by showing upon what grounds, ant
at whose solicitation, the pardon was granted
Election frauds should be punished to the full
extent of the law, no matter who commit
them or 10 what party he may profess t.
belong. 1t is the duty of decent men of al
parties to aid in bringing to punishment
such offenders as Brill, and it is disgracefu
that the Governor of this Commonwealth, a
the bidding of a few party hacks, who will
throw him overheard without mercy wheI
they are done with him, should, for the SAX
of an insincere compliment at the hands of I
party convention, abuse the prerogative o
pardon and practically make himself an apollo
gist for such a crime as that for which Bril-
was convicted.