The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-05-16
JUDGE BLACKMAN'S CHARGE,
Gentlemen of the Grand jury

and highest consideration, since th,
peace and good order Of society, ant
the security and protection of tht
life and property of your fellow citi
gems depend in great measure, on
the faithful and jealous manner in
which you discharge your trust.
Drawn as you are, from the great
body of the qualified voters of your
Parish, represen ting as you do both
races, and occupa tion, coming per-
haps, from every section and neigh
borhood Of the Parish, you are con
stituted by the law, as a grand in.
quest to inquire into, investigate aad
due presentment make, Of all viola
tons of the criminal laws, which are
against the peace and dignity Of your
State.
The theory of the law is, that a
Grand Jury, composed of the num-
Der that constitutes your body, is in
formed either from their own person
al knowledge or from reliable infor-
nation of any crimes and misde
meanors that have escaped the no.
tice of the officers of the law, whose
duty it is to prosecute, or which in
dividual citizens have neglected or
refused to report.
1t is then not only your duty to
investigate all charges that have
been or may hereafter be preferred
by the officers of the law and private
individuals, but a more delicate and
sacred duty devolyes on you individ
ually, that is of reporting to your
body, either on your own knowledge
or from an authentic source, any VIC
lation of the criminal law, especially
since the last session of the District
Court, which has occurred in your
Parish.
This you are commanded to do,
and should you, from any motive
whatever, conceal or refuse to give
this information to your body, that
they may enquire into it, you will be
recreant to the solemn oath that you
have just taken, and in the sight of
God and of the law, be guilty of the
debasing crime of perjury. So strin
gent aud exacting are the statutes of
your State in requiring the fearless
and honest discharge ofyour trust in
this respect, that it is made the duty
of the Judge Of the Court to give in
his charge to the Grand Jury, espe-
cially the following statute:
4 Page 41o.)
1t sometimes happens, gentlemen,
that Grand Jurors violate this sacred
and important obligation to the State
and society, from motives of fear,
favor or friendship, but when this is
the case the Juror should remember
that he himself is inflicting a great
wrong on society, and is guilty of a
crime of grave magnitude, which, on
conviction, subjects him to severe
penalties.
The law in its wisdom exacts an
oath OF secrecy, and provides that
your sessions shall be secretly CON
Quoted, and you on your oaths shall
not divulgc anything that transpircs
in your Jury room. This is for your ;
own protection, as we'll as the protec-
ton of every citizen who may desire
to inform your body of any violation
OF the law. Let me impress upon
you, gentlemen, the absolute neces-
slty of your strict compliance with
this requirement of law in this res
pect, in the interest Of public policy,
Tor should you divulge the names of ,
informers, you thereby deter many
good citizens who desire to have the f
laws executed, but who nevertheless 6
avoid an unpleasant responsibility s
Tor fear ofpersonal difficulties, and at S
the same time you give notice to the L
evil doer that he may escape sun t
Thipt of justice" t
But it is to be hoped, gentlemen of a
sae Jury, that at the commencement =
OF a new era that is now dawning on
our State, that you and every good =
citizen in your Parish will not hest y
tate or shrink from the high legal Il
aud moral obligation that rests upon b
MIN, of having criminals prosecuted, v
crime put down and the law rigidly C
and honestly enforced. b
In the execution of this duty let it s
be remembered that before the law e
Ill classes of citizens, without dis Il
tinction of race, color or condition .
are on a perfect equality. The law =
makes no distinction between crimi- -,