New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-01
A GOOD LAW ASSAILED.


We have never known of law which
gave more satisfaction to this community
than the new jury regulation. Since it
has been enforced rogues are frequently
convicted and punished, which is some
thing novel here. 1t is matter of sur
prise to US, therefore, to find in public
journal which is seemingly virtuous an
exception to this general sentiment. The
law has now been in operation three
months, and not one single complaint can
be urged against it. Its present and first
detractor urges nothing that has hap
pened, but borrowing trouble from the
future, it discovers in this act threat
against scandal mongers who may wish to
make merchandise of the Governor repu-
tation. Heretofore the little unthinking
dailies have been in the habit of saying
anything and everything about his Excel
lency which promised to make the after
noon edition pay, unconscious the while
that he possessed the powers Of the once
dreaded Inquisition over them. But there
has been a sudden awakening to the dan
ger. They find there is law which in
the hands of spiteful Governor would
brand those who trihe with regulations as
felons, and pack them off to Baton Rouge.
As the detractors and vilifers of Gov
ernor Kellogg have been enjoying them
selves at his expense for long time, with
out eliciting the least notice from him
(perhaps he never saw their malicious
slanders) they can feel no serious alarm
from that source. We are therefore COM
PEELED to look for other reasons for this
sudden attack upon law which works so
well, and evidently satisfies all well dis
posed people. 1t is barely possible that
there are parties in this city who contem-
plate the commission Of crime, and wish,
in order to be perfectly safe, to have an
old time jury conveniently at hand to fall
back upon. More rogues have been shield
ed from the halter or the Penitentiary by
Louisiana juries than were ever punished
by them. An innocent man has no fears
for any sort of jury, as he is not very
likely to be called upon to confront one,
and we decline most respectfully to let
law breakers have anything to say about
the selection of their judges. The path of
safety for all citizens who feel unable
much longer to restrain their wicked
propensities to heap unlawful abuse upon
the Governor or any one else is straight
and plain enough. Let them find another
outlet for their venom; some channel
through which it can flow safely and
smoothly without hitting one clothed with
the thunders of the law. For, says the
timid soul, who fears some good citizen is
likely to be called to an account for an
unlicensed tongue, ''Now the practical
working Of this act is to make Kellogg
the selector of every jury that sits" To
which we respond that it is not at all Won
derful that the man whom the people have
chosen to assist in the making of all our
laws to the extent of approving them, and
who is specially charged by the constitu-
ton with the duty of taking care that
they are faithfully executed, should have
some influence in the selection of the
agents who are to administer our criminal
laws. Without jurors who will do their
duty no criminal can be punished unles
a resort is had to Texas fashions or the
spasmodic practices of the people of
Franklin. 1t will be time enough to rail
at the jury law and censure the Governor
when some evidence is afforded of an at
tempt to punish some innocent man from
motives OF revenge or spite. For the
present, the only people that have any
reason to complain are the convicts in the
Parish Prison awaiting sentence Of death
or removal to the Penitentiary and their
sympathizers.