The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-11
The Grand Jnrr.

law aDldlng and peaceable citizens.
That paper seems to be in perfect
phrenzy, and we would be greatly
alarmed at its condition did We not
have reason to know that its rage is
only simulated for the purpose of
humbugging few Republican saloon
keepers into voting the Democratic
ticket at the ensuing Spring election.
This is an old, played out dodge, and
we pity the stupidity of the man who
is Influenced by it.
We have already shown that the
present Criminal Judge was appoint
ed at the earnest entreaty of tho Coar-
ier, and over our protest.
The clause of the license law, Civ
ing Grand Juries cognizanee of, and
making it their duty to examine into,
violations of the law by selling on
Sunday, or without license. was the
handiwork of Democratic Legisla.
ture.
The instructions of the Judge to
the Grand Jury impressed upon that
body Of men the duty of examining
into such violations. SO positively
that they do not dare, if they desired.
to refuse or neglect to do so.
These are facts, known 10 every
man who has intelligence and enter
prise enough to read a newspaper,
and efectually put to flight the Coar-
ier's fimsy pretenees that the prose-
cutions are simply Radical persccu-
tions.
If the Grand Jury adopted reso-
luton to postpone all investigation OF
liquor cases until after the April cleo
ton, as alleged by the Courier, it did
something we do not approve. We
think it as much the duty of the
Grand Jury to investigate now as
then, and if rigorous investigation is
to be the order Of the Judge of the
Criminal Court, we see no reason for
postponing on account Of the elections.
We doubt not, indeed the Courier has
SO asserted, that it advocated Judge
Robinson's appointment for the very
reason that it expected he would do
what he is doing-prosecute the Sa-
loon keepers-to the bitter end-and
therefore are not prepared to give it
credit for any expressions Of sympa-
thy in their behalf in their hour Of
trial.
The editor OF the Courier certainly
does not know, much of the time,
what he IS writing about. In yester-
day. paper he asserts that the Courier
office has been summoned to appear
before the inquisi ion. including both
proprietors and editors, and he indig-
nantly inquiries" Why is the JOUR
NAL office exempt? Why is it that
subpeneas are not served upon gen.
tlemen connected with the press out
side of this (the Courier Officer" The
truth of the matter is, the JOURNAL
Office has not been exempted. But
those connected with it, when sum-
moned, respond quietly and peaceably,
as law-abidipg citizens. The classify
ing everybody who responds to sum-
mons of the Grand Jury as "Public
lnfornsers, shows the Coarier's ex-
tremity for party capital. without, in
the least, beneftting its party.
This whole effort of the Courier to
make political capital out of legal
transaction is contemplate in the ex.
IRENE. and we can prove it in very
few words. For instance, the Courie,
of Wednesday classified the Crane
Jury as follows:
| One shoemaker; one cooper; one
tailor; one grocery keeper; one saloon
keeper; one book-keeper; one minis
ter of the gospel, and FIVE farmers
Two are from Ireland two from Eng.
land; four Germans, and four Ameri.
cans. Two take tea; four drink lager
four prefer brandy, and two take
snuff. Four chew and eight smoke
tobacco. One is of the Hebrew
faith; one Catholic; three Lu.
therans; four Methodists and three
outsiders. -Four are democrats, and
eight republicans. Five live in the
country, and seven In the city. Two
are Wldowers, and ten have wives liy-
ing. -Four are over go years of age,
four are over so and four are 40 years
of age. Nine, (including the present
prosecuting attorney are bald head
ed, and four have hair on the brain.
-Four are for Woman's rights, and
eight will find bill if they get a good
chance. we are told.
The assent ofaine jurors is required
to make an indictment valid. Now
if the Germans of Evansville regard
the selling of liquor on Sunday as no
violation Of the law worthy of punish
ment, their representatives on the
grand jury, of whom they have four,
could veto any and all indictments
If the eight gentlemen who drink
lager" and brandy" think saloon
keepers have the right to sell on Sun
day as we'll as on any other day of the
week, why do they return bills against
them? IF the Democracy think these
prosecutions are simply venting Rad
ical spite and temperance fanaticism
upon innocent and law abiding citi-
zens. why don't their four representa-.
tiyes emulate the heroism of the
Courier, and refuse to return bills Of
indictments. 1t will be observed thai
the Courier's own classification of the
grand jury, represents that eight oil
its members are patrons Of saloons