New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-12
WAS THE CONSTITUTION VIOLATED?
sroxrs,s RESTORATION NOT REPORTED TO l"'

.-., rrorop,TIOX NOT REPORTED TO Ihf'
IrcHsLATURE-wHA THE RECORDS '"o
Albany MAY II Special).-rhe a'''h'o' VI no,nrv
r. $ Williams. the Governor : PiN"' ccvc-
was called tonight, in view OF '"Nvi"' e,,r.d
,nd,s snnnrcssion Of the fact that he res, " "
Edward : stokes in 1854 10 the rights VI a.,
,,r N tho nrovision of Article ". section ., '' NV
Constitution which say that ;hc Governor " :" L
shall annually communicate 10 u" J." ' ,,,..l
case of repreve. Communication or P"i"'" .n,.,.
stating the namo OF the convict 'hc o'ln' a Cha
he WAS convicted the scsteEce ara Us WV
data ~ the communication. pardon or Icprie''' , .
colonel Williams locked at the section ana ''
said: 1t has been the custom oil "o>'i'o. .,.n. ~
,imo irmemorial 10, to make publc rcso''' ,
citizenship Technically. however, c'"'i'"'"r.
not complete until Il man has been ''s'0'' ,. IN.
chin Whether or not the Constitution rVi" r
a 60 r.n,,t r,sior,tions to citizenship |" u'
, c,s,.,uro ~ he does p.rdons, comihn'a'o"' ana"
renr,cves | would not like to declare u"u w
leaked into the subject with more care "''. ,
I'D 10 the present time. IL Is liz"
one worthy of close examinations hoe tho
possibly then. Grover Cleveland dd not oo'H Wv
,,,uin in fuilinc 10 report 10 the Legislature Vi
80 ~, r..,oroilon of Edward :. Stokes u Vl'N'"
.,i, on December !, 1854. The "Puphc l"P'i W
covcrnor Cleveland loo3-lo7i,' make no I''"' ''
of the stokes case. They contain Il re'o'N ="
nordou, and combinations" but not oil any r'''o'"
tons to citizenship , ,h CANA
,c,ico Of printing merely the record Of pNuoh'
ord combinations. The public papers OF "o'er"oi
Flower in 1s92, Just printed. contain Only II f''ou
~ The parions and combinations ana ho"' VI on,
rcstorations TO citizenship or course such ic'o'u
q hon, in the Governor, Office but 1t IS not printed
Governor Flower made pl6ic to-day thc papers vi
file In the Executive Chamber WIN reference ~ NV
resforation of Edward :. stokes To dtzchNhp 10y
Governor Cleveland, in 1854 These papers s"o" Una"
Stokes made his first application for restoration o"
lime IL ls77 to Governor Robinson, and that 'he
surdv cd Roman Of Governor" refused TO gram
the application. Apparently the application III 100 :
WAS made by George W. Van Slyck, fT the record
shows that on June l., 1877, Mr.. Van slyck with
drew all papers. There /, also telegraph dlSEi'ch
from Van slyck June IA, 1877. to Colonel Kobii-
SON. the private secretary Of the Governor, In Which
Van slyck said May stokes's affidavit be useif'
Colonel Robinson telcg1phcd in reply The
do, not deem it proper to interfere III the
matter Of stokes
The papers also bear this inscription: "Applica-
lion for restoration 10 citizenship Of Edward =.
Stokes received June -. 1871 Crime manSlaughter,
3D. Term four years Prison. sing. Refused June
10, 1o77.'
Another paper confirms this record: Application
for restoration 10 citizenship renewed On November
90 l534 by Edward :. Stokes This time the
application was made by Stokes personally lie
wrote a letter To Governor Cleveland upon sheet
OF paper bearing the letter head Of the Holman House.
Mr.. StOkes's letter TO Grover Cleveland has the air
Of having been written matter u form merely.
and with conviction that his application for
restoration 10 citizenship would be granted. Below
Is the letter:
Holman House. Broadway, Madison square.
Ncw.York, November 2S, 1851.
Hon. Grover Cleveland.
beg make application for restoration to citizen.
ship. convicted before Judge DAVIS Of man,augher
In the third degree 1873 and years
Imprisonment In sing Sing prison served the fun time
Of communication and discharged in 1870 never
previously charged with crime, and have been
in mining and bookkeeping and at present the
proprietors Of this hotel. Yours with respect
j.. ;. STOKES.
Across the back OF this letter the words :
"Yes-Erown.7 This is in the handwriting OF Good
win BrGwn the pardon clerk at present a member
Of the State Commission III Lunacy. Mr.. Brown
said to-day that he did not Tecollect any of the
cumstances under which the restoration 10 citizen
snip granted 1t Is possible that there w,1c
other papers in the case, but they not Oh
tile with Governor Flower