The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-10
GRAND JURIEss A RELIC or THE STAR
CHAMBER ERA

CHAMBER ERA.
II is remarkable with what tenscity
We cling TO old habits, old
customs. old institutions etc. And
when these are not only accompanied
with exceeding Inconvenience but are
fringed all over and saturated all through
with grossest injustice, IL becomes still
more remarkable that we should retain
them. 1.-THE reply be made that we can
not find an Improvement for substitute,
then indeed do we confess to the frailty
and weakness OF poor human nature and
human intellect. A case in point, is the
grand jury system Of this country. The
HERALD has on other occasions indicated |
the evils and. exposed the impurities that
can be pcrpetrated by this old star-cham'
Der; Spanish. Inquisltion iniamy. Let us zee
its practical workings. A body Of mrn' SIX.
teen in number in Texas, called tAie grand
curry. are assem- bed, selected by three jury
commissioners holding appointment IRON.
the district Judge. These persons make
prsentment OF sur,h persons as come
to their knowledge as being guilty OF any
wrong or supposed wrong'doing. All this
would seosm to be well enough IN theory,
but In practice IL may place some oil the
mo,,t worthy citizens in the category OF the
mot corrupt scoundrels. For one indi-
vdual may make his appearance, and
under oath swear that A is guilty of rob
berry that Il is guilty of arson, that G Is
guilty ofmurder, etc. The jury, upon the
testimony rendered with hundreds OF cases
before them and limited time within
which to discharge their duties, find the
| corresponding indictments, without single
word from the parties accused, who are ut
terly ignorant of the transpirngs. II gees
out the world that A and b and C ct al
have been villains. The case il finally fixed
| IN the criminal district court for trial
| where II is discovered that some malicious
enemy OF the defendant, wholly irresponsi-
BILE, has sworn to the fabrication and then
skipped the country, and that there 10
nothing whatever of truth in the charge.
Now, the parties TO whose eyes the finding
OF the grand jury went may never know the
result OF the courts subsequent inycstiga-
ton. In the meantime, the injured person
has suffered In mind. reputation, business
etc. The proceedings of the grand jury ARE
secret. It's members are sworn to secrecy Of
the strictcst sort, and the defendant has nc
opportunity fascertaining who Is his tradu
Ger. This gives II boldness and offers premi
nm to the cowardly sneak that may thirst iol
some revenge no dare not undertake to seek
In an open-handed manner. This IL worst
by far than that concededly vllainous prac
tice known to tyranny taxation without
representation Tor the tilching of good
name Is u thousand-iod more wrongful
than the conllscation of little property
But even assume that the accuser befor,
the grand jury remain in secrecy TO final,
testify openly before the court, 1t is offer
difficult for the defendant TO prove mega
tive. His lips are sealed, and insofar h,
virtually stands as one Infamous alread,
debarred from belief. For instance, IL con
| spiracy can DO concocted by two o
his foes, the one swearing, the othe
substantiating that he committed som,
crime. The circumstances may be sucl
that he IL powcrless to present suilicien
rebuttiDg testimony to prove his c..tire in
nocence, even where the accusers do re
main to confront him. But again, 1t ma,
be that the defendant is poor man with
out money to pay the mileage and per diem
: expenses OF the necessary witnesses Twin
at a distance, in his behalf. Tho statc ma,
summon and fetch by sheriff her witnesse
against this, her poor citizen. but he alas
a left to the tender mercies OF Il Jury wit
:. all tho weight OF u well feed proseCutin
, attorney, and the evidence against hin,
And 30 we might 20 on with the iniqutie
ofthis relic OF the dark ages institution. |
, Is an outrage upon the civilization of th
, day, and should be torn up root an
branch, to BIO scorned and sconod at b
every lover of Justice and lair dealing. An
, another thing, when the fullest proof c
purcst innocence is established tho mi ure
man has no recourse whatever for DAMAGE
, from any direction. There is perhaps on
b alleviatipg feature about this whole dastart
n ly business, and that is that people no,
a iniormsd of the real process are coming I
Q look with not merely disregard, but wit
!. supreme contempt upon many of the Tin,
4 ings Of these grope-in.the-dark, star.chan
d ber institutions. The indicted indiyidu
o may have to suffer mental anguish abo,
l. the uncertainties of the law. or his laciliti,
If to pay attorneys, etc, " he is u poor maj
but as for his reputation being material
damaged. why the country has grown wis,
IS than 1t was some years ago. The pap
\ anathemas used to Brighten tin,id poop
l. In the olden time, so that the anathem
% tiaed was Stunned by his fellows. The
A. edcts are laughed ut in this age. The fin
Of ings OF grand juries in this good year
4 1879 are likewise being relocated into Il
10 category of the silly failures.