New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-07

nv iury have fallen is not attributable
altogether to the ignorance Of jurors, but
to corrupt mOtives-pr0mlses OF reward,
favor to q friend, or the qualification Of
some prejudice. Learning and intelligence
are excellent qualifications in juror, but
thew are Of no avail without honesty of
Durpoee and q sense of duty. This duty ID
the more imperative when we reflect upon
the common interest all citizens have in ita
conscientious performance-that his own
nroperty-his liberty, his life-depends on
maintaining in its legal force the constitu.
tional right of trial by jury. But let it be
made the engine of private malice or mis-
guided sympathy, and it is at once stripped
Of it's ssnctity and becomes the shield Of
the criminal.
The last few years has shown An alarm.
ing increase of crime. The papers are full
of The recitals of bloody deeds Public at
tention. courts and juries have at last be-
come aroused. Outraged justice has cried
aloud to Heaven, and not in vain. In
places where juries were heretofore corrupt
or lenient, we now find the extreme penalty
Of the law is inflicted. we now hear Of
hanpipgs as well as murders. Justice, with
her flaming sword, alone can stop the car
nival of blood. A few years of vigorous
execution of the laws will reduce crime to
a noint that will be bearable. Civilization.
Christianity, and all the arts that thrive
ONLY in that society where peace and order
are supreme, will then cease to be retarded
by these deeds of blood that destroy the
fair name Of a community and impair the
pride and self respect of all good citizens.
The Judge went on to say that he thought
he had reason to complain of petit juries in
his district-that criminals who under the
proof ought to have been convicted were
sometimes turned loose upon society TO
commit perhaps the same crime again. The
criminal goes free and the juror goes to his
home with the pangs Of guilty conscience
and the not very cOnsOling reflection that
be has committed perjury. Nothing tends
more to elevate people than strict en-
fOrcement of the laws. Show Inc country
where it is done and will point you to an
enlightened, prosperous and contenred peo-
Die. 1t can be done here. Let every one
connected with the execution of the laws
do his duty. Under our form of government
every man is or ought to constitute himself
a peace officer and give all the necessary in
formation to the proper authorities. He
who does not do SO is not only not good
citizen, but is himself particeps eriminis.
Our form. of government, our system Of
laws need no change. The one thing
needful is that jurors divest their minds
of over sensitiveness in regard to the
death penalty. The law-that penalty
comes from Deity. The thunders of Sinai
must, if necessary, echo along the corridors
to the end of time. Men must not sink the
strocity of a crime in their sympathy for
the criminal. 1t is this perverted public
opinion that encourages murderers. 1t is
this vitiated expression of sympathy for
that weakens the arm Of JUS
tice, wrongs those who have been the VIC
Tins and puts human life in jeopardy. The
only safety is in the law, not outside of it.
Let all who violate law, whatever their con-
iition may be, suffer the penalty. Com
passion for criminal is a wrong to society.
We have thus endeavored to give such
IN imperfect synopsis OF Judge Ray e charge
rs our space would permit, without refer
ing to his mention of special statutes and
Instructions on the routine of business, etc.
This district may we'll be proud of its faith.
Jul guardian over the execution Of the
aws.-North Louisiana Republican,.