Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-31
THE PARDON OF COLONEL NEAL.
Governor McSweeney Makes q Gen
ernl Reply to His Critics.

Governor McSweeney yesterday made
public. statement in regard to the
criticisms that have recently been made
Of his exercise Of the pardoning power.
criticisms that have beee.~~very pro-
nounced since his action in the case of
sG>.ts: Heal. In giving his statement to
the press yesterday he remarked: II
do what I believe to be right, irrespec-
tive Of Judge. jury or anybody. When
get so that I have to truckle to any
body In the exercise Of the power given
me by the people, then want to step
down and out Of the Office Of governor"
In the statement given yesterday the
governor says that any governor is
subject to criticism, and that 1t Is well
that men in public office should be crit
icised; but he seems to think that
some Of the criticisms that have been
made against him are unfair and un-
just. and are largely the result Of not
knowing real conditions. He wishes 1t
understood, he says, once and for all
time, that all pardons he has issued
are subject to criticism. and he would
like everyone to look into the matter OF
the pardons granted by him and COM
pare them with those Of other govern
ors. He says that when a pardon ap-
plication reaches his Office 1t Is not
pigeonholed; but Is acted on. and II he
had pigeonholed applications as others
had that it might be easier for him;
to meet issues as they come up. He
says 1t Is doing him a gross injustice
to intimate that any pardon Is in any
way connected with politics. He says
that he has never done any official act
because Of the politics there was In 1t,
and insists that he is in no combina-
tion and has never been and he does
not think of combinations or politics.
He wants 1t understood that he has
not been in any political alliance with
Col. Neal or any Of his friends. or for
that matter with anyone else. Col.
Neal, he says, has always been op-
posed to him and worked against him
in his candidacy for lieutenant gov
ernor: and the only time that Col. Neal
ever approached him on political
matter was when he asked him to take
$500 stock in a newspaper enterprise,
which he absolutely refused to do, and
then he had the prospect Of the more
intense opposition Of Col. Neal.
Gov. McSweeney says that he has Of
ten acted on applications for pardons
without referring them to judges or
solicitors, when he thought the merits
of the case warranted his action, and
that in a number of instances-the
Pons case for instance-he went direct
ly contrary to the recommendation of
the Judge and solicitor who wished the
pardon granted, which he refused.
Gov. McSweeney says that so far as
there being any political deal or COM
bination, or anything of the sort, he
wants it understood that he has not
now, never has had, and never expects
to have any with Col. Neal, McLaurin
or anyone else. He Is responsible for
his pardons to the general assembly,
and to the people and to no one else.
The pardon of Col. Neal he says,
was granted more on account of Col.
Meals wife and family than because Of
Col. Neal himself" and that view Of
the matter he thought had been taken
by most of those who urged the grant
ing of the pardon.
Gov. McSweeney says that he does
not expect to take up the specific in
Nsinuations and attacks that have been
made on him for granting the Neal par
don.-Columbia State, August q.