The several courts in which a cause is finally adjudged are authorized, either before or after final judgment, for good cause, to release the defendants, or any one (1) or more of them, from the whole or any part of fines or forfeitures accruing to the county or state.
Code 1858, § 5251; Shan., § 7226; Code 1932, § 11813; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), §§ 40-3201, 40-3202.