Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-07-25
NATURAL EFFECTS.

The teleerapLic dispatches published
In our issue OF Sunday CONTAINED
. brief account OF the killing of
John Sullivan, former resident of
Phoebe. on G street. Virginia City,
by James Harrington, the day before.
With Saturdays act Of murder we have
nothing to do, simply looking upon it as
the disastrous sequel to q farce enacted
here some two years ago. Every one in
Phoebe at the time remembers the trial
Of Harrington for killing Lynch; remem.
bers also that il cost the county ten or
twelve thousand dollars to convict him
even to the extent OF having him sent
to the Penitentiary. and many Of our
citizens remember With shame and in
dignatioa at the mockery Of Law and
justice when before the election of "a
petition was numerousIy signed for his
pardon on the ground Of his previous
good behavior and sent on to its success
full mission at the State Capital. 1t is
unnecessary to define the motives OF the
parties who signed IL; whether from
desire to curry favor and a bid for votes
IN the ensuing election or through mer.
oiful impulse Is nov useless discussion.
The plea was very fimsy one. Those
acquainted with his character knew him
to have committed deeds Of violenos to
the extent Of taking human life 10 Mon.
tana and Utah. But be was pardoned
and nov adds the fourth to his list OF
victims. Abuse sometimes demand. re.
peal and always jastifes reform and cur.
tailment. II sundry individuals can get
up petition and SO influence the State
Board OF Psrdons to let loose a con.
vioted murderer upon the society that
paid for his conviction it is about time to
abolish it or trim it under such restrict
ments ~ are necessary to make it's abuse
rarer. A man is not hung for murder
nor imprisoned for arson simply because
hs committed the crime aud the punish.
meut made follow 1t as revenge. It lis
also because Of the deterring influence
upon others. the warning 1t conveys.
the implication to all and sundry
"if You do so you will be so
served" When the majesty OF the law is
maintained. its DEGREES respected and its
adjudged punishments inflicted, it ex.
srts its prescribed influence and creates
salutary fear Of crimes consequences.
But where worshipful Board Of Par.
dons, Influenced byinterest, siokly senti-
mentality. or mawkish compassion ab-
roRates all good effect by turning muir.
derers loose. 1t NAV be asked "what 10
the use. who is held back; who intimi.
dated" What is the good Of spending
thousands OF dollars to convict man OF
wilful. FLOODED murder In Phoebe,
send him to Carson, and have worthy
Board Of Pardons let him go to kill in
Virginia's streets by daylight. Every
man who signed that petition degraded
justice by defeating its ends and helped
powerfully to make it the byword it is.
The respect for justice should. in all
communities, equal the respect for
woman's virtue; the fall OF either tends
to the same deplorable result. II justice
is prostituted and made mookery of
what can be expected but murder and
violence and the effects of such prostitu-
ton are deadly and far.reaching. We
trust for the honor of the State that one
Of the first acts Of the Legislature that
assemblies next Winter will be the repeal
or amendment Of the act creating the
Board OF Pardons. Its abuse is worse
than its non-existence.