The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-03-11
Wednesday, March II, 1891.
Will Governor Tilman Refuse TO be
Merciful?

t,overnor Tillman granted, last week, his
f1rst pardon of q convict since MS lhaus su,Ia
tion. He commuted the sentence OF E,,us ,i,s
Coleman colored who was convicted at Tue
March term 1877 OF Court for Edgeneio coun, !.
ty. of burglary and larceny, and SENTENCES 1u 10 10
hard labor for life in the penitentiary. w men
crime Tor which he was convicted was lie
imprisonment. Since then the penaity nas
beeo changed to a certain number OF years.
Coleman has served his term ana hence Ills
The Governor is strongly opposed TO grant
ing pardons TO convicts, except unuei nxas nf
treme circumstances. There are .su' seore' nn ",
applications before him; most OF tnein, ho
doubt, Will be refused.-Chester Reporter
Wa have seen several similar statements
In the newspapers, and for which course y,
the Governor as above indicated we "oulo
express our great regret.
We had hoped the Governor wonlo nave
the disposition at least to listen to the peti-
ton of negroes who, for slight ofenses, nave
been cruely sentenced or punished.
If a white man steals pig or sheep, we De-
lieye he will be as surely punished for that
offense as II the crime had been committed oy
a negro. But II the same white man had shot
and killed the owner OF the aforesaid pig OF
sheep. we have no idea that he would suher
other incon nvenience than Is incident 10
giving security for his appearance at court
and then undergoing the form OF acquitIel
Ifa negro Ia tried for murder he doesn't ge'
his necl out of the halter quite so easily.
II he Is tried for theft, and there are any
tracks In the neighborhood Of the alleged
stealing, he might about as we'll pack up MS
clothes and ask for sentence-a sentence, too,
which in all civilized countries would
be considered as dIsproportioned to the grav-
ity OF the offense.
II white man is convicted Of even dis
graceful offence petitions and personal ap-
peals In behalf of the convict, because OF his
respectable kin. has not been without consid-
Grafton in the past.
Governor Tillman is q brave man, whom we
believe would do his duty as he sees IL, ana
now that he holds a high and responsible pos
sition, he should not overlook, or refuse 10
hear tho prayers OF even the humble people
whose Governor b Island in this expression
OF about "humble people," we refer TO the me-
: gro,
To say that the Governor will grant no par.
dons is about equivalent to saying that no ne
gro need expect anything from him.
The crimes to which the negro is prone are
generally very iseverely punished, but the
class Of crimes which the white man COM
. imits, we think, are not 80 severely dealt with
For instance, when negroes were first found
guilty Of carrying concealed weapons, the
sentence was not light, but 1t was soon found
ont that white men might be convicted Of the
same offence and now the fine Is usually q
very light one.
We think our courts, In granting easy ball
( IN rnprderers whose wreakfu full hands are still
red with q brothers. blood has done much TO
fostsr q public sentiment against the punish.
ment OF crimes against the person.
II an enemy seeks to do neighbor injury,
he had better shoot him dead than Kill his
hog. In that instance even a craven coward
could swear that the dead man put his hand
! on hiship pocket. and almost any jury would
aoquit him because Of his cowardly fears.
z Is q mans life of less value than that OF q
hog? 1t seems 80.