The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-02-11


missioners of said county, and
shall exercise ali the powers and
discharge all the duties imposed
on the County Commissioners
under the general laws of this
State. Each of said County
Commissioners shall receive as
compensation for his services
the salary as now provided by
law for the County Commission
ers of Clarendon county.
Governor Blease, after hear
ing the argument by myself, ac-
companied by a letter from Judge
Gary endorsed by Solicitor Stoll,
commuted the sentence Of }. J.
Nettles, convicted at the last
term of court, from three months
on the gang to fine Of 500,
with the understanding that
when the fine was paid, and a
certificate from the clerk of court
showing the fine to have been
paid, q full pardon would be
granted. The fine has been paid,
and Mr.. Nettles is pardoned.
thus restoring to him his citizen
ship. I have no criticism to make
of the jury that sat upon this
case. they no doubt did their
conscientious duty as they saw
it, but from my knowledge Of
the case. and the information |
have of the testimony: I cannot
see how they could reach a con-
clusion that he was guilty of a
breach Of trust with fraudulent
intent. II Mr.. Nettles was liable
for anything it was for a civil
action, but not a criminal action,
and I feel a great injustice has
been done a good citizen who
unfortunately had reverses IN
his business relations and over
which he had no control. Had he
not been thrown into bankruptcy
about that time, or had the Bank
of Manning received the check
the prosecutor claims to have
sent it, | am sure from what [
have been told by the bank
officials there would never have
been a warrant sworn out, and
to show that the prosecutor did
not regard Mr., Nettles' action as
criminal, be entrusted Mr.. Net
ties with securities and money
after the check in question had
gone to protest. This is one case
where a good citizen became the
victim of a jury's failure to dis
criminate between a willful and
an unintentional violation of the
law, and tho exercise Of the gov
ernor's constitutional preroga-
tive in this case must meet with
general commendation.
Next week a great part of the
time will be taken up with the
consideration of such bills as
the Primary Reform and the
Fortner bills. I do not know
what action the general assem-
bly, will take on the primary
bill, there are a number Of them,
but it matters not whose bill
gets through, if it proposes to
make any radical changes, or
attempts to deprive any class of
white men from voting, either
by terms or in practice, it will
be vetoed by the governor and
bis veto will be sustained, is my
oninion. The masses are not
wanting any radical changes,
personally I think this hurrah
about reforming the primary is
political fap-trap,. it does not
come from the successful in pol
ltics, but elnanatcs largely from
the disappointed, however, I
would not object to some changes
in the rules, but this does not
need legislation, it can be done
by the party convention, the
proper tribunal for party regu::
lation. I would like to see the
convention make the basis Of
representation to conventions,
the vote taken at the previous
primary, in order to prevent
padded club rolls from getting
representation they do not de-
serve; for example, take the
Farmers Platform club at Man
ming with a roll of about 70Oi
names, many of these names are
on other rolls in the town, and
in the country, these names are
getting more than their proper
ton of representation, it should
NOT he sav there are 1000 voters !