, 1872-10-28
Governor Palmer Grants Eish:y.SiX
Pard0ns Recommended
by h1r. Reed.
Mr.. Reed Recommends Twenty Other
Pardons Which Are Not
Granted.
Comparison, as to Pardons, Be-
tween Governors Palmer
and Oglesby. i,


Mr. Charles H. Reed, the present States At
torney OF Cook County, and who is o candidate
for selection, is reported to have made speech,
few dnys ago, to meeting OF citizens OF
Chicago, convened to consider the subjects Of
the enforcement Of the laws, the prevention Of
crime and tho punishment OF criminals, in
which he WAS at some pains to impress upon his
hearers the truth Of his statement that the
States Attorney NIr. Reed and the Grand and
Petit Jurors Of the county have, at all
times, discharged their whole duty
but that their prsiseworthy efforts
for the maintenance Of law and order hsye been
affected BY the action Of an over-nice Supreme
Court, and an over-credulous and indulgent
Governor; and, as Governor Og1esby is Mr.
Reeds favorite candidate for the Office Of Gov
ernor, he has more than left it to be believed
that he has particular reference to Governor
Palmer.
Is it is proper, under the circumstanceB, that
the people Of Cook County should understand
Governor Pa1mers actions with reference to
pardons, your correspondent called upon
him, in his ofice, and, in reply to questions
upon the subject, was informed that, at the be-
ginning Of his Administration, he assumed that
the Judges end States Attorneys are, in an emi-
nent degree, responsible for the administration
<%AA~A 10y
soon sitter his inauguration, adopted a rule, that
he has rarely departed from, to refer every up
plcation for pardon to the Judge who tried, or
to the States Attorney who prosecuted, the per-
eon in whose behalf an application for pardon Is
made.
He has pursued this course With great care
in respect to the numerous applications for par
don On behalf OF persons convicted by the
Courts in Cook County; and the files OF the
6tate Department show that very large propor-
tion Of the pardons granted (see tabular state
ment below to offenders convicted IN Cook
County. have been issued upon the application,
or upon the recommendation, OF Mr.. Reed him
self. And, as A1r. Reed is suspected Of q viii
Ingness to have it believed that Governor
Palmer has been either more negligent OF his
duties, or more indulgent to convicted persons,
than Governor Oglesby WAS, re have taken pains
to compile some statistics that will show the
extent lc. has interfered to induce Governor
Palmer to grant pardons, and that will also en-
able tho constituents OF Mr. Reed to judge Of
the fairness and candor Of his attempt to create
. public sentiment prejudical to the present
Governor
Governor Ogleaby, during his Administration,
which ended On the 18th day Of January, 1859,
granted
Comrutations to persons sentenced to death,
s; pardons to persons sentenced to imprison-
ment in the Penitentiary, the Jails, Bridewel,
Reform School, and to the payment Of fines, 455.
Total 4t0.
Governor Palmer has granted:
Communication Of the death-sentence, 8.
lardons to persons in the Penitentiary. Jaiss,
Brilowell. Reform School, &c, $50; total. 353.
During Governor Oslesby's Administration,
vao average 0: conyicts in the Penitentiary was
2 little over 600
During Governor Palmer:s Administration it
has bee! about l,3D0.
Number Of persons convicted in Cook County,
and par3o7sed b5 Governor Oglesby, Isl.
Number CT rernous convicted in Cook County,
aad phrdoncd by Governor Palmer, to date, LIS.
particular reference is requested to the tab
ular statement appended, from which can be
seen lie extent to which A1r. Reeds statements
nre sustained by the records. =.