The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-11-28
TIE GRAND JURY, THE COVER
NOR AND LBCISLATURE,

over trifles."
TIE GRAND JURY, THE COVER
NOR AND LEGISLATURES.
There is much to commend in the
report of the grand jlry published yes
terday. II Is brief. 1t contains no
gush or other nonsense. 1t speaks
plainly, aud only omits to say that in
dictments should be found against the
city, the county and the State co if
horrible nuisauces established and
maintained by ePch be not abated at
once by an inihatory system of sew
age. The internal condition of the
county jlil and its management are
properly approved; but no reference is
made to the bulidozing receptacle of
filth hard ~ which, cleansed at night,
breeds nigh tmare and fills the air with
foulest iildvla. The State government,
as represented by Governor Hubbard
and his adjuvants, should have been
reminded of the necessity for obedience
to laws of cleanliness and decency, and
the great Dead Sea of filth on Capitol
Hill, befouling the air of a wide dis
tuct Of Austin, should be drained.
Grand juries have advisory as well as
punitive powers, and Mr.. Castleman
and his associates have neglected an
important duty when, in view of sad
and terrible events of the past few
months, by which other communities
have been destroyed, they forget to
provide for the security of those for
whose welfare they were employed to
exert themselves. It is in fact
strange that men whom we suppose to
be habitually cleanly IN their own
habits and persons have not the slight
est comprehension Of the necessity for
the protection of the people against the
foulness of crowded cities. The courts,
in view of eveT--ecurring epidemics,
should remind grand jurics of Texas of
these evils and define remedies. III
Governor Hubbard had done as we ad-
vised, and, instead of appealing to
humiliation, fasting and prayer to stop
the plague, had advised all the grand
juries and mayors and aldermen of
Texas to devise measures in NAM
tenance ofpublic health, his excellency
would have been deemed as godly as
to-day and infinitely wiser and more
beneficent. But when he saw how
utterly unavailing was this fast
ing and humiliation we were sure
that his second proclamation would
lift the blockade against New Orleans,
thank God for the frost and death of
Yellow Jack and then tell the people to
be a "prOvidence" unto themselves. He
should have advised grand jurles to
see that measures of sanitation were
enforced everywhere in these low latl-
tudes of Texas. The Governor, like
our excellent grand jury, suffered an
admirable opportunity to be useful and
practical to pass unimproved. His er-
rors might be retrieved to very ma
terial extent if he would send a dozen
copies of the STATESMAN of this morn
ing to each district judge that other
grand juries may not fail, like ours, in
the discharge of plain public duty.
There are few who will not lavish
encomiums upon much the greater por-
tion of this report. When the excel
lent jury would have the propagation
of the species of the worst knaYes
made impossible by the invocation of
surgical art, the wisest philosophy is
expounded. Capital punishment, that
subserves no good and possibly evil, is
perfectly and properly supplantee by
process that not only destroys effectu-
ally the knaves, as such, but prevents
the production of other villains.
Transmisslble wees of morals and char
scter would not reach another genera
tion, and the best and truest people in
the world would be produced in a COM
monwealth that adopts the philosophy
and practices, in dealing with crlmi-
nails, commended by this fearless and
honest grand jury. Very certainly
copy of this report should be placed
upon the desk of each member of the
coming Legislature. and we can only
applaud the courage as we'll as wis
dom of gentlemen who submit this
plain, unpretending report to the
court and people.
The establishment of the whipping
post is proposed IN substitution for
costly imprisonment in the county Jail.
There can be but one objection. The
penitentiary is overcrowded, and there
is large class of knaves that deems
incarceration, and even in the State
prison, an agreeable mode of getting
bread. The whipping post is there
fore commended, and yet no sooner
would colored depredstor upon a
clothes line or hen roost be subjected
to this unusual punishment, than the
North would wear sack cloth and |
ashes and fling the bloody shirt to the
winds. The whole Republican pres,
would inveigh against the scheme of
punishment as devised solely for |
the blacks. Practically, nothing is
more desirable than a proper vagrant |
act enforced by the lash and stocks.
Whether the Legislature will have
the moral courage to enact reforms |
commended by the grand jury remains |
to be seen, but the State would never
have reason to deplore the event.
GEORGETOWN and Navasota and 9TH
er towns and villages can construct |