Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-02-17
The Grand Jury,s Report.

The report oil the grad jury pre-.
scented 10 the Court last wetk
is strong document tii,d to repletion
with valuable suegestions There lie no
question in oar mind Al 10 the propriety
of some more simple and rapid means of
disposiug of petty oases, especially the
numerous ones arising in this oity, but no
new tribunal with sufficient Jurisdiction
can be established without constitutional
amendment. We have no donbt, though,
that II the Court and bar would
JOIN in recommending proper scheme
that the Legislature would willingly take
the necessary steps for its incorporation in
the State constitution, The necessity for
house of correction is as apparent to
every body elss rs to the grand jury, but it
seems impossible to secure effective efforts
for the establishment of suoh an institu-
ton. No one can deny the truth of the
suggestion that it is not humane to keep
the insane poor In uncomfortable quarters
while The question Of removing the aims.
house is debated, and yet, we think, the
proper solution of this difficulty is to stop
the debate aud move the institution. Re-
movsl once decided on new insane
asylum would naturally be- the first build.
ing erected on new site
We are Rratitied and surprised at the
an rlaHII pf ths. eahnka ntnta fn H.,
the grapd jury to The intermsddlipg inter.
ferea ca by the Federal govern ment with
the administration of justice by our State
courts, notably illustrated by the arrest of
OF the processts OF Our law in the case of
William Neal, justly convicted ..and sem
fenced 10 death for brutal outrage OF q
respectable woman in this county. We
have no doubt that the grand jury is right
in declaring that such defeats or delays
in justice tend 10 the in,roduo'
ton of lynch law among people
| the Just severity of whose laws has hitherto
left no provocation to such methods, OF d
we are only surprised that Tho grand jury
was able to unite in SO d, cided ard tm-
phatic d. declaration Of what We believe to
be the truth in the matter. With equal
pleasure and a measure of ike surprise
we note the strong denuncia,iou Of the
bribery aud intimidation prac.iced to
seduce aud coerce voters al the rect Mt
election.
The allusiOn to newspaper criticisms n
the panels of jurors drawn in accordance
with law by its sworn officers sre merely
unjnst wherein they fail 10 purtioularizt
the offender. 1t is unquestionably true
that such attacks tend to WEAKEN public
confidence in the decisions Of cur conr,e,
and thereby to weaken their altuurity,
but so far as our observation goes, they
have been confined to u nsle i1urnal
which by ylrtue of its very constitution,
habitually violates all laws of taste,
decency aud honor aud the uIere exist.
ence of which is rs severe reprcach tc
our community as any II the evils oi
nuisancos to which the grand llry refers.
Hence we think i! hardly fair or courteous
for the report 10 refer 10 this matter il
language which BY EVEN Implication may
make it appear that such is the custom
among newspapers in general in thii
county.
Taking the report as q whole, no gever
it is most interesting and valuable Que
and worthy the consideration vita which
it was received by The Court 10 tlr
Henry Eekel, the foreman Of the graft
jury the credit for it's preparation il due