The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-04-30
The District Court.

ged, and the Petit Jurors discharged unit
next Monday. We publish a list Of th'
Grand jurors to-day.
The Court then proceeded to calling thu
civil docket, entering defaults, and trying
cases where 10 ju6y is required.
On Monday, w believe, the trial of crini
nal cases will Begin. After this week, VT
will endeavor to give a weekly report O.
the business done BY the Court.
We make the following extracts from
Judge Kings charge to the Grand Jury
Carrying Concealed Weapons.
"Whoever," reads the law, "shall.carry &
weapon or weapons concealed on or about
his person. such as pistols, bowie-knives,
dirks, or any other dangerous weapon, shall,
OF conviction, suffer fine or imprisonment,
or both at the discretion of the court; and
it shall be the duty of the Judges of the
District Courts, in this State, to charge the
Grand Jury specially as to this section"
There was a time when the disturbed
condition of society, and a general sense of
insecurity, seemed to justify the citizen in
carrying always about his person, the means
of selfdefencs, against lawlessness or vic.
lence. But that time has passed. The
military has been superseded by the civil au-
thority. Arms have yielded to law. The
courts of justice are open, where the rights
of the citizen may be protected, and where
crimes may be exposed and criminals may
be punished. Society has been restored to
a comparatively peaceful, quiet and order
ly condition. There is no longer a plausi-
BILE excuse for the citizen to persist in the
character of the armed avenger of his real
or imaginary wrongs. Organized society
is sufficient to protect him, in his rights Of
life, liberty and property. The practice Of
carrying concealed weapons, in the midst of
these peaceful and orderly surroundings,
can no longer be excused or palliated under
the plea of necessity. 1t is a relic of bar
barism discountenaneed by enlightened pub
lie sentiment, and reprobated by positive
law.
1t is made my duty to cali your attention
specially to this evil, and to remind you of
your relations to the subject, as the Grand
Inquest for this parish. l perform the part
of the task allotted to me, in no measured
or e~vasive terms. / charge you here, to-
day, earnestly and solemnly, that the ha-
bitual carrying of concealed weapons is an
offence reprobated by law, and justified by
no existing necessity, and that you have
this day, by your oath as grand Jurors, OBJ
ligated yourselves to leave no offender un-
represented for fear, favor or affection.
In the suppression of this evil, the, law re.
quires the District Judge and the Grand
Jury to assume the initiative. l have dis
charged my part of the duty, by bringing
to your attention, IN emphatic terms, the
responsibilities which, by your oath, you
have this day publicly and solemnly assn
med. ,.;..
u#t The Public Roads.
The only remaining subject which | am
required to give you specially in charge, is
that of the public roads. You will find the
laws under this head, compiled within a
brief compass, in the new Revised Statutes,
from p. 7S7 to p. 691 inclusive. It is first
made the duty Of the Police Jury to divide
the Parish into Road Districts, and to ap-
point for each district an overseer, who is
to serve one year, or forfeit and
pay to the parish one hundred dollars. If,
appointment, he does not discharge
his duties, he is subject to a fine of not less
than one hundred nor more than five hun
bred dollars. So that whether the person
appointed as Overseer accepts his appoint.
nent or not, it is but of little practical con.
sequence; in the one case he forfeits a hun. |
1red dollars to the parish. I'M the other he !
De coerced to perform his duty or or to paw
or a substitute. AL male persons between
he ages Of fifteen and forty-fve, may be
to work upon the public roads for
;welve days during each year, if Necessary,
n pay to the parish at the rate Of one dol
or per day. The Road Overseers are arm
d with ample power to coerce the labor
md enforce the fines and forfeitures. Wei
ave sufficient data to justify us in stating
hat there are, in the Parish about five
thousand persons liable to road duty, inclu-
ing the incorporated towns. But making
be necessary deduction for the latter. It
7il be safe to estimate the available force
t four thousand. The value of this labor.
t one dollar per day, for twelve days, is
thousand dollars. You will per.
Give that this immense laboring force, or
$ equivalent in money (s4S, 0O0l, applied :
ach year to the improvement Of our public
Dads, would give US a system Of highways ,
rnply subscribing q own convenience and
,aterial prosperity, and which would prove I
t~tractive to the travelling public, and Gre
te q favorable impression Of the public t
Dirit Of eur, people. When we look upon ]
le ~undulating character Of our surface, the /
imposition Of the soil, the wide area Of t
pen country, and the absence of any for /
obstacles to ditching and embark !
Ients, we find every thing admirably adap- {
d to thorough drainage, and smooth and
~ roads at all seasons, with but little Ia
or. Each citizen is required to work but
yelve out Of the 365 days, or pay at the
tie of n dollar per day. This is one Of 7
10 smallest of his burdens, when we con.
der the splendid results that would mani
themselves In the new stimulus given
our intercommunication, trade snd agri- ;
llture. The force provided by law is sufi- Y
ent, if vitalized, to accomplish these re- ;
Its; it is always at home, and may be ca a
" procured, with ordinary industry and :
administrative capacity on the part Of the
'erseers. Now, gentlemen, is the law en-.
reed ? What is the condition of our pub
!, roads? Are they such as the law pro-
des for, and s are required by a large. II
and wealthy parish ? These are
lestions which you must consider. Your
ly escape from this responsibility is by N
owing faithless to the obligation Of your C
th. You find that the law, having provi- L
d ample means, requires not only good T
ads and bridges, but sign boards to aid I
e traveller, and mile posts on the leading 7 :
gh-ways. As you rode along to-day from .
'ur respective residences, did you find the
ads smooth, we'll made, and in good re-
If? Did you find the bridges every
secure and in good condition p Along !,