^Lot 12 George W. Bush

TLS, one page, 8.5 x 11, State of Texas letterhead, March 21, 1998. Letter to Pastor Gary Rice at the Community Baptist Church. In full: “Thank you for your good letter of March 1, 1998 asking me about squaring my Christian faith with my decision in regard to the capital punishment case of Carla Faye Tucker. I can assure you that as Governor the death of an inmate is the most sobering responsibility I must undertake. I build my life on a foundation that will not shift. My faith frees me to put a problem in proper perspective. It frees me to make decisions that others might not like. The death penalty is a difficult issue for supporters as well as its detractors. I have a reverence for life; my faith teaches that life is a gift from our Creator. In a perfect world, life is given by God and only taken by God. However, I have Texas law to uphold. I support the death penalty because I believe, if administered swiftly and justly, capital punishment is a deterrent against future violence and will save other innocent lives. Some will challenge why I oppose abortion yet support the death penalty. But to me, it's the difference between innocence and guilt.” In fine condition. During his tenure, Bush signed the execution warrants for more death row inmates than any other Governor in the history of Texas and the state executed 152 prisoners during his term, more than any governor in modern American history.