The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-11-29

every thing like confidence, commence
ing mt the very source Of Justice.
The jurisdiction of y0wr inquest, ]
need n.st saw. il CO extensive with that |
"f the court for which it h organised
tn inquire, both a. to onensea triaole
there, and the territory over which
such court has jurisdiction. The oath
taken by the juror contains the sno,
stance Of the duties to be performed
by the Jury. You arc diligently to
INQUIRE, and true presentn,ents make
of all such articles, matters and things
as shall be given you in charge OF
otherwise come tn your knowledge"
and these you are expected to present
truly. You will perceive that the oath
coptempiates that you shall not only
prrsent such matters and things as
NAV be laid before sou, but also all
such matters as may be confined aoso-
luteIv tn your own knowledge. need
scarcely impress upon you that the
obligation to make true preeentment
ia "a binding on the conscience of the
iuror in the one case as in the other.
The Revised Statutes, sec. 2l4O, makes
it expressly obligatory upon the mol
vidual juror to inform the grand jury
of any infraction Of the criminal laws
Of the State coming to his knowledge,
and the oath of Office which the juror
takes makes it compulsory upon him
tn make such disclosure.
Another matter connected with the
/, oath YOU have taken, l deem Of suffi-
Gent Importance to call your attention
specially t. it. refer to the clause OF
secresy. You have been specially
sworn, "the commonwealth's counsel,
your fellows and your own to keep
: secret" Although in opposition to
the genius and spirit of our govern
mept. which does not seek to shut ont
{ daylight on the acts Of its public SER
r wants, but rather invites the strictest
scrutiny into them, the clause IN ques-
ton WAS still inserted for wise Pur-
poses. It not unfreQuentiy happens
through the thOughtlessness or peraap'
iuattebtion or ignorance Of jurors, tha'
: intelligence Is given q defendant. o.
}. his friends, that "a bill has been found
against him thus enabling the accused
. to escape where he would not other
n wise b. able to do Al. Such IN ac
e would of course he highly censurable
: and the grand juror who should D
- guilty of such AN offense would ~
deserving ut the severest punishment
This Injunction Of seciesy extends Z
N the votes given in all cases coming he
!. | fore the Jury. to the evidence Delivers
- by witnesses. and the communication
Of Of the jnrurs tn each other, aud Is !
" NO case to be violated OF departed frol
:. except under legal sanctions.
T. There are certain provisions ut on
I'd statutes which the Law makes it incun
o. beat ON tie judge To- give specially
!. charge to each grand jury impshele
" before him. The first If these reia'
lis to the public prisOus. You are requil
In ed to inspect your parish prison, an
report to the court the manner
~ which it IL kept, together with sus
lie recomme ndati0ns, or IL case Ut negiec
Of such presentlneUts ns you may dee
it advisable and proper to make.
re Another statute to which ] am r
;. uuiJed to direct y0nr attention relat
." to trespasses upon public lands beiouI
sr- ing to the State. I am sorry ~ q
these acts Uf public spoliatiou ARC nlu'
more frequent than they should Y
You ase t0 inquire with regard ~ sn
trespasses, which consist IN cuttli
hi. down, destroying ar removing tint
~ On any land belonging to the Sta!
mo These lands are valuable principal
i've for the timber that grows upon theI
No citizen has the right tO enter up
them aud enrich himself ut the expcu
NC of the public, by cutting the timt
q" and desuoiling them Of their chief u
s.S perhaps Gully value.
'uu A third matter for special referen
's relates to the levees, a subject ut gro
~ ing interest In this State Section
Mas of the Revised Statutes provides III
sc. "who ever shall wilfully aud ma
uus ciously cut, alter, break, pull down
.nu destroy in suy manner whatsoever, a
ncO leyee or embankmeut on the MISSES
~" nj. or any other pavigable river ar y
~" ters 0f this State, or shall aid ar al
so$ any person in 80 doing, shall on 9.
'. victi0u be imprisoned at hard la'
"a not more than fourteen years, aud nn
-. -. not exceeding five thousand dollar
~ The law in such cases, as will he se
a '.s is extremely stringent, but not. M
".o 30 than the offense calls for, which, /,
der no possible conditions, can aalmi
,h;s excusing or palliating circumstances
mi Such other matters and things
ms. you may be called upon to inquire y
lille will depend. ut course, upon the y
and ticular character of the plaints {
| il may be laid before you. These
bic brace all that catalogue of crimes
by offenses cognizahle under our statu'
lied and need no special ennmerat'on
ron this place, even ii il were practice
4 in to make such reference within the
must its OF = charge: u enoug" 70
tile they may be reduced gene'a,ly 20 ,
u 90 a. AFFECT puOilc oEder. VI s"c ee.'
arts subject OF oucnses aes'nse pso!'
lien have ordinarily i"nnd Tue J"l,es
this posed to act with firmness. l q
70 literature. not consider the euhiec