PARDONS

I have had no experience in making laws or amending them, but still I cannot understand why, when it takes twelve men to inflict the death penalty upon a person, it should take any less than twelve more to undo their work. If I were a legislature, & had just been elected & had not had time to sell out, I would put the pardoning & commuting power into the hands of twelve able men instead of dumping so huge a burden upon the shoulders of one poor petition-persecuted individual.
- Letter to Whitelaw Reid, March 7, 1873