The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-11-10
Peacock or Crow {!

COnricr contained an article, the
burden of which was the question
whether Rcformcrs Melton and
Dunn were pcacocks or crows,
whether they were cndcavoring to
make little cheap capital out of
Parker, IL political carcass of whom
it has been said ''ho has been dead
SO long TINT he stinkoth." Our cou-
temporary was dispoHcd to come to
tho conclusion that the aforesaid
gentlemen were crows, and the
course of these gentlemen Of late has
not been Hncl ns to cause the mul-
titudo to convict the -Ncws &c
Co~rier of error.
We have IL word to say this morn
ing about Attorney General Melton.
Attorney General Melton joined the
republican party II good many years
ago for the purpose Of purifying and
reforming it. He claims to have
been actively cnsagcd i'll that work
ever since, If 80. he is not Her
cnlcs, for the Augcan stable still
rcckS with filth. We might give Mr..
Melton credit for earnest en-.
dcavors, at least, and FREQ him from
nll blame for the failure, for it is not
in the power Of mortnls to command
success. They cnn only deserve it.
But we have not seen enough to
make us believe that the Attorney
General is without blnmo lie has
boon found wanting in MANY res
poets. 1t is the duty Of the Attor
ncy General to prosecute vigorously
every delinquent official, and Heaven
knows there arc mahy Of these in
South Carolina. Now let us sec
what the Attorney General has done.
He went to Orangcburg in the
Moses. Iiumbcrt cmbroglio. anI sue
cccdcd i'll getting safely into tho
pcnitcntinry the only party who
could testify against Moses. He
prosecuted civil suit against Parker
vigorously. But when the warrant
was issued for criminal prosecution,
no failed to appear before tho trial
justice, and Parker escaped on the
wings of the MOI ming. Parker loft
II bond for 81 900, perfectly good it
is said. Yct that bond cannot DO
cstrcatcd until an Indictment shall
have lHcn presented to tho grand
jury, IL tr,c bill found thereon, the
ease called in court, and the defen
dant found absent. And though the
grand jury Of Ricllun,! have bocn in
session recently, no bill was given
out, and no steps have been taken
to save that small pittance in lieu
Of the thousands of which Parker
robbed the State. Without Gnu
mcrating any other cases, VIC will
mention one particularly, that of the
State rs. II. A. Smith. Now Mr.
Smith was guilty or not guilty, and
it was due tho public and himself
that the matter should be decided.
When the trial was first had, Attor-
noy General Melton appeared in per
son and made very eloquent little
speech, speaking Of the cordons
after cordons that surrounded the
state treasury, and of the light that
never was cXtinguishcd and how the
Executive Wov. Moscs) was the only
obstacle i'll the way Of reform. and
how when the idcs of November
November shall have passed what
short work he WAS going to make Of
all dishonest officials
The itlcs of November did come
and with them governor, who,
whatever may be his faults, has done
much towards reforming officials.
lie does not prostitute tho par
doning power, therefore the Attorney
/ General need havo no fear Of toiling
! Tor nothing. 1t might have been
supposed that the Attorney General
would now movc on. But no did
not When tho case Of the State VS..
Smith was called again, tho Attorney
General WAS so busy prosecuting an
ex-Countv Commissioner or SO who
had cheated in tho matter of bridrc,
that he could not como up. And at
this time, hc utterly fails to put in
an appearance, and wo have it from