“To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to forgive them is c...” — Maximilien Robespierre Quote

To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to forgive them is cruelty.

Crime butchers innocence to secure a throne, and innocence struggles with all its might against the attempts of crime.

The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.

Any institution which does not suppose the people good, and the magistrate corruptible, is evil.

Atheism is aristocratic; the idea of a great Being that watches over oppressed innocence and punishes triumphant crime is altogether popular.

The uniqueness of executive clemency lies in the president's power to act without weighing guilt, innocence and legal principle.

Clemency is the noblest trait which can reveal a true monarch to the world.

After all, clemency is by nature outside the rule of law. When conferred upon those already convicted of crimes, it unravels the decision of citizen-jurors who found guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

I hope that a move toward clemency with Judge Afiuni would be a step towards the importance of maintaining a properly functioning justice system.

Refusing to grant clemency is a failure of one of the most basic jobs of being governor.