The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-09-08
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCES;
BL.EASE MADE HIS RECORD

september 10, 1910:
"Newberry, Sept. 8, (191O-Spe-
cial: The report having been indus.
triously circulated to the effect that
II Mayor Cole l.. Blease should he
elected governor he would pardon
clients whom he had defended as al.
attorney and that he would pardon
the 'grafters' If any 'grafters' should
he convicted, the matter was today
brought to Mr.. Bleases attention.
All who know me know that this
as false. said Mr. Blease when asked
II he had any statement TO make.
but for fear that this attack upon me
may find lodgment in the minds of
some who do not know me l now
brand 1T as false. / have defended
many men charged with crime and
have defended them with all the
vigor which l possess. AS private
attorney l have sought pardons for
clients l have defended some men
charged with crimes who were my
friends and it may be that others
who are my friends may be charged
WIN iihCSs Soult VI IutHlu may De
innocent and some of them may be
guilty. AS a private attorney when
defending a man / have always used
every honorable means in his behalf
and fought for him ''to the last
ditch" But official duty is anotherI
matter. When there is official duty
10 be performed those who know me
know / would seek to do my official
duty as faithfully and as conscieII-
tiously as l have always sought to do
my private duty, whether il were in |
the defense of a man charged with
crime or in any other matter. Friend |
ship is one thing and duty is an
other. Where the two conflict there
is but one course for the honorable !
man. A nobler sentiment was never
uttered than that of Robert f. Lee
expressed in his immortal words
duty is the sublimest word in the
English language"
I think that my record as mayor
of Newberry is conclusive proof to
any one who will take the trouble to
Investigate that neither personal
friendship nor any other influence
has ever interfered with the dis
charge of what l conceive to be my
duty
IF 1 am elected governor 1 shall
exercise the pardoning power as my
conscience dictates after / have ear
nestly sought the light of truth asd
justice.
These between campaign sland-
ers which are being used against me
] do not believe will injure me but
rather do me good for the people of
this State have learned long since
that this method Of attack is coward
ly and that If there had been merit
In it 1t would have been used at some
time during the long weeks before
the first primary"
Columbia, January 9, 1915l.-
Special: All convicts paroled dur.
ing good behavior by the present
chief executive were granted full par
dons by blanket pardon issued by
Gov. Blease this afternoon through
a proclamation filed in the office of r.
M. McCown, secretary Of State. 1t is
estimated that over 1000 were af-
fected by this action, citizenship
rights being restored to fully that
number by Gov. Blease with one
stroke Of the pen.
Since assuming Office in January,
1911, the present governor has exer-
cised clemency in 1862 cases, over
1000 of which were paroles issued
during good behavior. This procla-
nation issued today gives all of these
unconditional pardons.
AN unconditional pardon was
granted w. T. Jones, the wealthy
Union farmer, who was paroled only
few weeks ago after serving part
OF life term for murder of his wife.
There were some other conditions at
tached to the parole OF Jones besides
that OF good behavior and it took
special pardon to free him"
This was nearly a week before
Gov. Blease resigned as governor"
The News and Courier points out.
Between the time this proclamation
OF general amnesty was issued and
January IA. 1915, when his resigna-
ton was submitted to the general as
sembly, the list of pardons and COM
mutations issued by Gov. Blease was