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7337130
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Remarks of the President at the Signing Ceremony of Executive Warrants for Clemency [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7337130
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Remarks of the President at the Signing Ceremony of Executive Warrants for Clemency [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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1974-11-29
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1974
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Digitized from Box 5 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 29, 1974
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT
AT THE
SIGNING CEREMONY OF
EXECUTIVE WARRANTS FOR CLEMENCY
THE CABINET ROOM
1:21 P.M. EST
First, let me, before reading the prepared
statement, thank the chairman and all the members of the
board. I know it has been a difficult job, and a tough
responsibility, but I, for one, am very grateful for
what each and every one of you have done.
On September 16, I announced my program of
clemency, and I am pleased on this Thanksgiving weekend
that I am able to announce my first decisions on recommen-
dations of the Presidential Clemency Board involving 18
individual cases of draft evasion.
I wish to thank each of you here for sharing
this ceremonial moment, and I also wish to thank the
Clemency Board members for their very hard and effective
work.
The signing ceremonies often mark the end of a
project, but today the signing represents the beginning of
the difficult task of administering clemency. Instead of
signing these decisions in a routine way, I wish to use
this occasion to underline the commitment of my Adminis-
tration to an evenhanded policy of clemency.
When I initiated the policy, I detailed the
reasons for my decision in this very difficult problem. I
consider them as valid today as when I first announced
them. We do not resolve difficult issues by ignoring
them. There are honest differences that will continue. to
be discussed, but discussions must not overshadow the
need for action and fair and open resolution of the
clemency problem.
Of the 18recommendations the board has made to
me, I have reviewed each one and have personally approved
each one. Information on these cases will be made avail-
able by the Press Office.
MORE
(OVER)
Page 2
I believe this more detailed information will
help to explain the basis for my decision in each
instance. Of course, considerable more information was
made available to the board, and to me, on which to base
these decisions, but to make public the complete files
on each individual would be a negation of his right to
privacy.
In each case, however, the law was violated and
each has received punishment. The power of the clemency
can look to reasons for these actions which the law cannot.
Unlike God's law, man's law cannot probe into the heart of
human beings. The best way we can do this is to offer
clemency and to provide a way for offenders to earn their
way back into a rightful place in society.
Last week, I traveled overseas in search for
peace. Yet, we cannot effectively seek peace abroad
with other nations until we have made peace at home.
While America reaches out to those whom we have disagreed
with in thepast, we must do no less within our own
Nation.
Sometimes it seems easier for us to forgive
foreign enemies than fellow Americans at home. Let us
continue to search for a softening of the national
animosity caused by differences over the Vietnam war. We
will not forget the sacrifices of those who served and
died in Vietnam.
In their honor, America must seek ways to live
up to the ideals of freedom and charity that they fought
to preserve. These first few decisions do not end the
unfinished business of clemency, but the task of formal
forgiveness is underway.
I hope it marks the beginning of personal
forgiveness in the hearts of all Americans troubled by
Vietnam and its aftermath.
I do want to thank all of the board members,
not only for the first-class job they have done, but the
way in which they have approached this very difficult
responsibility. I am grateful. I am sure the individuals
in the cases that are involved here are grateful, and I
think the American people will be grateful for them
assuming a difficult responsibility and performing it with
very great distinction.
I thank you, Charlie, and each of the board
members, on this occasion on behalf of all, including 213
million Americans.
Thank you very much.
END
(AT 1:28 P.M. EST)