The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-15
A Convict or Two.

A LOnVlCL or lWO.
We have always believed that genuine and
thorough reform in South Carolina needed the
active cooperation of the judiciary before it
can be made permanent and substantial. A
conviction of some of the principal thieves
and their incarceration within the walls of the
penitentiary is absolutely necessary to deter
the criminal practices which rendered the
State government Infamous for so many years.
One or two wholesome sentences imposed upon
public plunderers would make the way easier
for honest men to secure control of public af-
fairs. The miserable attempts of this kind last
year were confined mainly to the petty thieves
in various counties, while the wholesale plum
derers of the State were unnoticed or screened
from the clutches of the law by technical plead
ings The number of convictions, too, we're
rendered useless by the shameless abuse of the
pardoning power, which was held by one OF
the chief plunderers at that time But this
abortive reason no longer exists, and Gov.
Chamberlain stands ready to discharge his
duty by allowing the criminals to remain where
the judiciary sends them, unless the most ur-
gent and satisfactory reasons are assigned for
his interference. The records are accessible for
this purpose, and the time is propitious to begin
crusade against. the thieves. 1t is vital and
important work which should not be neglected,
and the Tax Unions were primarily organized
to effect this end. We are yet anxious to wit
A. ;t. oc n 1Hch off rfc
in this direction.
These remarks are suggested by recent
editorial in the Columbia Union- Herald, which
calls attention to the fact that Gov. Tilden has
recently pardoned Ingersoll, who was convicted
with Tweed and sentenced to five years in the
penitentiary for defrauding the city of New
York. This pardon was granted in order to
use him as witness in civil suits against
Tweed, Connolly and the rest of the old Tam
many ring Gov. Tilden was one of the chief
instruments in destroying this band of plum
derers, and rescuing the city of New York
from their grasp The proceedings now pro-
posed are under new law which authorizes
an attachment concurrently with the order OF
arrest, and which facilitates the commencement
of suits in the name of the people against pub
lie robbers.
One of the first acts of the General Assem-
bly, next winter ought to be the passage of
similar law. Who will be the first to win fame
by introducing it? Our contemporary has
sent for copy of the New York law, and
kindly offers to furnish copy to any of our
legislature solons willing to begin this practi-
cal and enduring measure of reform. The
editor of the Union Herald concludes as fol-
lows: awe have pretty large crowd of con-
victed thieves in our penitentiary, but most of
them are in for stealing chickens, pigs, cotton
or, at most, mule. Is it not about time that
8 start was made toward catching big fellow !?
Tweed has almost made the fortune of his jailer
by fees received for sight of him. There are
several men now at large in South Carolina
that we would be quite willing to pay quarter
to see gazing through the iron bars or chipping
stone on the banks of the raging canal below
town." To all of which we give an emphatic
amen