New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-20
AuFONSO'S CLEMENCY
heath Penalty Virtually AboI-
shed in Spain by His Action.

-. ,qle b, 80 brentwood Company
- Alfo-so's action in committing the
=. ss,tenc~s of no fewer than twenty
- condemned prisoners on Good Friday
-. means the virtual abolition OF capital
-,sr-,ent IN Spain. and is hailed as such
.., Liberal. :Ne Radical and tho Re
,,t.s- Dress. though severely criticised
"a. conservative and reactionary news
,,s Many Of the prisoners thus re-
60 had been convicted not OF one but
,,,,e-sl murders. and some even Of the
-.i.,,ls-lv atrocious crime Of parricide.
f,.- every capital sentence remaining
.,s-,,-ad was RENTED. After this il
- ~ difficult. II not impossible. 20 con
.,~r 10 the sosnold mere ordinary muir
dcrers
-,,sse -c0-,eves were granted by the King
-,,b the approval ~ his Prime Minister.
sesor Csnalejss. who has always been
s,our as opposed 10 capital punishment
49, ss liberal Monarchist and tpre,i-
,-sl,l as p Republican. And in this con-
-.,+ior II may be recalled that Nicholas
ssl-,e-or. who Was Tor 50 many wears the
.,s,e.fe6 leader q the Republican party in
c,sir. actually resigned the Presidency Of
.te -eruhnc some twoscore years ago
-.-ne- than sign the warrants for the exc
,y,ior 30 prisoners lying uneer sentence Of
des-h
-lis ancient custom Of reprievins cr1mi-
mis- on Good Friday has been in use in
srs,r since the ffteenth century. though il
ssfes hack 20 Mossical times The Hebrews
we're N the habit of releasing a prisoner
81 Passover. I'm memory Of their deliver
.p.e fror Ee1pt. the popular choice ~ the
,frle of the crucinxion lyiug between Christ
aud Sara bias. Their Most Catholic
,falesfiee" for that is the correct title Of
tss rulers ~ Spain-adopted q similar
,,-se-.~. for rhe celebration ~ Good Fri
d., Until the reign ~ isabella IT only ono
se-re~.s was ~emitted on these occasions
several PAPERS. however. were prepared
srs folded. each one containing the name
os Condemned prisoner. These we're
,Fsces rrouiscuousl on = large silver
ssr,sr. and that criminal was reprieved on
rtose paper the roval hand rested. the
Others obtaining no benefit The anxiety Of
Ell those whose names were given IN for
This purpose and the bitter DISAPPOINTMENT
NJ -he unsuccessful and. above all. or their
relatives. may he better imagined than de-
sc-ibed
soon after Queen Isabella Il came TO the
1-rone The court was gathered in the palace
shsuel or Good Friday The time for the
Alteration n the Cross had come. The
young Queen knelt before the cruciiK. The
saIver. with several papers on il. was pre-
ssnted and al watched for her majesty to
io1eh and 10 repeat the traditional words.
''Io o. perdouo. asi Dios me perdone"
MAY COO pardon me as I pardon thee >.
3ut ". th tears IN her eyes. and a heart fun
C, pits regardless OF tradition, the Queen
stretched forth both her hands. brought all
r.e papers together. and IN q broken voice
,A-.ained- "N0 os perdono a todos. todos
q as dos me perdone' d MAY God pardon
nc a. pardon YOU sll-yes. arr. No fewer
shan seven prisoners benefited by the elem
erCy az rhe Young Queen on that occasion.
Bt that number has never since been eX-
osedsd until Good Friday last, when all
records were broken by Alfonso Nil. in
- rir- no fewer than tVenty-three from the
sr1fc'6.