Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-01-05
Exposing a Charge Against Gov
ernor Hartranft.

charged BY insinuation against Cover
nor Harsranft, for the par ionipg Of GER
tain men who we're recommended to
him for pardon, BY the Board Of Ps.-
dons. Under the above heading the
Harrisburg Telegraph exposes the con-
teu.ptible charge of ih, Times, in this
way:
The familiarity Of Mr.. A. X. Ne
Clure with the granting of pardons
under Governor Curtin, and the means
which then never failed 10 secure the
exercise Of that high prerogative, may,
in part, account for his fling at Cover
nor Hartranft in bis paper Of December
%, charging that the Governor prosfi-
tutes the pardoning power by trading
Executive clemency for political advan-
tages. The Immediate cases cited are
those of one Snyder, Of Lancaster, and
the Clearfeld rioters Senator Wallace
was so anxious 20 lodge IN Jail. But
Col. Mcclure is too we'll informed of
the present process by which pardons
are granted to be permitted to make
this charge unchallengej. The New
Constiiution-among its other absur-
dlties formerly attached to this prerog-
ative by dissipating among foar gentle
men what was before the duty of a SIN
gle magistrate. The Board of Pardons,
created by the new Constitution, con-
sists of the Lieutenant Governor, the
Secretary of Internal Affairs (both
Democrats), and the Attorney General
and Secretary of the Commonwealth
(Republicans). No pardon is denied
which this board advises the Governor
! to issue none are issued without the
authority Of the Board Of Pardons. If,
therefore, the Governor has been issuing
.pardons for the purpose Of securing
political advantages for his own party,
some one must have 6rst succeeded in
securing the connivance of Gen. Me-
Capdless and Mr. Latta (both Demo-
cratic State oficers) to this scheme
/ or at least one of them for otherwise
no majority action of the Board could
be secured. And in the interval be-
tween the death of Attorney General
Dimmick and the appointment of Mr..
Lear-during which period these par
dons were probably passed upon-the
Board consisted of the two Democratic
officials named above and Colonel Quay.
1t is perhaps best to let this unjust
! fling at the Governor pass with the easy
censure Of making Il ridiculous. But
We cannot refrain from calling attention
to the malice which induces an editor
] SO thoroughly informed as Mr.. Mcclure
undoubtedly is to make such charge.
/. He says well that Governor Hartranft
4" has much reputation to lose." Let
. us hope it will not be destroyed by any
4 such injustice as the charge We have
! felt it our duty to expose, aud brand.
CATTLE stealing, By Mexicans, from
Texans, is creating strong inclination
in the minds Of the public to have the
business stopped, even to the taking OF
a slice of Mexican territory, if redress
cannot be obtained in any other way.
The question may be asked, would the
taking of piece of their territory bet
ter the condition of affairs, or would it
only remove the field of stealing fur
ther south The citizen can best an
swer these questions by leisurely re-
Hection but the overshadowing ques-
tion Is protection to our citizens in their
peaceful pursuits of life. Treaty obi
cations and treaty laws may be solemn
covenants, but they are no more solemn
acts than to have an hundred Mexican
scouadrels ride across the border on to
American soil and plunder the country
for scores of miles around Of cattle,
horses, and provisions, and then ride
across the line to Mexico, and from
there deridc the victims. The
solemnity comes in stroLg, just
there, On the piundered people when
they realize that they dare not follow
the thieves and retake their property,
! and that United States troops dare only
dash up TO the border, then halt, and
there sit listlessly in their saddles, BY
the line and see the thieves drive away
quietly with ;heir pluuder. That is,
indeed, an infinitely more blemn scene.
CALIFORNIA has laws on her statute
books prohibiting certain kinds Of
Chinese emigration. The right of the
State to pass special laws that conflict
With United States treaty laws, and
and general laws of the United States
on the question of emigration is ques-
tion or right that would exalt the State
above the nation. The result of the
late rebellion tested and desposed of that
assumed right. True, the question of
emigration was not on the surface, but
all questions in which the Nation be-