Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-09-11
TEE REFUSAL OF THE cCvz1goR.
The Governor of this State has repeat

VI ~ AshW ppm llC
brutal murderer, -Aleck Goldenson. But
1t APPEARS that the importunatc LAWYERS,
who are hired to save the rascal's neck.
viii eve Governor Waterman no peace.
Al santa Cruz ON Sunday they beset him
aga aud demanded 4 respite Of thirty
days Thereupon the Governor gave rein
to us Indignation, and metaphorically
fiayed the men for their persistence, and
iguratively wiped the Santa Cruz sands
with their impertinent petition. He told
them first that he had over and again re-
fused to save the murderer; and next,
what every one knows, that there was not
about the crime of Goldenson a single ex-
tenusting circumstance, and that there is
not now a solitary reason for the Execu-
tive stepping between the verdict of a iurv
OF the country and the merciless wretch
who killed Mamie Kelly because he could
not possess her. The Governor went fur
Their, and let his justiiable anger be seen and
felt. He spared neither language nor en-
phasis in expressing his satisfaction with
the verdict of the jury. He declared that
ne had investigated the case personally,
and was not only satisfied with the conyic-
ton, but was determined that the law
should take its course. He understood
that $4,000 had been offered to any law
yer who would secure mitigation Of the
penalty and save Goldenson's neck at the
cost Of Imprisonment for life. He had
been told that if eyer q candidate for of
flee the votes of certain religionists would
be cast against him unless he yielded. lie
declared that if he never received
another vote he would not yield that if all
the people came to him two by two and
begged for his interference he would not
interpose TO stay the law. 1t was 4 brutal
murder by a licentious fellow, and he, the
Governor, would not stain his hands with
the victims blood by becoming a party to
any means to prevent the law of the peo-
pie from being vinlicated upon the muir
deror.
Qoourse this is putting it very strongly.
But the Governor had cause for anger,
and beng 4 man of no concealments ne
resented warmly the impertinence that re-
fuses TO accept no" for an answer. There
is-with due allowance for the Governors
heat-the ring of the right mettle about
ms protest against the persistent efforts
TO defeat the law in the Goldenson case
Some attorneys have ~latterly, it would
seem, assumed it to be incumbent upon
them 10 step outside of their old-time rule
of the professional walk and constitute
themselves brokers and agents for the con-
vlc,ed. and put forth every possible en-
dcavor to prevent justice being done. Some
lawyers in fact, AVE com into practice of
appearing before Governors, not as thew
may well do TO present legal reasons for
interference, but as special advocates to
shake the resolution of the Executive. and
save necks for coin by any hook or crook
that can be employed. In fact we hear
no" and then of their employing methods
1t would he flattery to pronounce dis
reputable. Unfortunately there are Exc
cutIves who are broken down under this
practice and permit themselves to become
.strRments in the hands of shrewd men
employed for a fee to secure the defeat of
the ends of justice.
The power given TO the Governors to
stay executions was never intended to ex-
ouse the setting up of a new Court to re-
view in detail the whole process of the
law by which criminals are convicted.
The intention of the law is to give the
Governor such authority, as, mercifully
exercised, VIII prevent great injustice be-
ing done or the execution of one who may
by newly discovered evidence, be shown TO
be innocent, and to interposc with mercy
where all the circumstance of the case.
make il clear that it is for the best inter
esls Of society that the rigor Of the law
should be relaxed. Certainly, however. it
was not intended that Governors should
set Up Courts of review or constitute them
selves appellate Judges. and submit to the
imposition of having every case re-areued
before them, as seems to be the tendency
IN modern pardon practices.
Governors will have the support aud
encouragement of the people who, like the
California Executive, have the courage to
tell attorneys who persist in earning a fee by
saving a neck, that they know their duty
and propose to do it, and that while they
are as merciful rs the average of men, they
are no; disposed to because rescuers of con-
fessed murderers of little girls, nor submit
to the imposition Of repeated persistent
attempts to break down their resolution
formed after mature thought and personal
examination into the facts of the case.
Goldenson is a guilty wretch the law
FORGETTING life was made for precisely such
abandoned men; to respite him would be
a stab at society, Il reouke to the Courts
that they do not deserve, and a direct re-
proach of a jury that had sufficient back
zone to convict in an era when the ma
jorisy Of panels weakly acquit.
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