Law Of Attraction
During his imprisonment B__ has inaugurated a system of
correspondence instruction in the Ohio penitentiary, as you of course
know.
He has influenced 1729 of the 2518 prisoners of the Ohio penitentiary
to take up courses of instruction.
He has managed to beg sufficient textbooks and lesson materials with which to keep these men at work on their lessons, and has done this without a penny of expense to the state of Ohio.
The warden and the chaplain of the penitentiary tell me that he has carefully observed the prison rules. Surely a man who can influence 1729 men to turn their efforts towards their efforts toward self betterment cannot be a very bad sort of fellow. IF you have been wise and successful I congratulate you; unless you are unable to forget how successful you have been, then I pity you.
I have come to ask you to release B_ because I wish to place him at the head of a prison school that will give the 160,000 inmates of the other penitentiaries of the United States a chance to profit by his influence. I am prepared to assume full responsibility for his conduct after his release.
That is my case, but, before you give me your answer, I want you to know that I am not unmindful of the fact that your enemies will probably criticize you if you release him; in fact if you release him it may cost you many votes if you run for office again." With his fist clinched and his broad jaw set firmly Governor Vic Donahey of Ohio said: "If that is what you want with B_ I will release him if it costs me five thousand votes. However, before I sign the pardon I want you to see the Clemency Board and secure its favorable recommendation.
I
want you also to secure the favorable recommendation of the warden and the
chaplain of the Ohio penitentiary. You know a governor is amenable to the
Court of Public Opinion, and these gentlemen are the representatives of that
Court." The sale had been made! and the whole transaction had required less
than five minutes. The next day I returned to the governor's office,
accompanied by the chaplain of the Ohio penitentiary, and notified the
governor that the Clemency Board, the Warden and the Chaplain all joined in
recommending the release.
Three days later the pardon was signed and B walked through the big iron gates, a free man. I have cited the details to show you that there was nothing difficult about the transaction.