The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-04-06
TIfE AMNESTY RESOL UTIONS.
Their Reason, Operation and Expected
Effect

Ihelr Reason, Operation and Expected
Effect.
Hon. Charles II. Simonton has
written the following explanation
of the amnesty resolutions passed
by the Legislature, Of which he is
the author:
There seems to be some confusion
OF ideas respecting the amnesty
resolutions adopted by the General
Assembly during the session which
has just ended.
The objections urged against
these resolutions are, first, that
they interfere with the right of the
attorney general to prosecute and
with the power of the governor to
pardon; second, that they ore i'm
polite and wrong.
The law officer of the State
charged with the duty of prosecut~
ing offenders, Gun look only into the
sutficiency Of the testimony. If
that be strong enough in his opinion
to reasonably secure a conviction,
his duty is to prosecute. With the
propriety or policy Of such prose. =.
cution he has nothing to do.
Especially is this the case with the
prosecutions in question. In these
all the facts were examined and all
the witnesses obtained by the
investigating committee. The briefs
III the cases were made up under
their direction.
Now, if it be remembered that
the investigation was inaugurated
by the Legislature, that it was
conducted by one of it's committees,
and that this committee made their
report to the Legislature, surely it
will be admitted that the Legisla-
ture has the right to express it's
opinion as to the course of action
to be followed upon the results of
its own work.
If, then, the Legislature, upon
receiving the report and examining
the testimony, should come to tho
conclusion that as to one class of
offenders the prosecutions should
be pressed, and that as to another
class amnesty should be extended,
who can complain Certainly not
the attorney-general, for he had no
concern with the motives or policy
of the prosecutions. He neither
instituted nor advised them. He
simply acted under the directions
of the Legislature. Surely not the
governor. His views we're we'll
known and frequently expressed.
The resolutions met with his ap-
proval.
With regard to the policy of the
resolutions, they received almost
the unanimous concurrence of both
houses, in one of them after an
earnest debate.
They pledge the State to the
prosecution Of the ringleaders.
They except only the tools and
instruments in the frauds.
They open the door to general
amnesty for political offenses in
this State, which may release from
prosecution eight hundred of our
own citizens.
They save the State from the
expense attending number of
prosecutions, the only result of
which will be the punishment of
persons whose power to harm has
ceased.
They calm the excitement which
followed the last election, and hid
the governor in carrying out his
plans for restoring peace in the
State, and for encouraging our
whole people to devote their time
and labor to her material Develop
ment. CHARLES H. SIMoNToN.
YOU'VE G1RLs.-Our young girls
do not understand the witchery of
bright eyes and rosy lips, but set off
their beauty by all the artificial
means which lie in their power,
never rejecting that by so doing
they destroy their principal charm,
that Of innocence. Their rounded
cheeks, the bright eyes, the waving
hair of q girl in her teens need only
the simplest setting. Rich fabrics
and sumptuous adorning are more
for the matron, her. dress gaining
in ample fold and graceful sweep as
she puts on the digrity of years.
The seasons teach us something
here, if we go to nature for an object
lesson. How different her charm
from tha 4. on nhatnrinot ut1,,,noar