Law and journalism students who worked on the Montana Sedition Project met with family members and the governor at the state capitol just prior to his Proclamation of Pardon on May 3, 2006.

From left: Law students Katie Olson, Peter Lacny, Myshell Uhl, Jason Lazark, Jag and his master, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, broadcast student Bree Rafferty, law student Stuart Segrest, print grad student Caitlin Copple, Professor Clem Work, law student Laura Beth Hurd, David Gabriel (great-grandson of August Lambrecht) and law student Maggie Weamer.

Shortly after Darkest Before Dawn was published in October 2005, University of Montana Law Professor Jeff Renz read the book and suggested to the seven law students in his criminal defense clinic that they take on the project of seeking posthumous pardons for the people convicted of sedition in Montana. The students enthusiastically signed on, and were joined by three more law students. They tackled the legal issues involved, and found out more about the people who were convicted and located more family members. Three journalism students also did reporting, research and writing. In all, family members of 20 of the persons convicted have been located so far.

The formal pardon petitions were presented on April 13, 2006, to Gov. Brian Schweitzer in Helena. On May 3, 2006, in a ceremony in the capitol rotunda in Helena, Gov. Schweitzer signed the Proclamation of Pardon. Four dozen family members were in attendance, along with most of the law and journalism students who worked on the project, Professor Work and lots of well-wishers. Professor Renz was out of the country, but was there in spirit.

In one of the most moving moments of the ceremony, Drew Briner of Tahoe City, Calif., read excerpts from the memoirs of his grandfather. Herman Bausch had steadfastly refused to buy Liberty Bonds because he opposed war. A "third degree committee" of local citizens in Billings could not get him to change his mind, despite threatening to hang him from his own apple tree. But the words he used in his defense were used to convict him of sedition. Bausch spent 28 months in prison, but he did not lose his optimism. Later, he wrote: "No, I do not regret what I have done or rather what I refused to do. I have lost much, but I am more than ever in possession of my soul, my self-respect, and the love and affection of my beautiful wife .... I end with a prayer for the early establishment of world peace, for a greater humanity, a greater love among men."

• The Chicago Tribune, Dec. 28, 2005 Story by Maurice Possley. Front page • the jump

• Beaver County Times and Alleghany Times, Pennsylvania, Jan. 4, 2006 (editorial).

• The Associated Press, Jan. 9, 2006(distributed on the North American wire)Story by Sarah Cooke.

• NPR Talk of the Nation, Jan. 10, 2006

• The Austin(Minn.)Daily Herald, Jan. 14, 2006 (editorial)

• The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Jan. 23, 2006. Story by Chuck Haga.

• The Helena Independent-Record, Jan. 31, 2006 (editorial)

• The Laurel(Mont.)Outlook, Feb. 1, 2006.

• The Exponent, Montana State University, Feb. 9, 2006. Story by Meekyung MacMurdie.

• The Billings Gazette, Feb. 12, 2006. Story by Donna Healy.

• The Montana Kaimin, The University of Montana, Feb. 16, 2006. Story by Craig McCallum.

• The Missoulian, Feb. 18, 2006. Story by Ginny Merriam.

• NPR "Day to Day" show, March 7, 2006. Report by Hope Stockwell.

• The Missoulian, April 9, 2006. Story by Tristan Scott.

• The Montana Kaimin, The University of Montana, April 13, 2006. Story by Craig McCallum.

• The Billings Gazette, April 23, 2006. Story and sidebar by Donna Healy.

• The New York Times, May 3, 2006. Story by Jim Robbins.

• The Chicago Tribune, May 3, 2006. Story by Maurice Possley.

• The Associated Press, May 3, 2006. Story by Matt Gouras.

• Reuters, May 3, 2006.

• The Billings Gazette, May 3, 2006. Editorial.

• ABC News, May 3, 2006. Story by Bill Redeker.

• The Los Angeles Times, May 4, 2006. Story by John M. Barrows and Lynn Marshall.

• The Missoulian, May 4, 2006. Story by Tristan Scott.

• The Great Falls Tribune, May 4, 2006. Story by Gwen Florio.

• The Helena Independent-Record, May 4, 2006. Story by Chuck Johnson.

• The Medford (Ore.) Mail-Tribune, May 4, 2006. Story by Paul Fattig.

• The Great Falls Tribune, May 5, 2006. Editorial.

• The Walla Walla (Wash.) Union-Bulletin, May 6, 2006. Editorial.

• The Billings Gazette, May 7, 2006. Column by Chuck Johnson.

• The Vancouver (Wash.) Columbian, May 7, 2006. Editorial.

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