The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-11-17
The Graham Pardon.

The unconditional pardon Of Horace
II. Graham by Governor Clement inn
mediately following his sentence at
the hands OF the supreme court, will
be received with two distinct and con.
trary reactions Those who held the
former state auditor as a criminal de-
serving no special consideration, but
rather the contrary, as one proving
raise to q nigh trust, who repaid pub
lie honor with personal dishonor;
those who feared the i'll effects IL
events did not take their natural
course; those who wanted an example
made sufficient to demonstrate that
there Is but one law for high and low
these will condemn the governor
and perhaps inpugn his motives. On
the other hand those who from the
first have questioned whether Mr. Ora
ham really intended to rob the state
who recognized his long and valuable
| public service as a plan is Offset who
| held that the runln that has come to
him by reason OF his course ought not
to have added to it the prison cell
these Will Justify and applaud Cover
nor Clement for his action
We class ourself among the latter
We never regarded Horace Graham as
a thief For years, under the system
then IN vogue, he had state moneys in
his possession We believe he intend.
ed upon leaving office. to balance the
account, as others had done. But bust
ness misfortune overlook him and he
could not, 1t was unwise wrong, for
/ him to become so involved, but there
was lacking the intent to defraud the
state. If within q reasonable time he
had voluntarily made good the short.
age, he would not have been accused
establishing the fact Of his guiltless.
ness. II was not the taking. but the
inability to restore, that made him
trouble. And finally. through the as
sistance OF his friends he did restore
all that had been taken, as we under
stand
Nor can we overlook the distinguish
cd, the invaluable service which for
the greater part Of his active life he
rendered Vermont. He was an extra,
ordinary public servant, able. fearless
efficient He who labored so faithful
NY, so diligently. so loyalty for Ver.
mont could not have been in motive
false and recreant. Such combna
ton does not. can not. exist in the
same individual
And what an awful penalty Horace
+. Graham has already paid for what
ever wrong he committed. From the
first citizen Of this state, with what
ever further advancement he might de
sire his fer the mere asking, or the
consent to serve, he has fallen to a
plane of dishonor and disgrace. The
dearest thing that life holds has beer
forfeited Is II not enough without
adding the felon's cell.
Governor Clement during his term
of Office has done some radical things
He has not always pleased or satisfied
the majority. ilut this thing is to his
credible has never shrunk from do
ing what he believed to be just and
right on account Of criticism or up
position bound to follow We like
such public otiicials-nen who stand
TO their guns to the end. Drawing out
cry. Timid, whiting. yacillating Of
ticials, anxious merely to satisfy 9
transitory and often i'll informed pub
lie opinion are the real sources oil
weak government. And at the end the
people have more regard for a strong
personality, even though he may al
times offend them than for the other
kind 1t took much courage on the
part Of Governor Clemnt to interpose
the Graham pardon. We believe he
did IL from proper motives, and that
the future will Justify his course
Randolph Herald and News.