The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-01-25

GREENyILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, JANUARY 2s. 1s7l.

hands Cf tile Solicitor the day
that the court opens, and if a true
bill iss found, he goes on with the
trial with. a slight and imperfect
preparation thus made; nor can
the Solicitor be. blamed. He has
many courts to attend very many
cases to prepare; has not had op-
portunity to learn the circumstan.
ces Of his case, or the character of
his testimony. Now, in ordinary
times, when cases of violence are
rare, shock the humanity of pub.
lie opinion, and excite the indig-
'nant activity of those who are in.
terested in the suffering parties,
this labor of preparation was spar.
ed the Solicitor. because he al
ways had an individual prosecutor
behind him. But when the crime
is one in which the sympathy of
public opinion is not warmly in.
teresied. or where a disturbed con.
dition of popular sentiment is not
disposed actively to assist public
Justice, or where the parties suf.
fering are too friendless to make
themselves heard, then the duty
OF the Solicitor, while it becomes
more imperative, also becomes
more difficult. To do Justice, he
needs larger powers, and more as.
sistance. - f-'F,' ~ ...
would, therefore, recommend
more complete and efficient or
ganization OF the machinery neces.
sary for the administration OF
criminal justice. The ATTORNEY
General is the proper representa-.
tative OF the criminal justice of the
State, and he should have the an
thority, not only as at present to
consult and advise with the Solic.
itors, but to review and direct
their action. They should be re.
CURED to report to him regularly
the condition of the prosecutions in
their respective circuits, and to be
governed by his instructions
whenever he may deem it Judi
cious to issue them. He should
also have the power, whenever in
his opinion the importance of the
ense --1-i.~~ Ia, W retain assist
ant counsel, and see that the State
is fully and efficiently represent
l think, also, that a corps of
Detective Police Officers, should
be placed under his control, to be
used by him and the Solicitors as
occasion may require. | do not
propose that these officers should
have any power of arrest This
responsibility must be assumed by
the law officers OF the State. But
the crimes from which society is
suffering can never be suppressed
without some efficient organiza.
tion by which the preliminary in
vestigations can be conduct d, the
traces OF guilt promptly followed
up, and such testimony procured
as will justify prosecuting officer
in asking from conscientious iuries
verdict of conviction. Neither
the Attorney General, nor the So.
hcitors, can give more than q gen
eral superintendent and skilful
direction to such investigations.
and they need the aid of body
OF discreet, practiced and temper.
ate-minded men to perform this
important duty. AS the Attorney
General and the Solicitors are
elected by the people, they have
II III their power to select men in
whose character they will find
sufficient guarantee that this pow
er will not be abused.
10 carry out this plan, would
reqnire that a contingent fund,
to meet it's expense, be
placed at the control OF the Attor-
ney General, which l therefore re.
commend.
l think it proper also to call to
your attention the fact, that the
Judicial District in which these
disturbances are most fiagrant is
practically without a Judge. The
presiding Judge of that circuit is
now under impeachment before
the Senate for high crimes and
misdemeanors, and while it would
not become me to anticipate this
solemn trial, yet / cannot forbear
saying that nothing would contrib
ute more effectively or more speed.
lily to the restoration of order than
the presence in the courts of this
circuit, of o magistrate who shall
possess the ability to know his
duty, the-resoluticn to do this duty,
and that high character, which is
in itself a pillar of strength to the
good, and a living admonition to
evil,doers.
Nor, can I leave this subject
without expressing nv regret that