St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-02
ABUSE OF PARD0yTNG poWER

ment on the criminal. It often confronts
justice, and cries against the descent of its
aVenging sword. Mercy in the extreme ex-
ercise of clemency may even cease to be a
virtue When it countervails the righteous
DEGREES of justice, it throws down the barriers
OF safety, and introduces laxness that bodies
evil and only evil.
God himself is merciful and full of compass
sion, but justice and judgment are the habi-
tatlon OF his throne. Justice is an attribute
far superior to that of mercy, and the lat
ter cannot be exercised at the expense of the
former
When sin entered Eden, and the first pair,
stricken by the primal curse were expelled
from their blessed abode, the glittering sword
of justice barred the gateway to their return
to their former happiness. But even then
justice was tempered with mercy, but not
usurped or obliterated by it. vengeance is
mine. I will repay" saith the Lord. He
can pardon like God, but not even He, in
defiance of the inflexible requirements of
justice. 1t is this that gives stability to His
throne, that inspires confidence in the integ-
rity of his character. And yet, he is a COM
passionate and merciful being. In the very
act of executing infexible justice upon the
guilty pair he compassionately promised that
''the seed of the woman should bruise the
serpents head" thus foreshadowing that
atonement wh;ch was achieved by the incarnate
son of God, satisfying justice in the proper
ly compromising exercise of mercy. A prac-
teal application and illustration of this truth,
Chat infeKible justice is superior to the ele-
ment of mercy, and must be appeased be-
fore the other can step in with its ameliorat-
ing and beantying in1uences) can be clearly
made, and it can be established that human
safety, and the safety of the State, resting
upon the faithful administration of Justice,
and that laxity there, and undue heed to the
cry for pity and mercy will unsettle the
foundations of civil government, and all
safety to civilized society, and indeed, all
true morality.
The pardoning power is one of the grand
est attributes of Executive office, a power to
be exercised with great and enlightened dis
erection and discrimination and should never
in its existence countervail justice, influenced
by the efTeminate pleadings for mercy, how
ever noble, and of Just adornment to the
human character that attribute may be in its
proper place.
Governors often pardon convicts wrongful
ly and send them forth into the commune
ty to prey upon it. But the people who pc
tition for pardons are greatly to blame, more
so, perhaps, than the Executive who grants
their request.
Every one knows how easily names can be
obtained to petition of almost any charac-
ter, and especially for the pardon of Grimm
ais. Some sign because asked or importun-
ed, without care, or reflection, without any
just understanding of the right or the justice
of the case, and others moved by pity or con-
siderations of mercy.
The facility with which men sign petitions
for the pardon of criminals is reprehensible,
for in so doing, unless in very few and ex-
ceptional cases, they do themselves and soci-
ETY. positive damage.
But the most censurable of all is, that
judges, before whom criminals have been
tried, and jurors who have convicted them,
who sign petitions to Governors asking for
the pardon of the very criminals whom they
have convicted are sentenced. This is not
mercy-it is a perversion of it-and in the
very teeth Of justice and judgment.
A criminal convicted on due prosecution,
after fair trial, and fun evidence and SEN
tence, should never be pardoned, unless new
evidence is discovered, clearly, exculpating
him.
Let it be known that a sentence will be
innexibly enforced, and it will have a great
and sautary effect on the criminal class.
The fact that pardons are so easily obtained,
emboldens criminals to risk the commission
of crimes in the hope and belief, that if de-
tected, tried and convicted, they can get
free after short term Of Imprisonment, by
the expiration of their sentence, or a speedy
pardon.
A woman, Mrs. Bronson has Just been
sentenced TO the penitentiary at Saltwater
for arson for ten years. Probably ten
months will not expire before niveliug cir
culators of petitions for her pardon will be
going about, soliciting signatures on the
score of her sex. Ifan incendiary has been
| Justly convicted on clear evidence the par
doning power should know no sex, and
should experience no relentng. female
( is as dangerous as a male ineendiary, aud
should have no more mercy shown her.
! Arson is crime. next 20 murder in its
turpitude and terror. II is not light thing
to have an incendiary fire kindled upon ones
dwelling in the night-season, endangering
not only property but life.
1 How long viii it be before
the Younger brothers, the robber-
murderers. now in the saltwater
penitentiary will be parloned 10y some '.mer
4 ciful'' Minnesota Executive, on petitions set
ting forth their good behavior. and their
good qualities as sententious Saba tn school
teachers Let /. never be forgotten that their
hands dripwith human gore, and let their
sentence end only with their lives
Petitions have already been presented to
a Governor Of the state for their pardon.
signed by numerous Missouri gentlemen OF
high standing and official prestige. But
Missouri does not afford the best type OF civ
Tizat!oa, whereJames, the robber-inurierer,
goes uuwhipped OF justice, aud who at a late
country fair was exhibited as hero, and in
trodueed 10 the multitude, and shook hands
with hundreds Of admiring people.
such petition luckily did not find favor
in the ewes Of the Chief Magistrate TO whom
il was submitted.
Those who would circulate petitions, now
or hereafter for the pardon of the Younger
wanderers, should circulate them at North
field. the scene OF their last murderous ex-
plot, and in sight OF the grave of the muir
dered cashier, and learn with what reception
they would meet Ills to be hoped there
never he wiz such moekery Of Justice as the