New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-13
oFFIcIAL Journal OF I'VE STATE or LOUISIANA.
LETTER FROM GovERNOR KELLOGG

z
The following letter has been addressed
by Governor Kellogg to the editors of the
Picoyune and Times:
STATE LoUIsIANA,l
Executive Department. :
New Orleans, May II, 1874
SlR-In an editorial article pnblished in
the Times of yesterday, headed Political
Troubles" the following paragraph occurs:
'In illustration of the necessity of pru.
dence and of the mischief which few men
can produce, either in political or moral
felony, we may point to the results of a
miscalled executive clemency extended to
fifty or sixty of our State Penitentiary con-
victs. Since their enlargement, burglary,
robbery and arson have become almost
nightly occurrences, and until they have
again been retired by the solemn edict of
society. no household in New Orleans can
be considered SAFE"
There are erroneous assertions and infer
ences contained in this editorial which l
think it my duty at once to refuie; the
more so as statements of similar charac.
ter, quite as erroneous in fact and app aren't.
ly much more so in intention, have been
extensively circulated of late by persons
who, in order to make political capital do
not hesitate to malign the community 10
which their interests are Or should be GEN.
tered, regardless Of the damage thus done
to the material prosperity of the city. do
not object to criticism OF my official acts,
however severe that criticism may be; but
since it seems that the reiteratiOn of libel
is taken as proof of fact, feel it incnm-
bent on me to publish the following explicit
statement with regard to the alleged 'car-
nival Of crime," in connection with the
exercise Of the pardoning power by the
executive. At the same time, desire to
add few words OF warning, which trust
will be carefully weighed and regarded.
There has been no such carnival of
crime' in the city of New Orleans for the
last few months as is charged. l have
caused careful inquiries to be made OF the
officials who have the records of crime in
their possession, and am assured that, while
there has been small increase in one par
ticular class of crime, Offenses OF serious
character have not been more frequent in
the city of New Orleans during the last
six weeks than during the corresponding
period Of previous years. Official reports
and detailed statistics proving this fact will
be furnished you for publication, if de-
sired.
Tue truth is. that of late every criminal
episode, whether trihing or serious, has
been So magnifed and distorted by sensa-
tiOnal head lines in portion OF the news
paper press of this city, that totally false
impression has been created, both at home
and abroad, with regard to the prevalence
of crime in New Orleans. In some in
stances long accounts have been published
of garrote roberies and other grave otfenses
which had no foundation in fact
There has been no avalanche of par
dons" as has been asserted, and there is no
| proved connection between the crime exist
| ing and the pardOns issued; but exactly the
| reverse.G During the sixteen months have
| held the office OF Governor have pardOned
| tWenty-One criminals sentenced by the
courts of New Orleans. A list of these
| offenders has been prepared, with the rea-
| sons given tor their pardon, and the names
| of those who have recommended them to
executive clemency. Two or three Of these
| convicts have been rearrested by the police
| in the exercise of a wise discretion as va
| grants, or for minor otfenses, but none of
| them have been shown to be implicated in
| the graver' crimes which have~been so in.
| dustriously blszoned abroad In my judg-
ment the sensational prominence given to
| police court items by some OF the journals
| of the city has done more to cause an In
crease OF CRIME than any ''miscalled execu-
| tive clemency."
have reason to believe, though accurate
| data is not before me, that the number of
! criminals pardoned during the past year
| throughout the State was certainly not
| greater than the number similarly released
! in previous years. Tie greater prominence
| that has been given to the pardons lately
| issued arises from the fact that l have
| obeyed what conceived to be the strict
| letter of the constitution, which seems to
me to require that pardOns of all criminals
sentenced to the Penitentiary should be
concurred in by the Senate. Accordingly,
| laid before the Senate, at its last session,
all pardOns / had issued or proposed to
issue, and all the facts we're thus made pub
| lie in the efiicial journal. This had not
been the general practice under previous
| administrations.
| The list of persons alleged to have been
pardoned by the present executive, which
| has been SO much paraded includes some
pardoned by Governor WarmOth and Act
| ing Governor Pinchback before my term of
office commenced; some pardOned by Act
| ing Governor Antoine during my absence
| from the State; three whose pardOns were
| not concurred in by the Senate at all, and
| quite a number whose terms OF sentence
| had expired, or nearly SO, and who, their
offenses not being such as. TO render them
unfit to discharge the duties of citizenship,
were pardoned in order that they might be
restored to their civil rights after they had
undergone the penalty which the law inn
| posed upon them for their Offenses.
| 1t NAV be that in some instances execu.
tive clemency has been misapplied, though
| no effort has been made to prove that this
| is the case, Should such be tie fact, how
| ever. | venture to assert that investigation
will show 1T was precisely in those cases
| that the strongest representations were
made by officers of the judiciary and by
| prominent responsible citizens to secure the
! executive pardonY
am informed that certain designing per-
| sons for sinister and selfish purposes, are
attempting to make this pretended increase
of crime a pretext for the organization OF
mob law, under the guise of vigilance COM
mittees.
| This must not be. The courts are dill
| gently working; convictions are more GER
| tainly and speedily secured than ever be-
| fore; the juries drawn under the new law
are the best New Orleans has ever had,
! and under the rule adopted by the execu-
| tive, no pardons can be granted except
| when the Senate is in session. The police,
| though. in obedience to an imperative de-
| mand for municipal retrenchment, their
| force has been reduced in numbers, have
| shown themselves vigilant and efficient In
| a high degree, and fully competent to main
| tain order Should a necessity arise, they
| will be reinforced by tried and experienced
supernumeraries, Tho stand ready to again
| enter the service
In case of any great emergency which,
| however, is not likely to arise, the services
| Of citizens organized under the authorities
! will be gladly accepted, but no selfconstl-
Ituted committees will be permitted to patrol
! the streets or to attempt to administer the
| TI,o fo q nfh horitios tnl!V aware