National Republican., 1883-10-13
sERGEANT MASON.

A BELIEF that lie WIZ Shortly be Par-
doned-Nearly One Hundred Thousand
People ReqUest Such Action.
o. My opinion is that Sergt. Mason, who shot
at the assassin Guiteau, will be pardoned by
tho President" said Advocate General Swain
last evening, in answer to the interrogatories
of REPUBLICAN, reporter. The same opinion
was found to be general among army officers
stationed in this city. whose sympathies APP
pear to be with the unfortunate sergeant, who
is now confined in the Albany peniteutiary.
An officer of some prominence, when APP
preached on the subject yesterday, said he
understood from reliable source that the
President had already intimated his inten.
tion to extend executive clemency at an carly
day.
From an examination of tho records of tho
war department 1t was shown that the appi
cations for Mason's release form the largest
general petition ever presented on any sub
.ject in the history Of the United States. Tho
total number of signatures attached to tho
papers, which are from every state and terri
tory in the country, without single eXcep-
ton aggregate over 100000 names
Tho President received yesterday u lengthy
petition from Ohio, inclosing newspaper
clippings and the following from the state
of Pennsylvania!
To HIS EXcELLENCY CHESTER A. ARTHUR--Sir:
We beg leave TO ask YOU To give Sergt. MasOn'S
case careful, may not ask, merciiul consider
alton, IN the nope that your conclusion may re-
flnement, during all of which time he hls found
the sympathy OF nine-tentls OF the American
people, which did not waste itself in quibbliug
about legal technicalities
There Is q feeling in the country that has been
growing all the time of iinement among
the masses, and which Is 81. by rs good an
element as society Possesses, that respect should
be paid to tho numerous prayers that have gone
up t9 the executive car for pardon, always re-
eS, but divine TO forgive
The right Of petition has ever beon dear 20
Americans, aud II Is the respect that is ever pain
10 II that makes II as sacred, as when made pnrt
of our organic lazy, although IL, aud respect for
II, was established ut terrible expenditure OF
Can your excclleuoy have the leait doubt but
that the granting of the petition Of the multitude
mat nave implorcd pardon Nv your hands IN lhls
mans case would receive the unqualified sanction
Of ninety. nine out OF every one hundred of The
people Of this nation, irrespective OF race, color,
or condition. We think not,
III such ho the case, WHY viii you not allow this
man to 90 iree2 We trust you win.
Ihls man was never heard of before the shoot
ing OF The monster Guiteau occurred. There Is u
feeling throughout the country that the leniept,
tprbearing not 20 say indulg0nt policy Of the gov
ernmept toward the murderer Guiteau, lily con.
iTasls WIN The rigid deal that Is hCing measured
out TO poor, deluded, misguided Mason."
Another petition was received several days
ago from an enthusiastic Orogoniau, who
said he was backed by thousands of voters in
the Salmon state. Tho lottor concluded "We
all want y0n 10 pardon Scrgt. Mason. lle
did wrong. but that was only human. Pardon
Mason and 1t will DO tho biggest card you can
play for second nomination and election"
As last MS received, the communications
which are still pouring in, are rolorred TO Sec
rotary Lincoln and by him to the Judge ad-
vocate general Of the army.