The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1903-09-08


at any misrepresentation. They have in
numerous instances WilfuHy published
statements which they knew to be fa.se,
and by their Representatives have admit
ted them to be so. They give as their
reason that lit is politics. and that is
about as high conception as they have
of any moral principle. OF course, so
foul sheet as this is not deserving OF
the republican organ of the state, and
seems 10 speak for that ticket, take
this occasion to call attention to its in
famous policies and methods. Now let
us see what the records show, for facts
and figures are sufficient to overcome
falsehOods l have been in office a little
over three years and seven months,
which is about five months less than a
full term. l have therefore served al
most as long as each one of my two
predecessors. The executive journals
show that in felony cases before and
after trial altogether, Gov. Brown is
sued Az pardons, Gov. Bradley 420, and
Gov Beckham 2e5. The books OF the
wardens of the two prisons show that
there have been released from those
prisons the following number of convicts:
By Gov. Brown 362, by Gov. Bradley $40,
by Gov. Beclxham 1S3. In cases of muir
der where the prisoner was serving a.
life sentence in the prison, Gov. Brown
pardoned IS, Gov. Bradley S. Gov. Beck
ham II. Gov. Brown also pardOned six
other life convicts, two Of them for rape,
and four serving a life sentence for
sued no pardonS in such instances. Tay
Tor in his brief service issued pardOnS IN
IA felony cases, including those whom he
thought TO be suspected of numbering
Gov. Goebel. If | should serve out the
next term of four years in addition 70
what l have served in this term, l Will
have been in Office eight years lacking
nearly two months, and If l keep up the
same rate of pardons that have hereto
fore followed will not have pardoned
in all that time of nearly eight years as
many cases as each one of these two
predecessors did in his four years term.
l have gone into these statistics not TO
Criticise these two gentlemen, both or
them men of experience and distinguish
ed ability, but simply to show that L
have not abused this great power and
responsibility which has been placed IN
my hands. l desire a full publication of
the records in these matters which will
verify the figures / have used. These
figures clearly show that have not been
in the least reckless in the use of the
pardoning power, and show to some eX-
tent how unjust have been the attacks
about which so much has been said, and
about which there has been so much
falsehood, the circuit judge, prosecuting
attorneys, the father of the girl who
was killed, and a large number of Off
Gals and good citizens strongly recon-
mended the pardon. My enemies have
gone so far as to WilfuIly fabricate
story. in order to reflect ueon me- thai
was t1eeing from him after he had inn
properly accOsted her. There never was
a shadow of truth in tins story. am l
baser falSehoOd was never uttered. The
father of the girl would never have ask
ed for the pardon if such had been true.
The late ]. 3. Marcum wrote a strong
letter in the case asking for the pardon,
and stated that he did not believe that
Raleigh had fired the shot which killed
the girl. His statement certainly re-
lieves the case of any political co.oring:
l merely cite this as an illustration of
the miserable character of the fight on
me. Like all governors, in some few
cases l may have been imposed upon
and made mistakes, but l have never is
sued a pardon for political purpose, or
where | did not conScientiouSly believe IT
to be right and just to do so. The par
doning power should be most carefully
used, and [ have tried the best l could
to so use it, but governor must have q
heart OF stone to resist all the pathetic
appeals from mothers, wives and chill
dren for the release of a son, husband,
or father. 1t is an awful responsible
ity and a trying ordeal that every gov
ernOr of Kentucky must undergo. In
most of the cases where / have issued
pardons, circuit judges, prosecuting at
tOrneYs. juries, other prominent onlciais
and citizens have asked for the pardOnS.
My record in all these matters is open 10
the inspection of every one, and there
has hardly been day in the last few
months that some representative OF my
every opportunity has been anorued him
for examination, and they have been UNI
able to make any capital out OF 1t, eX-
cept by misrepresentation and falsitica-
ton of the records. The republicans
have sought to make much political cap
itaI out of the recent troubles in Breath
lit county, and with their usual blunder-
ing characterizatiOns they have attempt
ed to make it an issue in the campaign.
1 accept the challenge upon that, or
upon any other issue that may suit them.
They can have their choice upon any one
or upon all, and we shall cheerfuly meet
them upon any subject they may choose.
The only question upon which We must
draw the line and refuse to meet them
is upon the momentous problem of Ser
Wan politics. We must admit that they
have a monopoly there, and that We are
really afraid to discuss with them the
awful condition of affairs in that be-
ntghted country on the other side of the
globe. We sincerely hope that they will
carry Servia in this election as q COM
pensation for their losses in Kentucky,
and We are willing to go so far as to
give them letter of recommendation to
the SerVfanS as 2 suitable crowd to run
that government and keep things inter-
esting by their superb craftsmanship
and their ability to change dynasties at
the crack of rifle. We would even use
our influence with the people over there
to induce them to invest some of our
republican leaders with the noble suf-
fix Witch Think of it! In a country
WKlere PROUD SOV6r6lB0S usually trace
their royal lineage back to some ances-.
trail shotgun or dagger, what magniti-
cent ruler would be a Taylorvitch or
Belknapvitch! But we must give up this
foreign territory to them and ask them
to take up with US the Breathitt county
situation, about which we feel better able
to meet them. That there has been
trouble in that county nobody denies;
that there have been gross eXaggerations
and Misrepresentation about the cOndi-
ton there for political purposes, every
body knows: and that the democratic
officials in the state have done every
thing in their power to put an end to
these troubles, no one now dIspuIes &c ~
not the first time we have had these
feudal troubles. Within the life of the
present generation there have been just
as serious feudal troubles, even more 50.
in other counties of the state, as this
trouble in Breathitt. The troubles in
Perry, in Clay and in other counties,
where state troops had to be sent, were
even more desperate than this. The rea-
son there has been so much said about
this one is because there is q state cam
paign on and the republican party pOliu-
cally bankrupt in Kentucky, is hopeless
ly trying to manufacture some issue
upon which it can go before the people.
This trouble has been purely local and
break in Clay county during the last ad-
gotten about that simply because
there happened to be no political eX-
iSency calling for it's conspicuous adj
vertisement. The republican press has
heSitated at no falSehood in its mad eff
fort to make something out of that ST.