The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-15
TIE COUITOF SESSIONS.

Organization of tho Grand Jury-Charge of
tho Judgo-Trial of Criminal Gases.
The Court of General Sessions for
Fairfield was opened at ten o'clock on
Monday morning, his Honor Thomas
B. Fraser, Judge of the third circuit,
presiding. The commission Of John
ID. McCarlcy, Esq, as Sheriff Of Fair
field, was read and spread upon the
minutes Of the Court.
The grand jury wrie then sworn in
,hc usu"! orn. NJ. I.dwn,d :. Is VI
e =" o. ay.n...16 ;,@".,.,r. -. Lc
Judge dciivvr~I IA, .@.g tu-t..' Ia Il
jury, substantially - follows;
= Tou nave hrnl impnHelrd IL serve
during the lGrsrnt yeag--t' attend all
The terms of the Court Of Sessions,
and, If necessary. to act through a
committee in the interval. The grand
jury is a very important department
of the Court. No man can be brought
to trial here without Il prcsentmcnt OF
grand jury. In the United States
Courts different practice prevails.
The District Attorney~-an officer sim
liar to our Solicitor-makcs the charge
by filing an information," and upon
such Conformation" the accused is put
upon his trial. Tho fact of the power
vested in the grand jury makes it
necessary that great discretion should
be exercised. The abuse Of that pow
er has at times taken q political scope
but there is no apprehension Of thut
now. Your duties are to look into
the administration of the laws in the
Court Of Sessions, and to exercise a
general supervisory control over the
public affairs of your county. All
offices and officers are subject to your
investigation. The evil Of official NAL
administration may be small to tho
individual citizen, yet the public may
suffer immense damage. For exam
pic, III tho case of defaulting or neg
individual citizen may be very small
sum, yet the injury to tho public SER
vice is immense. In such u case it is
especially the duty Of the grand Jury
TO act, in order that the officer may be
brought to trial in court. There are
other matters that you should consid-
er. Trial justices sometimes resort to
illegal and oppressive measures. If
there is any such case in your county,
you should bring it to the attention of
the court. Your duty and privilege is
to exercise general supervision over
the affairs your county. If there is
anything in the county administration
that calls for investigation, it is your
business to present it, and have the
matter tried by petit jury. Not that
l would advise any inquisitorial con-
duct upon your part. You must only
exercise a wise discretion. Not only
arc you concerned with public officials,
but there are sometimes individuals
whose station in society gives them i'm
munity from the complaints Of others.
If individuals are unable to protect
themselves, it is your duty to afford
them protection. At the last session
of tho Legislature there were Acts
passed with reference to certain prac-
ticcs which 1t was deemed best that
the courts should take measures to
check. These Acts may attack class
OF offences which will never be
brought to trial if the matter is left to
individuals. For instance, there is tho
statute against duelling. 1t may be-
come q question for the grand juries
to determine whether that law shall
be a dead letter, or whether tho grand
jurics shall keep officials and individ-
Mals alike within tho strict lines Of
Cncii uuIv. 90 IL IS with tho Act
against tho bad practice Of carrying
concealed weapons. That law may
become entirely useless, Unless tho
grand jurics interfere and present all
proper cascs. The Legislature took q
great stop forward in restricting the
sale of spirtuous liquors. Licenses
to sci are now confined to incorpo-
rated towns. If the town authorities
exercise wise discretion, the law
may do much good. If, on Che con-
trary, they arc tempted, by the profit
arising from the increased traffic,
to grant license indiscriminately, it
may increase and concentrate at tho
towns to n disastrous extent. do
not mean to. comment nnfavorably
upon the action Of the Legislature.
The Act Is surely q step III the right