Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-01-21
Chester, VI, Windsor Co,
Jan. 10, 1905.

| write this letter as Il petition
to you asking for myself, and as
believe all the inhabitants of Ches-
ter and as a majority of the citizens
of Windsor county, that you will eX-
ercise the constitutional power vest
ed in the governor by the constitu
ton OF Vermont, and reprieve Mary
Rogers until after a session of the
legislature intervenes after such re-
prieve is granted, There has not
been any reprieve granted in her
case.
do hope our state will not be
dishonored by committing the act OF
"doing murder" If one man has
no ght by the "higher law" to
commit murder, then an association
OF men have no right to take life OF
any human being. There is not any
given in the New Testament to man
to take the life God has given and
cannot be justified only by self de-
Tense of imminent danger of losing
ones own life.
1t is as great a crime against God
to take the life OF person because
they had been found guilty of felony
under legislative enactment which
provides death as the penalty, as the
crime committed by the person ac'
cused.
Life is the gift of God to mankind
which cannot be resigned, nor can il
be taken from him, nor can he puI
an end to that life without being Z
self murderer.
Mrs. Rogers is a poor ignorant
person; the state has not done its
duty in not providing education fol
her. She in the act of putting Mr.
Rogers out of the way as was done
was the victim OF others who plotted
and assisted her in the act, being as
guilty in the crime as herself. AL
persons who assisted became parti'
cepes criminis, partners in the crime
accessories before the fact.
The state in its prosecution fol
the crime selected Mrs. Rogers as
the ono to suffer the death penalty
Why not she have. the same grace
and favor granted her as to others
equally guilty with her.
BY Section 6 of the constitution
Of Vermont we claim the Legislature
has no authority by enactment tC
take away, nor to abridge, the righ
invested in the governor to reprieve
You as governor have the constitu
tional right to reprieve Mrs. Rogers
The legislature cannot by any act
take away the powers constitution
ally invested in the executive. The
legislative, executive and judicia
departments of our state are by the
constitution guarded against the en-
croachment of the one by the other
The power to reprieve is not re
stricted or altered in the 9Th article
of the amendments to the consritu
ton, only that the governor shall
not grant a reprieve or pardon il
case OF impeachment, but may gram
reprieves.
This Sth article Of amendmen
does not take away the governor.
,,;o.I,te-as;,lA,. Is, SAllia.,-rt &c ll-n,,..,
stitution, Except that he shall no
sit as Judge, in case Of impeach
ment, nor grant reprieve or pardon
| in any such case" Such case i
impeachment only. The nth sec
ton gives the governor power "tC
grant pardons and remit fines in al
cases whatsoever, except in treason
and murder; in which he shall have
power to grant reprieves, but not tc
pardon until after the end of the
next session of assembly; and eX'
cept in cases Of impeachment
Clearly, the governor has power tc
reprieve Mrs. Rogers and is not re-
stricted by any law.
We do most respectfully pray YOU
excellency will reprieve Mrs. Rogers
by your official act. The action Of
the last legislature in respect to cap
ital punishment, in my judgment
was surprise to the people of the
state compared with the session OF
1902.
The putting to death OF persons
found guilty of homicide under Z
statutory law is barbarous and pain
full to contemplate. At no perioc
in the past history Of Vermont have
the citizens of this state been exer
cised to such a degree as at the pres
ent time by the prospect that weak
uneducated young woman may be
put upon the gallows and murdered
our state degraded by the act con
trary to and against the higher law
The death of persons BY gallows
guillotine and the electric chair
should cease forever. Vengeance is
mine saith our Heavenly Father
Man has no right to vengeance upor
living being.
The Noachian covenant passed
away when our Saviour appeared
on earth. He abrogated the eye fol
an eye and tooth for tooth, estab.
fishing a new dispense ton of love
we one another.
With high respect am truly yours,
GEO. L. FLETCHER.