The weekly clarion., 1877-09-26
The Holly springs south.

The Holly Spring South does itself, as
that we have proposed the abolition of
grand jury system" What we proposed"
was motifs abolition, but theremoval of
/ its exparte star chamber features by which
malice and falsehood level their shafts at
their Victims in the dark. A PROPOSE
/ ton to amend and treforln," is not a
proposition to destroy by any means; but
op the contrary, to perfect. After show
| ing the glaring and indisputable 'abuses'
of the present grand system, the CLARION
+ proposed" to "retorm" them as follows ::
| Tie reform we suggest is simple. Let the
organic law declare tibet whenever a man is
| informed against before a grand jury, he
! shall, on furnishing proper bond To await
/ its action, nave the right TO be represented
before it by counsel, and to iutroduce tes-
timony TO show why he should not be in
dicted. Ii parties informed against were
confronted by their accusers and the de-
fence allowed hearing before grand juries,
fewer regulations would be stabbed by as
sassins OF character, and fewer indictments
would be found against men who, after
hardships and expense 10 themselves and
heavy cost to the State. are acquitted in
open trial before petit jules
The South .admits the abuses of
which we complained and while mis-
stating our position, does not point out
the errors of the reform" we have sug-
gested.
In the same article the South says that
- the CLARION deliberately endorses and
g recommends the unlawful taking of
q human life. The atrocity of the crime
- for which this is to be done does not on
principle palliate the deed" Again our
contemporary has done itself the injustice
to suppress the material fact in this
sweeping declaration. 1t ought to have
said that the very article referred to, and
which it undertook to describe, but did
not quote, contained an appeal to parties
accused Of lawless acts to desist, and
that we reminded them that the g gov
d" ernment of our State is now admins
:" tered, in all its departments, by agents
d" of the peoples own choice, whose Ca
''pability and Integrity and fidelity to
" the Constitution are unimpeached. If
" there is anything more than others, to
" which the party in power is pledged,
g 1t IS to the maintenance of the LdlCs, and
g the protection Of each and ereyy member
g of society, and the impartial execution
8 of justice" This is what the CLARION
said. The passage which the South
unwarrantably construes as ga deliberate
endorsement of lawlessness," was a dec
laration that while we are appealing for
the observance of law we would not ask |
"-the mercy OF its delay" for the fiend |
who overcome8 female heIpIessness, and
a crime too shocking and re-
voting to be named. 1t is not for ''advo
eating lawlessness," but for making this
exception to the rule, that we are taken
to task by Judge Watson in the South.
Weagree with the South that it and the
CLARION "honestly differ on questions
of fact, principle and expediency," and
we are willing to take the difference be
tween us from the forum Of newspaper
discussion to the tribunal of an enlight-
sned and Iaw-abiding people. If the
land that is uplifted to avepge the
lreadful crime alluded to is to be para
yzed by such teaching, as the South ad-
which not even the terror
# death on the spot scarcely avails to
to the protection
which female helplessness, innocence and
purity have a right to claim at the hands
f the stronger sex. t