St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-09-17
The Signing of Petitions.

calls attention to one phase of this
evil,-the careless and inconsiderate
manner in which persons, whose stand
ing entities them to respect, sign petit
tions for the pardon of criminals, and
cites the following striking illustration
in point:
A gentleman in New York was some
years since approached by man who
was n perfect stranger To him, but who
saluted him as follows:
81 have called to thank you for get
ting me out of state prison"
"Out of state PRISON." responded
this gentleman. "Why, sir, do not
even know you. Who are you? i
think you must be mistaken"
''NO, sir, am not mistaken. You
did it for me. 1t was your name on
my petition that did the work; and /
am greatly obliged to yOu for it," /
"My name on your petition :" said
this gentleman. ''Why, what do you
mean | have no recollection of sign
ing your petition for II pardon"
Eyes, you did, and it was your name
that induced the Governor to let me
ont of state prison"
This man, upon refreshing his mem
DRY, recalled that some 10 years before
he had signed petition for Il PARDON
in behalf of a Sing Sing convict, simp-I
~ at the request of a friend and with
out knowing anything about the mer-
it's of the case The incident so inn
pressed itself on his mind that he re-
solved never again to put his name to-
a petition without knowing what it was
for and the facts in the case.
A few weeks since Texas lawyer
argued before Il jury that no value or
reliance could be put upon petitions
prOmiscuously signed by citizens, and
sustained his position by bringing into
court petition praying that the court
would hang "A fellow tOwnSman, one of
the most respectable and cnterprisingI
citizens of the place. On the petition
were the names of all the county Of
ficers and 80 business men, among
them the brOther-in-la law and fathcr-in-
law of the proposed subject for the
gallows.
The recent appointment of MalneI
man as postmaster, who was at the
time serving sentence in Jail, will be-
recalled. The appointment was the
result of petition signed by over 100
reputable citizens Of the town, most of
whom probably did not know whether
they were signing death warrant or Il
petition to open Il road through some
COW pasture.
The eases cited were the result of
carelessness. Sometimes, however, al
name is given with the Deliberate I'M
tent to have it count for nothing, as in
the case of IA congressman who is said
to have had an understanding with the
appointing power, that when his name
was signed to petition in black ink it,
meant nothing, but when red ink was
used it meant business.
But illustrations are not wanting.
The whole business of indiscriminate
ly signing any paper presented by a.
respectable man, provided only 1T is
not Il subscription paper, is working
great mischief. 1t is seldom done from
principle and because the signer de-
sires it to stand for something, but
simply because it is easier to sign than
to refuse to do 50 or to argue the mat
ter. / this same needless way men of
ten sign notes when they well know
that if disaster should follow they could
not defend the name they have so care.
lessly written. A little reflection will
show that it is practically holding
ones name as n worthless thing, Il.
mere drop of ink, a slight motion of.
the wrist, something that can be got
for the asking but has no real Yalnc