"Pardons".

Title

"Pardons".

Source Type

Newspaper.

Author

N/A.

Publisher

Southern Republican.

Publication Place

Demopolis, AL.

Publication Date

December 29, 1869.

Transcript

The Governor has just pardoned M. C. Perras, who at the last term of the Perry County Circuit Court was found guilty of the murder of a colored man named Jordan Edward, and sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary. This, we believe, is the last of the long list of pardons granted by the Governor during his short term of office. Such frequent and uncalled for uses of the pardoning power have given rise to many complaints from different pairs of the State, and render the execution of the law more difficult and less desirable. The greater part of the Governor's message to the Legislature at the commencement of its present session was an attempt to demonstrate that if officers and citizens did their duty the laws would be enforced without difficulty, but in the case above mentioned every officer did his duty -- the murder was committed in broad day light on the streets of Marion, the murderer was immediately arrested by the sheriff, without even waiting for a warrant from the courts, and in due time the case was tried; the prisoner convicted and sentence pronounced, but no sooner done than the Executive steps in and stops the execution of the law and turns the criminal loose. If this was an exceptional case we would not say a word, but from all parts of the State we hear complaints of similar misuses of the pardoning power vested in the Executive. There is throughout the State too much sentimental sympathy with crime and criminals, rendering it almost impossible to find a jury who will convict of crime except upon the most positive proof. Now, if when convictions are made, criminals are to be turned loose, indiscriminately, we may as well abolish courts and save the expense of juries and court officers. In ninety-nine cases in a hundred no injustice will be done if the law is permitted to take its course without Executive interference. It is true that the exercise of the pardoning power may sometimes be advisible, but we must enter our solemn protest against its present wholesale and apparently indiscriminate use. There is now in effect no punishment for the highest crimes known to the laws of this State, and as a consquence, they are on the increase, for which the Governor may thank his mistaken sympathy for criminals and too free use of the pardoning power.

Sources for

105-18690221.