The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-05-08
Reported Exchange of Prisoners.

1t was recently intimated by Senator
Blaine that there had been an agreement
entered into between the Government
of South Carolina and the Government
OF the United States for an exchange of
prisoners. The party Of the first part
was to pardon Cardozo and Smalls and
not press the prosecution of other noted
Radicals, and the party of the second
part was to discontinue proceedings
against the Democrats for alleged politi-
cal offenses. This view of the case was
also taken by the Charleston correspon-
dent of the New York Tribune, who tcle-
graphed that journal few days ago that
Sin consequence of satisfactory under
standing the vexatious prosecutions in
State Courts of the Republicans, inclu-
ding Ex-Governor Chamberlain, would
be finally dropped, the District Attorney
agreed to postpone further consideration
of the election cases." The Washington
Republican, however, Indignantly denies
that any such arrangement was made by
the consent or c0nniUance of the attorney
General. The truth of the Republicans
denial may be admitted without affecting
the accuracy of the intimation made by
Senator Blaine and of the statement
given to the Tribune by its Charleston
correspondent. Though the matter was
one that came properly within the juris-
diction of the Department of Justice, it
is probable that Mr.. Deyens was not con-
suited. 1t has been rumored that the
negotiations on the part of the National
Administration were conducted by Mr..
Evarts, the Secretary of State. If such
treaty was made we do not see how the
authorities of South Carolina can be CEN
sured for their share in the transaction.
1t is true that Smalls, Cardozo, Chamber
lain & Co. were not charged with politi-
cal offenses but with crime involving
moral turpitude-parsonal dishonesty
and it is equally true that they richly de-
served to be punished as common felons.
But on the other hand large number of
the good citizens of the State had been
arrested charged with the commission of
political offenses. That they were
wholly innocent would avail them little.
They were to be tried by Court organ
lied to convict. BY applying the test
oath to jurors the jury was to be packed
and partisan Judge was to preside and
by his rulings close every avenue of
escape to the accused. Indeed, the test
oath was applied, the jury was packed,
the partisan rulings were made and two
or three of the defendants were convicted
before the time at which it is said the
Judge and the District Attorney received
light from Washington. But suddenly
the Court discovered the defects of the
indictments, the insuficiency of the evi-
dence; the District Attorney became
10th to put the Government to the ex-
pense Of pushing the prosecutions, and,
after four OF the defendants had been ac-
quilted, asked to have the cases against
the others continued until November.
There is good reason to believe that they
never will be brought to trial again. 1t
is better to have all the thieves of the
Radical regime escape the punishment of
their crimes than to have one innocent
citizen sent to Northern dungeon. 1t
is bad that guilty men should 60 un-
whipped Of justice, but is far worse for
the innocent to suiIer.-.Augusta Chron-
| icIe and Consttutionaiif.