The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-03-06
AMNESTY AND PARDON.
The State vs.. William Blalock and
others.

RRADE, J. There were sixteen per-
sons indicted in this case. They were
citizens of North Carolina, and during
the war they enlisted in the Federal
service, and engaged in a fight, with
arms, with certain of the Home Guards
in the Confederate service; and some
were wounded o,l both sides.-Several
interesting questions were discussed at
the Bar as to the regularity of the en-
listment and of the swearing and mus
tering in of the defendants, involving
the general question, whether they were
soldiers in the Federal service at all.
And if they were, then, whether they
were acting under orders, or were ma
RAIDERS.
But we are relieved from deciding
these complex and embarrassing ques-
tions, by reason of the fact, that since
the trial below, the Legislature has pass
ed an act of Amnesty and Pardon,
which embraces this case. We did in
deed, so far consider the facts as to ena-
BILE us to determine that the defendants
are not clearly entitled to an acquital
upon the merits, because, if they were,
they would be entitled to a new trial
to save the costs. But it is evident
that their guilt or innocence is involved
in much doubt, and we can see no good
likely to result from another trial.
The conflict of arms and political dis.
turbances through which we have pass
ed, have troubled society to its deep
foundstions.-Those who are now neigh
bors have lately been in armed hostility
and met each other with deadly pur-
pose; property and lives have been sac
rificed; those who were in command
had to compel obedience, and were
sometimes too imperious those who
had to serve were worn out and irrita-
BILE, and sometimes resistant the rapa-
cious plundered and the innocent suffer-
ed. Every one has something unpleas-
ant to remember, and many have wrongs
to revenge; criminal prosecutions and
civil suits necessarily spring out of such
past. The details, not to say the ex.
aggerations of irritating facts; the con.
tlict of witnesses the discussions be-
t;ons If nart;es tho bozord of oosts ond
6.m,oes and tho ;ni;c+;ous of ,nn;sh
manic w,onld not o,1n b., liz 81
would cause these evils to spread into
pestilence. While so many have in
errors to reoret and # will ba : oreat
nnblic GOOD If tho nost CON ho fora;;nor,
aan5 fornotton TT 80 ~ +L;s 49,
Iec;slatTre at IFS nresant session n.ssaJ
an sct which nrovides ~ P''S'NN'
A. ~.
h'e h'1 y y11,'e"y ye,'eTos d"'hesey
on.. , u ~ ~ ~ cyecers o'so soS0eers
y ute ot9ee z, Nor'"c CoToee''o, or OF
".e ~. ia'e 0c,y 9, &c o.oees armies, or
y u'e o1steeo .'emes' Jor cVe"ces COM
". M .1 o. aya'ns. "'e o r, Aa''s
p B. "., ps.ss. y n' az ~ C''1oee ,
11 ne - e1'"S St W e'e ue.1e'oS Assen'-
Ivy y Is' 1o.a s,' " Gy1aM ooro1sleu'
t ,'o ;, 20 s sn,e: Ill.,. "ee a"eofs-
" " t I'e o Iaa. i th no person VINO
a m"of . IeeE S ~ 'l'e oi'u OF military
H. ~ of ~ eiu ia; a: oni'eiS VI SOL
oftbo " bo omu r arana o m VI soi1iers
" . the io oue uaau' emeerS anu solaiers
Of the la.a PJ, Iees S anu soldiers
officers ond soId;ora oftIo 100 I..; c ~ as
sbo1l ha bold ~ $500 y. v.o y. o n' : 800
1 na"nt 81 g. u a, W a,,s"ei oii any liuict-
-, W 10y; n aoO oon1 ~ Glie oisciiarSe
on 'e9 iniPoseI w nm PufPorC-
S VI =. Dy Jaw . IA" " lne ola'e VI iaVe
oonleueea'e o'a.es Governments OF Dy
S a. VI any oroer e,llanating from any
oloe a e COMMENCEMENT EI:,:4 OF non-commls-
Sloleo Vi Cne Mllitla or Home Guard,
Vi ioca. ponce 0! Nortn carolina, or
any oIicef commissioned, or non COM
m m Oh 'ne late Confederate States
III III e' M: or 81 any oiiicer OF soldier
VI 'iie y ii,.e &c otates Government. mat
no one Oh tne ABOVE named officers or
Prlvates, VINO now are or may hereafter
De lnelcted 1or any homlcldes, felonies
or mlsaemeanors committed prior to
tne nTsc gay OF January, A. D., 1866,
snall De neld TO answer for the same,
put snail DE entltled to a full and COM
Plete amnesty pardon and discharge
from tne same upon the payment of the
costs. provided they Shall not be taxed
with the payment ofthe costs upon any
Indictment preferred against them from
and after the passage of this bill or in
other words, that no officers OF privates
in any of the above named organiza.
lions against whom no Indictment is
now pending, shall be liable to prose.
cutlon for any offence committed against
| hn v,oI l., ~