Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-31
Miseellaaruus Readina.
PARpoNs AND PAROLES.
Governor Submits cIsmeney Record
and His Reasons.

| governor Blease on yesterday sent to
the senate q statement Of the pardons,
paroles and combinations that he has
ordered during the year, and accompa-
MED the same with the following letter
Of transmission:
To the Honorable, the Members of the
State Senate Of South Carolina.
Gentlemen: Twelve months ago,
when I stated in my message to you,
conveying the list of pardons, paroles
and combinations, which had grant
ed, Il take pleasure in accepting the
construction of the Constitution, which
is, that should make such report
Is =" some people criticised me by
saying that had to make such report
to the general assembly, and that that
language in my message was useless.
beg leave to call your attention,
however, to Section IL, Article w Of
the Constitution, which reads: TT
shall be his duty to report to the gen.
eral assembly, at the next regular ses-
sion thereafter, all pardons granted by
him." and does not require Of me to
present any reasons for the paroling
reprieving or committing any prisoner
by me, but set forth then, as am do
ing now, my reasons not only Of the
pardons as required by the Constitu-
tion but Of the paroles, combinations
and reprieves, because want all OF
my acts as governor Of South Carolina
to be known to the public; and, as
said then. I repeat now, am not
afraid of them; for the endorsement
which I received from seventy-two
thousand two hundred and forty three
Of my white fellow citizens Is pretty
strong proof Of the fact that my ad-
ministration was endorsed, and II the
machine had given me all the votes
that were cast for me and my oppo-
nents had not used money, whisky and
intimidation, instead Of being seventy
two thousand two hundred and forty
three Il would have been at least nine
ty thousand, as I predicted at the be-
ginning Of the campaign, and as a very
large number Of my fellow citizens now
believe, fully feeling that was not
given all Of the votes which were cast
for me, besides the ones which were
takens from me for the reasons just
above mentioned.
/ furthermore said In my said letter
OF transmittal: II fear no harm from
the fact that have shown mercy to
my fellow men, but do expect q re-
ward, not only here, but hereafter, be-
cause believe that there is a God; /
believe that He Is my God; believe
that but for His help would have new
er been governor of South Carolina" 1
was not disappointed, for my people
gave me my reward-a second term as
governor Of my state, and / believe
that my reward hereafter will come In
| due season for still believe that only
by the help of God Almighty could
have won my first race, and I know
positively that only by His help could
l have defeated the unholy organiza-
ton that was formed against me last
summer by men Of two different fac
tions which hated each other then and
who hate each other now, but were
willing to lie down and swap odors IN
order to defeat Blease. Think Of it
many preachers, nearly all the newspa-
pers Of the state, the corporations, that
is, the leading officials thereof. the law
yers almost in a body; a large major
ity of the legislature; nearly all the
state officials; large majority OF the
delegates to the state convention In
May; all the money interests; a large
majority of the commercial travellers
commonly called "drummers;" some OF
the women, praying. some Of the old
line so-called reformers; some of the
old-line so-called conservatives; many
of the Haskellites; the Cubans; the
Spaniards and the mixed-breeds; ma
jority of the state executive committee;
large majority Of the county executive
committees and all Of the election ma
chinery-what a combination. and yet
1 beat 1t. Therefore, know that God
heard the prayers Of myself and my
| friends; and, l repeat that had 1t not
been for Him could not have won
such a victory, and once again I sing
Praise God from whom all blessings
flow" And, as said and repeat now,
'I will answer to Him for all my acts;
to my people for my acts as governor
and I have no apologies to make to any
man or Set of men for a single parole,
pardon or Communication that / have
granted" or for a single act that
have done since I have been governor
of South Carolina, or for a single word
have spoken whether In the state or
outside of it, firmly believing that my
pardon record for the past two years
had more to do with causing my re-
election than any other thing, because
my Heavenly Father has said that ne
would show mercy to those who them
selves showed mercy, and my people
my friends, all over the state, when
would give my reasons for pardoning
would holler well DONE" and when l
would say, II am not done yet" In de-
fiance of the Cuban mixed-breeds ana
others Of like stripe, my friends would
holler back, Turn them out" GO on
boy. you are right" and on the tWen-
ty-seventh day Of August, nineteen
hundred and twelve they proceeded TO
turn out of your body and out OF the
house of representatives many OF those
who had been loud-mouthed hollerers'
"pardoning too many people," and some
had to change front or profess to have
done so, to keep also from going out.
I said on the stump, IF you don't
want people pardoned. don't sign peti-
tions, for If proper petitions are pre-
sented 1 am going to turn more out,
and you can't help it,
| am still doing busines at room NO.
l, State House, Columbia South Car
olina, and though 1t hurts some folks
mighty bad, they can't help 1t.
Make someone else happy; why be
grouchy, mean, stingy, selfish; wake up