National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-25
AGAINST MAson,s PARDON.
Reasons why n wouId.Bc Assassin Shout,
ne Kent In Prison.

he Kept in Prison.
on Thursday night Judge A. A. Freeman As
sistant Attorney General for the Post Office De-
partment, read paper before the National Repub-
lean League, In which the crimes Of Guiteau and
Mason were compared and reasons assigned why
Mason should not be patdoned. AS a text for his
argument the Judge quoted two items from the
newspapers-one In regard to the number of petit
tons sent TO the President asking for Masons p0r
don, the other dispatch from Toronto, Ontario,
March 20, In which Rev. w. b. Aflcek is quoted
as having said 1t is n libel on justice that Ser
geant Mason should be degraded and sent TO
prison for having discharged his rife at the grin
ning assassin, GuiIeau. His remarks were ap-
plauded."
HERE, SAID THE JUDGE,
is food for reflection. If Mason ought to be par
doned, the President who is as well. advised as to
the merits Of his the signers OF these petit
lions, ought Of his own voliton to pardon him;
II the contrary, he ought not TO pardon him, though
the whole world should join IN the request. His
purpose was to discuss this question from philo-
sophioal stand .point-not in the interest of Mason
or Guieau. but In the interest Of law aud Order
and in the interest of society. There was prin-
ciple involved IN the movement to procure this
mans pardon Of much greater importance than
the life Of any Individual The principle Is this
that obedience to law and the observance Of legal
forms In the trial of persons accused Of crime con-
sltutc the only safeguards Tor society ana Tor the
perpeulty of evil institutions. Break down these
safeguards and the door is opened wide to anarchy
and lawless violence.
Gu1TEAUs oFFESsE WAS NOT DANGEROUS
as a precedent because 1t shocked the civilized
world aud met no approval. The universal ex-
ecration Of n crime has tendency 10 deter ordi-
nary criminals from lis commission. This is not
true, however in the case OF every criminal. Hero
stotus, the Ephesan, set fire to the Temple OF
Diana and, ON being put TO the torture, confessed
that he had set fire to the temple TO immortalize
tors of this Infamous EphesiHn. But the great
danger to society has its origin in the fact that
there Is class OF persons in every community that
cannot be made to understand that there are no
exceptions TO the rule that the law ought. under
all circumstances, TO be enforced AT one time, rs
In the case Of Mason, popular prejudice clsmors
PARDON OF THE FouLEsr CRIME
Atanother, as in the case Of Guiteau, even in.
tclligent, civilized, Christian men, or those who
profess to be such, claim that the ordinary forms
OF 'he law-nay, TINT the law itself--shOuld he
ignored aud summary punishment inflicted;
carried out In practice Will, in livery short time,
break down all the safeguards of social order and
end in anarchy and barbRrism. Let Il be remem-
bercd that 10 pardon person who has been con.
demned to punishment properly and legally, aud
to punish one, whether innocent or guilty, with
out conviction, Ia equally dangerous to society
The Judge quotes Chief Justice Marshall Lieber
and other authors against mob law and popular
clRmor In the administration of Justice. The
spirit of mob rule does not Discriminate because
II cannot discriminate between right and wrong
To-day 1t executes one criminal, tomorrow IL eX.
ecutes another equally guilty. In both cases Il
substitutes for an organized tribunal the dictates
OF AN IGNORANT MOB,
ruled only by passion. Hence want to warn my
countrymcn against an insdious attempt, and
therefore dangerous one, to undermine our in
situations by procuring the pardon OF the would
be assassin Sergeant Mason. A part of the pro-
grnmme, disguised under the name OF charity set
foot by evening paper Is to solicit cOntribu.
tons aud publish the names OF the contributors
for the benefit of Masons vic. take it
TINT hazard nothing In saying that this move
ment is intended rather as MI appreciation of Ma
sons act than TO provide for his family. Why not
get up petition
FOR GuTTEAu's PARDoN2
The punishment to which he has been condemned
is much greater while the turpitudc of his crime
is not great as that OF Mason. This proposition
he cndeRvors to establish by contrasting the acts
of these Two noted criminals, The judge closes
his argument by paying his respects to the Cana
dian preacher whose language he quoted at the
beginning of his address. His denunclations OF
the Canadian divine and his applauding audience
were caustic and bitter.