Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-09-07

| Charge Il CAisf y,ssiss Hewitt y Tie
| Grand Jury.
Gentlemen Of tie Grand Juy:-I
have no doubt many of you have be-
fore sit upon Grand Juries, asd are &C
quainted with the general duties of that
exceedingly important and delicate
trust To some of you, however, the
position is perhaps 40 novel - the one
il which l lind myself placed, charging
for the first time Grand Jury Of the
Territory Of Washington, upon che
laws which shall guide them in the dis
charge Of their duties under the solemn
oath they have taken. 1t is great sat-
isfaction, however, to the court, that
law is specific in regard to those dates,
as also the duties Of the court; that it
defines rot only the character of the ju-
rors, their qualifications, ETC., but espc-
cially aud unmistakably, BY Imperative
language, indicates to the Court aud
Grand Jury its requirements.
You are BY that law drawn from the
houscholders of the body Of the Second
Judicial District, apportioned among
the counties constituting the same,
and thereby containing on your panel
men from all the different counties, men
who have homes and permanent resi-
dences in said cOunties-nOt merely
transient residents therein. By this
means, men are secured who are pre-
sumed to be interested in the welfare
of your respective places Of settlement,
who, by tho faithful discharge of their
important duties, secure to those sct-
Elements the wholesome influences Of
respect to tho law and punishment to
its violators. Scattered rs you are
through the various counties of the dis.
trict, you arc already possessed of in-
formation as to the violators Of the law
or the commission Of crimes which
might otherwise escape the notice it
deserves.
Let me first call your attention to TIE
oath you have taken. Its language is
broad and comprehensive, Its true OBJ
servance involves your whole duty,
and its careful study is the best instruc-
ton as to what IS required at your
hands that can be given. It is found
in section 191 OF the revisedpe code,
p. 143 Of the pamphlet laws OF 1859-60. |
1t sets out by defining the jurisdiction,
or area of country in which you will |
exercise your labors. That jurisdiction
is co-relative with the Second Judicial
District, which by law is constituted
out of the counties Of Thurston, Lewis,
Chehalis, Pierce, and King. You are
diligently to inquire whether offences
or violations of law have been commit
ted within those counties, or either of
them; to exert every effort and use
every means which the law affords to |
ascertain whether the law has been vio-
lated, and if justice demands punish
ment for its violation.
You are not required to act on mere
idle rumor or hearsay, and summon
witnesses the only effect of which is to |
make expenses; bnt if you have good
reasons for believing that an offence or
crime has been committed, under the |
oath you have just taken it is your SOL
emn and imperative duty to make true
prcsentment of the same to this Court.
Grand Jurors, themselves, may be cx-
amincd as witnesses, under the same
forms prescribed by law tor other wit
ncsses, with the same right to vote in
your finding as any other Grand Juror.
In other words, if a Grand Juror is cog !
infant of the comm::sss:on of a crime,
and makes statements in regard to the |
same, he must be sworn as any other
witness, which does not in any way
disquality him as Grand Juror.
Next, as to tho oath Of secrecy: no
part of the oath you have taken is more |
important. The law cnjoins that secre-
cy, aud that should be sufficient; but |
as jurors sometimes, inadvertently |
without doubt, seemingly forget this |
provision, it may DO well for us to en-
quire into the motives of the Legisla- |
turc in thus imposing these obligations. |
The weighty reason for thus imposing |
silence is, undoubtedly. to close every
avenue Of escape to the criminal. As |
sun,ing himself that mo ono may know |
of his guilt, it is altogether lest that |
the first iutimstion that he IL called |
upon to answer the outraged law be BY |
the Sheriff presenting bis warrant Of
arrest. This secrecy secures in many
instances the punishment Of IN offender
who might otherwise escape aud 10
unwhipped Of justice, again to engage
in other and more aggravated violafiens
Of that law the proper Observance al
which 10 the safeguard Of our socisl Cd
vancsmsnt and Progre.. Again, il i