The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-02-04
The Attorney-General's Report.

We are indebted to the courtesy
of the very able and learned Attor'
l.ney-General, Hon. S. W. Melton'
;:for a copy of his interesting An
nual Report made to the General
Assembly, in pursuance OF the
General Statutes, which require
him to submit a report of all cases
: conducted by him before the Su-
: preme Court and the Circuit Courts
during the past year, "with such
t.other information in relation to the
tjcriminal law, and such observa-
~tions and statements, as in his opln-
ion the criminal jurisdiction and
the proper and economical admin
eistration of the criminal law war
.drant and require"
!. The Report of the Attorney-Gen-
.eral adverts to the fact, that during
4the past year, the cases to which
;ethe State has been party, have
.exceedcd in number and. impor-
,tance the litigation of any previous
Iyear, and even of any previous
,Iterm excepting that of his imme-
;diate predecessor. This he attrlb,
iutes to the bankrupt condition OF
the people at the close of the war;
the introduction Of new element
into our social system, and "thc
adoption of q new fundamental
law, supplemented by legislation,
making radical, and at times i'll,
adapted changes in our municipal
government, and demanding a re-
luctant, it not ill-tempered obe-
dience." These have imposed
grave duties and responsibilities
upon the. Office, requiring for their
proper discharge the employment
of: able assistant counsel, which the
limited Legislative appropriation
ito this department precludes. A
new aud larger appropriation the
:Attorney!!G General regards to be q
matter. of imperative necessity, and
he recommends that he bc author
lied out of such fund, to employ
an assistant of his own selection
This appointment is demanded a:
we'll by the number and importance
of the cases now pending as by the
largely increased business which is
anticipated. An idea of this last
may be obtained from the late Re
sport of the Comptroller-Genera1
which exhibits a deficit S445,00C
due on LIST Nov. 1872, and urac'
counted for by County Treasures
in Office since 1867. The matter Of
the Land Commissioner will also
develop the necessity of extended
litigation to protect the interests Of
the State.
/: Tie Attorney-General recon-
mends as means of increasing the
lemciencyof the administration OF
1.-THE criminal law, that the duties OF
"a public prosecutor be devolved
upon one of the county officrrs-
the Coroner perhaps more properly
thar any other-who shall enquire
into and present all Offences and at
tend upon each term of the Court
and assist the prosecuting attorney
With regard to the duties of the
Jury Commissioner, he suggest:
that d majority OF the Board b!
authorized to act, that these duties
= he directory and not mandatory al
to tinfe and manner, and that some
punishment be imposed for neglec
of duty: He also suggests that tn
Roatd be- made to consist of tn
Clerk, the Auditor, and Commits
sioner appointed by the Judge, AM
i'm case of failure to act, then o
temporary Commissioner appointe'
by the Court. In the opinion o
the Acknowledgement the fnancia
embarrassment of the several coun
ties can only be avoided by follow
ing, the plain provisions of tn
Constitution, making it the duty .
disb,Esihg officers to apply the put
lie funds strictly to the purposes TO
which they were levied-keepin