The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-04-05
The Amnesty Resolutions.


There seems to Lc some confusion of ideas re-
spccing the amnesty resolutions adopted by the
General Assembly during tho session whch has
just ended.
The objections urged against these resolutions
| are, FIRST, that they interfere with the right Of
the Attorney General Ia prosecute and with the
power of the Governor TO pardon second, that
they impoltic and wrong.
The law officer Of the State. charged with
The duty of prosecuting Offenders, can look only
into the suilciency OF the testimony. Ii that
be strong enough in his opinion to reasonably
secure Il conviction, his duty Is to proSeeute.-
With the propriety OF policy of such prosecution
he has nothing TO do. Especially is this the
case with the Prosecutions in question. In
these all The facts were c%amincd and all the
witnesses obtained by the Investigating commit.
tee. The briefs in the cases were made up un-
der their direction.
Now If il hc remembered iha, the iuvcSiico-
| zion was naugu.atcd by the Legislature, that it
was conducted by one OF its committees, and
that this cO:AImittcc made their report to the
I"uiHl.>,.~, "..,eNS =. I'm pc "nuiiIIcu tnat the
| Legislature has the right to express its opinion
| aS To the course of action to be followed upon
| the results Of its own work? II then the Leg
| iSlaturc uuOn receiving the report and cXamiu-
ing ~ testimony ShOuld come To the conclusion
thu; rs 90 one class of Cc;ilcrS the solutions
should &c pressed. AMI that ~ 10 another class
amnesty should lie cNtcndc l. who can co!A plain :?
Certainly npi the Attorney General. for he hal
~ concern with the motives or rolicy of the
prosecutions. Il" neither imsiiuuc: nor advised
them. lie simply acted under the direction nj
the Legislature. surely EuI the Governor. His
views were wcllAnown AMI Frequently expressed.
The solutions met with his approval.
With regard 10 the policy OF the resolutions
they received almost the unanimous Concurrence
+ both house,, in Vuc Di them attcr IN earnest
debate.
They plri'" the state II tn" prosecution Of
thc rin-lradr"s. They except oniY the tools a::d
instruments III the frauds
They open The door 40 general amnesty for
political "hc"S"S IL thus state, which may release
from persecution eight hnn"rcl ct our own
citizens.
They save the State from thc cXrcnSc attend
ing number "t prosecutions, ;hc only result of
which will h. the punishment cf persons whose
power To 30 harm has ceased.
They calm the excitement which followed the
last election AMI aid the Governor in carrying
oui his plans tor restoring peace IN the State.
and for encouraging our whoi" people To devote
their time and labor TO her material develop
meat. CHARLES u. S.N"NroN'
r,.,> C,,,.,,.,,,,> 20 rus Sr,r,,>r,..,. ,>,,
lsI,yIIrr. r--.rhc Srayi,rl,,rt and onion
r,iIr,aI v,s ori,r;r,lIv Inili Iv Tho >,,,, nr
y,.,L i.r,l;,, c., ,',;.., -, r,, ,,..,.. .....,
bonds. These bonds Wit! The roHl became the
property of Nr,srS McNI"n, A">rc'l an! lmna&.
AS the gentlemen named are mate crially im!crcS-
ted in the early completion Of the S.nramburg
and Ashcvl!c fai!ruad 0&d arc large SiucNhp.i-
in the same. Il proposition was made hy them
to President Duncan to assign to him these