Newspaper Page Text
Ford says pardon act of mercy
By JOHN MILNE
WASHINGTON (UPI) —
President Ford says he par
doned Richard M. Nixon as an
' act of mercy and to bind the
nation’s wounds, but the reac
tion showed few wounds had
healed and the Watergate
controversy was back in the
White House.
Ford’s surprise statement
said he wanted to write a 1
conclusion to the Watergate
tragedy.
His friend and press se
cretary, J.F. terHorst, resigned
as “a matter of conscience,”
and representatives and sena
, tors had strong reactions
almost certain to end his
“honeymoon” with Congress.
Ford signed the document at
i noon Sunday. It was a “full,
free and absolute pardon unto
Richard Nixon for all offenses
( against the United
States which he, Richard
Nixon, has committed or may
have committed or taken part
* in during the period from Jan.
20,1969 through Aug. 9,1974.”
In San Clemente, Calif.,
Nixon accepted the pardon,
saying, “No words can describe
the depth of my regret and pain
at the anguish my mistakes
t over Watergate have caused
the nation and the presidency.”
He said he was wrong in not
acting “more decisively and
' more forthrightly” but the
former President did not admit
breaking the law.
White House officials denied
that there had been a deal.
“I know there was none,”
said L. William Seidman, a
, close Ford friend from Grand
Rapids. But the Chicago Tri
bune said today there had been
a “six-part package” depending
> on Nixon’s statement.
Special prosecutor Leon
Jaworski now will not be able
to seek an indictment against
' Nixon. Six months ago, a grand
jury had voted 19-0 to call
Nixon a co-conspirator in the
f Watergate cover-up, but he was
not indicted.
Legal sources said it might
help Nixon’s six aides who face
I trial Sept. 30 for the Watergate
cover-up. As one said, “I think
you can’t escape the fact that
the No. 1 man among the team
1 of top people at the White
House got away free.”
Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, R
t Ariz., called it “the only decent
and prudent course.”
Sen. George McGovern, D-
S.D., complained that Nixon
J was being granted “a pardon
while his subordinates are
being sent off to prison.”
Ford had told a news
conference last Wednesday that
a pardon for Nixon would be
“untimely and unwise” before
any charges had actually been
brought.
His old law partner and legal
counsel, Philip Buchen, told
reporters Sunday that the
President apparently made the
, decision sometime last week.
' Buchen said he checked with
Jaworski and found there were
“no time bombs” in the form of
*, new charges.
Last Thursday, Ford author
ized Washington lawyer Benton
Becker to go to San Clemente
’’ and, Buchen said, “to advise
the former President that
President Ford was intending
t to give a pardon.”
Becker, according to the
counsel, brought word of
Nixon’s plan to issue a
», statement, but the wording was
left open. Buchen said he
considers Nixon’s statement
“an act of contrition.”
‘ ’ Ford had deliberately chosen
Sunday for his statement.
Instead of services at the
» seminary near his old home in
’ Alexandria, he went to holy
communion at St. John’s
church, where Presidents since
’ »James Madison have wor
shiped.
He had not told his wife,
, Betty, of his decision. Through
CHIROPRACTIC
Gets Sick
B-j *4 People Well
bj—- ' Without
Drugs
B £ flb or Surgery
■B v ■»
Dr. John S. Arnold
Closed Wednesday and
Saturday afternoons.
Office 227-3343
Residence 227-3654
ft . John S. Arnold
434 South Bth Street
an aide, she later said Ford
“gave a great deal of thought”
to a pardon.
His-statement was full of
references to prayer and
conscience, to the tragedy of
Nixon and his family, to the
Watergate allegations that
“hang like a sword over our
former President’s head,
threatening his health as he
tries to reshape his life.”
Buchen said Jaworski had
predicted a Nixon trial could
not begin for at least nine
months.
ni . rl . nrl l
WBBBy ■ THRIFTY MAID ■ MAXWELL fIW LABEL ■
VO I SUGAR
I 4F/RHHBM ■ LIMITmEWITH » seo,IMmco, " ,ER 5H533 UMIT ONE OF YOUR CHOICE ■ irfc ■ fclWWfcBW ■
JI gsrjteJ WITH iT.SO OR MORE ORDER
MLWI3 Lg>M $l6B lip ARtfR I tfWR I
® 518 B I I
GRA J |B B| CHOICE nnv
"THE BEEF PEOPLE" M ’3 MME ■ J
MONDAY, SEPT. 9 THRU 2T-73X W I
SATURDAY, SEPT. 14,1974
p s £^ m 4 nBL ]
3 i 5229 2 29 ftf~78 c J
WINN-DIXIE i Chili with Beans ■ ■ CAN 49c JWIBIWw
If I I ■ good
TRAINS YOU FOR z.™ «8c
A CAREER. Tuna 2SS *I.OO BrnrlM
Instant Nestea 99c
I I Bounty Towels... 2 S 88c BBSr W?
Corn Meal Mix 79c " fS
Bar-B-Que Sauce. 3 "ns SI.OO V B
THRIFTY MAID
It s just a real good company to work f0r..." Sliced Peaches.. .2 ( INS SI.OO
NELL MATHEWS , -■
d
PPP ■ >■ I MRS. FILBERTS GOLDEN QUARTERS
SEE A Margarine K 59c
STORE MANA6ER LUW ™ »
|OD MI - t BB t ,B » 1 w. W ' L krah parkay
■ Virfl I y i J i 1 k ieoz
V s ■ | ] B a Squeeze Margarine btl 69c
THRIFTY MAID NATURAL
Apple Juice ....2 cm 88c
TRORCALSTR.WBennv F A IIJI
Preserves Z 2 99c, RMME I p ■Bf IpP Y °9 urt 4 ™ re s l - 00
dixie DARUNG-s/n'fZfe CHEX gJJM I P [fl H Biscuits ...4 cm sl.oo
PANTY L" B BlLluß iB 70
||OSE PAIR
OCEAN SPRAY CRANAPPLE JUICE OR
i H k F vanish toilet
Bowl Cleaner 'br 98c
N J I ■ . I I I HEFTY QUART SIZE • J • 1 "W | W I P
F° od Storage Bags ■ ■ 0F35 55c
nA-, J-a I CHEF BOY AR DEE S l<- ’ ,* '
Cheese 79c
MBW W p N B Chili Dogs ““ 65c I HB B
Window 63c
“I am compelled to conclude
that many rfionths and perhaps
more years will have to pass
before Richard Nixon would
obtain a fair trial,” Ford said.
“During this long period of
delay and potential litigation,
ugly passions would again be
aroused. And our people would
again be polarized in their
opinions.
“And the credibility of our
free institutions of government
. would again be challenged at
home and abroad.”
Then Ford went to play golf
as the White House switchboard
began ringing with “angry
calls, heavy and constant,” of
those opposed to a pardon.
At his vice presidential
nomination hearings he had
been asked about pardon and
predicted “the country wouldn’t
stand for it.”
As he resigned, terHorst said
he could not “credibly defend”
Nixon’s pardon “in the absence
of pardons for those who
evaded the Vietnam war in
good conscience and former
Nixon aides who have suffered
under the same Watergate”
troubles.
ABLES UPHOLSTERY
\ 1231 Old Atlanta Rd.
• UPHOLSTERING • REFINISHING
• RESTORING • REPAIRING
All Kinds Scotchguard Material
ALSO Naugahyde
228-4962
Page 5
“I deeply regret Jerry
terHorst’s decision,” said Ford.
— Griffin Daily News Monday, Septembers 197-4
SPECIAL SALE
Aluminum Siding
All and Material Furnished
"▼QCOO Average Home
10 Squares
30 Year Written Factory Guarantee
Aluminum Windows
27 90 Small Installation Charge
Made Any Size To Replace Old Windows
Phone - Mr. Peterson - 227-6416
->r»x>noe>!=oe>»SZ>0©000000C00000000<XX>00O0«>00Q<