The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-06-27
Lawyer Blake OH the Presentment OF
the Grand Jury.
Greenwood Tribune.

We have read with care, the presentme ent OF
the Grand Jury, to the presiding Judge, at the
June term Of court, and are OF the opinion
that 1t Is a most extraordinary document.
We are inclined to the conclusion so tersely
expressed by the LoaO,,desvilte duerttSer, that
t"the Grand Jury has done everything out
what it should have done'' In the premises; 3;
his report as such. 1t was proper that he
should make it in accordance with his own
judgment but we speak Of 1t as q part an9
parcel Of presentment endorsed anu adoptee,u,
was reporting to the Jury, as body whose
counsels were secret, and he might therefore,
with propriety, have said to them whatever,
and as much as, he pleased. But not SO WIN ,n
court without note or comment-if they do
they invade the province of the court,
We think the Grand Jury has done the Eek
pert" an injustice In adopting MS report Ver-
batim, as their presentment,. for surely It's
whole manner and tone Is such as one would
not care to assume for himself before an In
telllgent public. 1t reads more like disser-
Sherffs, Treasurers, and County Commission
ers, with Instructions, rather than state.
ment Of facts for the action of the court But
the Grand Jury have adopted 1t, and u Is
their report. Now let us SEQ what they nave
done. Taking the officers in the order in
which they are presented, as for as our space
will allow, the Grand Jury after commencing
the Judge of Probate for his efficiency and de,
with all the requirements Of the law" proceed
to give TO the court half column In the
Press and Banner, devoted to the discussion
of the subject of granting certificates or let,
ters tesLanlentary, of administration and OF
guardianship to which;the Judge Of Probate
replies that as a judicial officer, while not In
failable he must differ from the opinion as 10
necessity @ I for the certificotes issued. such ls
the Grand Jury's presentment OF the Prooate
Office.
In the matter of the Matters office, the
jury say, "We suggested what we thought
would be an improvement In the manner OF
keeping his cash book" Does the court need
to be Informed of the relative merit OF the
different methods of bookkeeping by the
Grand Jury, In their pressntment n tho Grand
Jury devote quarter of column In the
Press and Banner to congratulations to the
country for having an efficient offices, whlch
the court In all probability, regards as extra
an elaborate review of Il column length, of
each of the other offices which Is made up
largely Of such explanations as I'VE are
clearly OF the opinion that the law con.em; mei
Jury know that it does not matter straw,
what their opinion is respecting what the law
coutemplates? Their province isIto Inquire
into and true presentment make" Of facts and
hence it is suggestive when they have gone to
the length of page OF the Press ana Banner
principally with comments and Suggestions
when every specific charge In IL coulu nave
been stated In less than q half column.
WHAT'S the meaning of such expressions as
the following, under the head Of the AUDI
tors Office" viz: at Is largely due to his
perseverance and that too In the face OF the
most violent opposition, much OF which be-.
ing on the part Of some high In authority"
what does the Grand Jury mean by such an
insnuation? Surely they are notactuated by
an improper spirit and yet II they were they
could Dot,have expressed 1t In more direct
terms. 1t Is an imputation upon the moral
and official character of every officer In the
ounty, save those who somehow or otner
have escaped their anathemas. II such men
N. G. Zeigler, q. NJ. NIattisop, and j. w. Per-
rim are not honest, then AbbeVille county has
none.
Is IL not significant that the court made no
order concerning this extraordinary present.
ment? BY way Of preface to what the jury
were about to preesnt TO the court, they say,
"We think that no county In the state has
more efflcieut set of ofliciers, and we are sat
isfied that there has been no Intentional neg
lect of duty In any Of the officers" Then
why SO voluminous presentment? AS 1t Is
the mountain has labored-the result, a
mouse, valued at $l25.
When we wrote the above we were under
the impression that the Grand Jury had done
the expert" great injustice in adopting his
report verbatim, but 1t seems not He has
begun q series Of rejoinders In the Press and
Banner. we therefore rescind onr Judgment
respecting the action of the Jury, which we
thought was enough. and now await TO hear
the amended report by the "Expert him-
self.