St. Landry democrat., 1879-05-24

and adjourned sine die on Saturday
evening, May 18th, having occupied just
eighteen working days.
This, considering the work done, is
one of the shortest terms ever holden
in the parish. The trial Of criminal
cases, occupied the jury only four days
In that time, however, our community
was rid of one burglar, one murderer,
two peljurers, five petty thieves; there
were also several convictions for mis-
demeanors and several pleas of guilty
for the same Charge. In civil business
every case ready for trial was finally
disposed of; and that the docket was
not finally cleared, is not due to the
judge, who called every case for trial
time and again. Lawyers, however, for
some cause, best known to themselves,
preferred to continue the majority OF
their eases by consent as usual. We
suppose they did this, because in many
of the cases nothing was to be made,
by forcing trial and perhaps there is q
distant prospect of making something
by compromise in some Of them. Be
this as it may, we conceive the Court
would be acting arbitrarily, even grant
ing it had the power, to attempt to force
any civil case to final disposition by
dead docketing or otherwise, where
both parties by their counsel of record
consent to continuance. The duty of
the Court under such circumstances, We
conceive to be to call the case for trial,
leaving TO the parties to"continue by
consent if they see fit, this being a
matter in reality between the attorney
and his client. The regular docket is
now cut down to very slender proper
tons, and the great majority of cases
still on if, as will be found by reference
to the Minutes, have been continued in
this way from three to FIVE times each.
St. Landry may we'll be proud OF her
reputation for law and order. Extend
ing over an immense territory, with
population of more than 10000 souls,
things have come to such pass, that
crimes are beginning to be of raSe
occurrence. When one does occur,
unless the criminal leayes ipstanter he
is arrested. If he fees he is followed
arrested and brought back and tried and
in ninety nine cases out of q hundred,
convicted and punished.
1t is but seldom indeed, that our juries,
composed generally of the two races,
in almost equal proportions, fail to
convict. When they do, it is only be-
cause the State fails to make out case.
back for several years, We
no case, in which the State
has failed in convicting where it made
out its case. Nor do we remember
All instance where conviction occurred
when the State did so fail. This speaks
we'll indeed for our juries, and goes far
to contradict the old saying that there
is no guessing what will be the verdict
of a petty jury" Our people have
reached this state of things simply be-
cause years since healthy public opinion
sprung up in our parish men instead of |
taking the law into their hands and
settling public wrongs through vigilance
and mobs resorted to the |
courts of the country for their redress.
Regular terms Of court, with good and
efficient officers have encouraged and |
developed this public opinion until the
aw has attained full and entire supre-
macy; supremacy marked by social
'rder and which we confidently predict
n the near future will prove source of
benefit to the interests of our
parish in every respect,