The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-10-24

own n1nuS, n they may win lmpuultY
slay others, because they suspect, or be
lieve, OF even know them 10 be guilty of
crime; if they hey may arrosate To
themselves the right Of revenge: then.
there Is an end OF all law, and all lawful
authority, and ofall government There
will be no safety for the rights of persons
and no security for the rights Of proper.
"; for there viii be no rule of reason or
justice, and no power TO enforce such a
rule. The law Of the mob and the rule
Of revenge will be the only law and the
only rule. Terror will pIralyze every
heart and render valueless every right :;
and a mournful scene Of anarchy and
violence, and rapine and spoliation, and
hIoodshed aud death will be the iuevita-
bic and melancholy result.
The true question. then, is whether
criminal justice shall be administered
with the forms and solemnities prescribed
and by the officers and agents appointed
by the law, or by sponsible mobs, act
ing not only without the authority and
forms Of the law, but in direct contra
vention of all its rules whether the
rights of the citizen shall be determined
by known and fixed laws, enacted and
promulgated according TO the constitu
tlonal requirements, or by mob lava
law brutal in its instincts, blind IN its de
csions, and cruel and unrelenting in its
punl>hments. The one-ey ed monster of
heathern antiquity is its fit personiti-
cation, for in its darkened rage it rends
alike friends and foes, the innocent as
well as the guilty. 1t sways 4 bloody
sceptre over the ruins of social and pOlIt-
ical order, and wherever its dominion Is
fixed, there we behold the Gisiutegration
of all the bonds of society. This is an
important question, for it involves, not
only the lives, the liberty, and the prop
erty of the individuals who compose
society, but the very existence of society it.
self. And the solution of this question de-
ponds, 10 a great extent upon you, for mi
tiatory and preparatory steps in the pun
ishment of crime can be taken only by
you. The law is not self acting, or self
enforcing, or self-eXecuting. 1t can only
speak through its ministers and agents;
and YOU are the appointed organ to give
formal expression to its accusations
against all who have disobeyed its pre-
cepts Then let the potent voice of the
law be heard through you, and heard in
tones neither TO be misunderstood nor
dlsregarded by those VINO have violated
its mandates. As goo citizens you may
loathe and detest crime. IAcn DO not
make yourselves responsible for crime
by conniving at it; for in your case con
nivance will be interpreted to be appro-
baton.
You are engaged in the service of no
.,I;a4nl III, OF
no faction; you owe no allegiance but 10
the State, and the State now calls upon
you to perform your duty, your whole
duty to her, fearless as men, conscien-
tiousiy as jurors. She requires you to
administer the high public trust with
which she has clothed you, with eXclu-
siye reference to the public welfare, re-
CARELESS of all consequences to lndlvldu-
ais. She commands you to rebuke the
spirit of licentiousness now SO mOurnfully
prevalent, to stay the arm of violence Sc
often uplfted for the shedding of blood,
and to point out the guilty heads upon
which the sword Of justice should de
scend. 1t is not for you to absolve men
from the legal consequences of their own
voluntary acts. You possess no such
us IjCiSlllS ilOhGl rs dilN JuIOIS, az
! ing under the solemnIties of an oath be-
come matters of enquiry before you
must be subjected to the same ordeal
1t is not for you to enquire whether
those who accused of crime, be high OF
low, rich or poor, but whether they be
guilty of innocent. You know 1t is {
popular belief, that if a culprit posses;
wealth or have influential friends, the
/ law is pOwerless to reach and punish him
! however atrocious may be the crime
with which he is charged, and however
clear may be the proof of his guilt; and
to the reproach of criminal justice, can
! dor coustrains, the admission that fact
go very far to justify this belief.
Perform the grave and importan
/ duties with which you are charged as thu
solemn oath you have taken requires you
to perform them, and you will furnish N
| ground for such an imputation upon tn
criminal justice Of the State. Enquire
| diligently into all violations Of the crimi
nal laws, and make such presentment il
each case as the very truth of the matte
requires. Present no person through
malice, hatred, or ill-will; leave no per
| son unpresented through fear, favor, 0
affection, or for any reward, or hope 0
promise Of reward. In all your present
ments, present the truth, the whole trutl
and nothing but the truth. In this way
and in this only, can you acquit your
selves of your duty to the State; in thi
way, and in this only, can you merit tn
applause of the just, the good and tn
wise in this way, and in this only, ca
/ 10 = hi to -
applause of the just, the good and tn
wise--the appreciation of your own heart
and cOnsciences.