The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-29

ro5b~z tbs Norsha-artoz. Mas hsazk q
: Tevr large san = 1s-s It's zo91e- las
se-Fe3 = ysa-s of his = ysa-s' ssnsszess
four yez-s hare besn 6s1zzEs1 IL god
behavior, AID Governor Ezss=l E&s
szke1 70 g5xe hI-z 7zo ysE-s Uo-e
for No rs2s9z whztsTe- G9Fs--9- Azs-
sci has lid TIE 1rHzess 70 -sf-se tz1s
Application for pardon. Ea1ea = zzg-241 -
ex-governor Lezy zzd by tbe l&7e ffs1srsl
NllA2-a T. sAe--s1- Genera Sherman,
win cArscse-lsEie Izap1lszT@za@sss asEe3
fsr the Tz-zsoa Il 81 Of sos5isr xho had
become : professional criminal. ITO eon-
mites -oboery 0f IRE DOst dangerous
ezzss, zzd wao ozgA. . have bean
shit up n p-isoa fo-ever. Z thzt
ware possible. Gove-19- E1sssl wzs
pesz2se5 - rar10a 3 Egss ss-o-
e5ozz murderer ou Thanksgiving E1d
xzs asked 20 let loose g professional
bzrglz- txo years t.gf7-s his time. Every
governor IS bezlegs7 w5fh szch sp7I.cz-
lions which never ozgls 30 pe granted
save when the pardon = Issued DOs IS
matter of els1sDcy Dzt IS IL 81 0. i1s-
ice.
As matter Of sound pz52ic policy, the
psr3o1ing poser nov generally Eesss1 =
state executives ought 20 oe taken avs,
and ps-6ozs o-EH- never 20 - granted save
under conditions that warrant purely u
dicizl investigation and interference. SsE
evidence suggesting grave douo. s. 70 TIE
guLt o. the conEic. should lie passed upon
By the supreme eo1yE, sitting e bard
Of pzEdons, clothed With 10 power q elem
eney, pare ard simple. but Only with
power Of pardon when new evidence
clearly justified the release ot the convict.
When the prisoner has teen convicted and
tie judge, after weighing I'll the circzE2-
stances that plead for me-cif1l sentence,
has liked tie criminals Punishment. there
should be 10 such thing as clensacy o.
mercy after tie convict L consigned 70 his
eel.
he can stu claim Justice Of society. and
therefore nex evidence casting grave
doubt uDoa his gull. should be fraTerse9
by 2 beach q Judges, but he has 10 right
70 cleIne1cy Or mercy after conviction.
The lsE confines 70 hold up -1sEice after
conviction, but N common sense il cz-ao:
afford % uphold e.emsucy, pure and. sim
PIE, and therefore the p2rdoning power
ought 10: to reside in the executive but
only in 3 bench Q! judges, who do 10: 81
70 hear appeals for mercy, bat simply 20
consider the worth Of new evidence upon
which rests 81 appeal. not for marcy, BIT
fer justice. No criminal after sentence
has any night 70 mercy; lis right 10 be 70
heard as matter OF justice IS always
sIiFe, tut should be jQd.clally traversed Is
81 appeal On new evidence 70 correc, sn
error. no: 10 pardon guilty man fo- sen
iinental reasons.
II the penalty Of the Law seems pitiless
il is not because the Law IL animated b. the
spirit Of vengeance: If the sentence Is sat-
isfacto-y 70 the most humane heart i Is
not because the law IS primarily concerned
with tie comfort Of the criminal The
iag IS practical, Il has nothing 70 90 with
sentiment; Il can neither hate nor pity the
criminal Tie sole question for courts OF
Law and executives 20 pass upon Z whether
the degree Of punishment, or the conlina-
vent the recurrence Of the crimes The
law is neither compassionate or yindictive;
II can not reproduce II its punishment the
pain and distress inflicted upon individuals
and society by azssssins and burglars any
more than II can take into account the
suIerings or repentance Of the criminal,
or OF his friends, now and hereafter, when
-. - -, -
ishmsnt. The saluIary power Of punish
ment IS n proportion 70 rs sxifiaess, rs
certainty and utter h0pe.essnezs OF any
| rescue from its pains by the remission or
reduction OF It's term OF legal life.
Justice for the highest health Of society,
should come down with appalling swift
ness. There is no prison that pardon
viii not break; there IS no professional
criminal so vile AMI dangerous that re-
! spectacle people, who ought 10 know bet
ter, wllI lot sign petition for pardon.
! They ply the ympatAies Of the executive
| with eloquent appeals Of suffering wives
and kindred Of the condemned; with dis
play OF pictures Of piesy and remorse On
| the part Of the prisoner, and the righ: Of
society 70 safety Is constantly outraged By
/ the release Of the worst KIND Of criminals.
when the pietistic plea TIA; the prisoner IS
man OF education and refinement, who,
| n the judgment Of the deyoIees Of senti-
mental justice, is 50 full Of repentance as
10 suggest the thought Of absolute moral
rotundity, and n the opinion O: his
friends has suffered enough, OF If he has
not, his wife and children have"
Every man is disposed 20 respond in
some gay 10 this appeal 20 his sympathy.
but the evil Is that the humane Impulse
toward the criminal oveEcomes the con-
seryatiye instinct which regards the com
mon good. Sir Matthew Hale said When
! think OF the sorrows OF the culpr.t
/ think also Of the sOrrows Of society" But
! the sorrows Of society are never considered
/ by sentimentalls;s, who vii sign ANYTHING
excep; . negotiable note for a friend. ard
| governors grow sympathetic when they
| ought 10 be stern; they plead the letters.
/ petitions, etc, as an excuse for pardon.
| These psrdons are generally granted on
| the aimsy grounds that prominent citi-
zens," substantial persons OF the vicin-
ity, ''neighbors and acquaintance. or
"anumbe- Of the jurymea" have asked for
t cIemency in the case.
You might as well turn over the admin
istratioa of legal justice 70 Sunday-school
/ picnic or sewing society. Nine men out
/ o. ten viii sign . petition for anything
/ that does not involve personal peril.
3