The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-03
THURSDAY. JANUARY 8. 1901.
tai. Goy;i,Nois CRITICISED.
Ne have received the following co

We have received the following COM
munication.
Editor CT The Times:
Sir,-Ccrtainiy, If The public" i'll Viz
GINA can stand The appropriation of
the election machinery for dishonest and
Fraudulent and other repreaensiole pur-
poses. such sweeping and undue tveng-
ance,'' under the forms Of the law, in
the case of the young woman convicted
and sentenced to ninety days imprison-
ment for appropriating goods of her en-
ployer an Richmond, was hardly neces-
sary. She may have been guilty. In
any event she protested that She--waS
not all wrong. Her previous irreproacf-
able character and. epute argue much
In support of her plea for mercy. To
rindlcate the broken law. ninety days was
hardly just. The minimum is fifteen days.
Why make itNsix times more. Hundreds
of common street scOundrels" are given
barely more. Sudl methods are oppres-
sive and while The Times argues1 that
the public" will uphold and commend
the Governor, it is submitted that the sen
tencc vas an EnfeaScnaole one and TN
necessarily harsh and is not to be de-
feEdcd. The Governor had the power to
pardon or reduce the sentence. He did
neither! He would not interfere: The
law must take its course: Certainly.
verify! Why must his cup of mercy
be shown to others, and not here2- What
tremendous matter of public concern
would nave been imper;lled? Why the
Utmost faIthIng" here" The peace of
the Old Dominion would have beer. UNI
disturbed. Our Institutions would have
survived! This sad case is not to he
compared TO the election crimes that so
unchecked and unpunshed: Tao fsrn,er
Is no more dishonest than the latter, and
set ELECTION dishonesty is allowed to
80 unpublished. The former involves a
to-,
The latter involves the State and threat
ems the masses therein. There. is no
equity or Justice in such discrimination
and disregard of conditions.
Respectfully,
STUART II. LINDSEY.
Ne think that it is mistake for the
champions OF the young woman in quas-
ton 10 keep up this discussion. 1t is a
distressing case and The Times would
gladly throw the mantle of oblivion around
1t. But We cannot told our peace when
The Governor is criticised for respecting
his oath and taking his stand for law
and morals. Upon first Representations,
the Governor was disposed to grant the
pardon. hut when i.c made thorough in
restisation and saw the large quantity
and the large variety of expensive goods
which had been taken; when he heard the
excuses offered and compared them with
the incoDtrovert4ble facts, he simply
could not see his way to exercise execu-
tive clernency witout doing violence to
his sense of justice.
1t was, as we have said, a most dis
tressing case. and the Governors sympa-
thies We're stirred to their depths. He
earnestly desired to pardon the girl. and
if plea of ldeptomania had been entered
she would probably have been saved from
prison. But such plea was made. II
was commended that she had committed
only .1echnical'' crime, and that she
did not deserve punishment Under these
circumstances a pardon would have been
equivalent to rind,cation. and the Gov
ernor cocld not put Himself in that atti-
Iude.
And just here Is a view of the case
which oar eo,rcspfnden{ and otaers w..5
have criticised the Governor do not seer,
TO fave considered The case had bss
come notorious. It was the topic Of con-
SorsRtaon. Every young woman in the
city similarly employed MAS Watching tee
Governor with intense interest. Every
such young Woman. whether consciously
or not. was saying to herself: .'Ili see
how the Governor views saoplftins. I'll
see from his action whether taksns cne's
employers goods is, after all. such a
shocking thing as have been taught that
IT Is. :, The Govcrno. vas being watched,
W. say, by thousands Of bright-ayed girls
and it WAS incumbent apon him 10 give
them wholesome lessonx e, was his
duty before God and man to show them
what 2 horrible thing IN ne eyes Of the
Chief Executive sof the State was theft.
50 horrible that even A fei,ned and welt
hesd Gin conld not bes SAVED from jail!
uecn conytc,lan as q. crime 70.
laasss Aons cthereiss had been TO PUT q
apon es1Ine tas hAye sionIsea t,e: