The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-02-01
THE FEBRUARY TERM.
SINNERS AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE.
Jurors and Court Officials nj tho POST
of Duty Judge NortOnS First
Trr,ss.

| Term.
| Court convened last Monday morning Mt ten
O'clock.
Judge. J. Norton, presiding.
sSo|icitor-J. l.. Orr
| Strmogrophcr-Wyott Aiken.
Clcrk-M q. Xcigler.
Assistant Clerll-l. u. Connor.
Sheriff.. f. {. Dul'rc.
Court Cricr l.. j. Wilson.
COn&tabIrs-Ciccro Hughes, Charles d. Al.
len, A. NJ. DuPrc and Calhoun Butler;
The Clerk published to the Court the com com,
mission of the Honorable J. ]. Norton, Judge
Of the Eighth Circuit, which was ordered
to bc spread upon the minutes.
The grand jurors were then called. Sixteen
answered as follows:
W, II. Fraser, foreman ,SamI,,l W: Cochran. l,.
CIV. Milford, II. w. Crawford,
G.. a. Cobb, q. a. Nisanska,
]. G. Ellis, r. 5. Galloway,
J. w. Puckctt, George w. Speer,
John Hi ~ Lyon, ;i ''''i' Thomas ". Morton,
J. r. Iattimer, J. >. Martin.
After being sworn by the Clerk, the Solci-
tor called witness to testlfying in cases for the
grand jury.
His Honor then charged the grand jury, as
| follows:
Gentlemen Of the Grand Jury:
Impressed as | am with the great import
ance to the country of strict unprel ludiced,
impartial and dispassionate enforcement OF
| the law, and believing you to he as your
board of Jury Commissioners. by your selec,
ton certify, men Of good moral character and
sound judgment,and free from oil legal eXeep-
tion. / have taken some pains TO collect in
formation which will help you to discharge
your duties satisfactorily to yourselves, and
! TO your fellow citizens of this county, whom
| for this year, and until another grand jury
| shall have been empanclled, you are to repre-
sent In ferreting out and bringing criminals TO
justice.
| You do this indirectly and directly. Indi-
rectly by having your Trial Justices TO DO
their duty promptly, fairly and fearesslyy.
Directly by presenting offenders who through
domineering or chicanery escape the ordinary
methods of prosecution, or whose crimes be-
| ing chiefly against the general public, no In
diydual cares to prefer charges. prominent Iu ,t
against retailing intoxicating liquors without
a license. carrying concealed weapons, adul-
terry and the intcrmarriage of different races.
do not mean that you must present every
offence of which you happen TO learn, but you
must exercise your sound judgment and do
that which Will most tend to the execution OF
the law. / have heard from the Bench that
the grand jury might ignore bills handed out
to them, though clearly proven, If such bills
were found to present merely technical viola
tions of law, or tended to promote strife in the
community. have known such suggestions
acted upon with apparent benefit to society,
but ! caution you not to act upon such an
idea, without the further qualification that
you do not ignore any bill, nor fail to present
y
nical, or trivial, or unwisc, or likely to pro-
mote discord or even immortality in the COM
munity, but only because your sound judg-
ment, uninhuerced by malice, fear or favor
itism, dictates to you, that its exercise In the
particular case in hand, will best promote the
enforcement Of law, both in its spirit and in
it's letter.
BY our Constitution the people surrendered
their natural right TO govern themselves, each
according to his own will, and agreed not to
avengc themselves for injuries received from
others. That legislators should be elected to
enact laws, that judges, juries and executive
officers should be chosen to enforce these
laws; that no laws contrary TO these should
be enacted and no punishmcnts otherwise In
ficted than those thus prescribed. He who
dissuadeS from the enforcement of the least
important of the rules Of the court, as well rs
lie who murders by lynching one supposed to
be guilty of crime, violates this compact is an
archiSt. If any law, small or great, fairly en-
forced prove obnoxious, the people through
the proper channel will sec to its repeal. If
we fail to enforce tho law, instead Of prosper
ity, peace and order, disaster, tumult and an
archy Will prevail The strong will oppress
the weak, the crafty will circumvcnt The hon.
est, the mob will override the quiet, good cit
izen.
Where two races dwell in the same terrific.
ry race prejudice always exists. One circle 1t
never should enter-it Is here. No! let every
citizen stand equal before the law. In our
depend alone upon the Justice Of his cause.
If the dominant race be wise it will treat the
other with justice and equity.
You have also q preventive duty TO perform
in look ing after the conduct Of your public Of
ficers. There are over one hundred in your
county. They ought to be honest, capable,
sober and attentive. Whenever guilty Of OH.
cial misconduct, habitual negligence, habitual
drunkenness. corruption, fraud or oppression,
they are liable to indictment, punishment
and removal from office.
Your County Commissioners, School Com
missioner and Treasurer are respectively re-
quired to report to the presiding Judge, at the
first term Of the Court of General Sessions In
each year. and the Judge must submit such
reports To you for your examination. II you
find discrepancies or Irregularities therein, or
any embellishments Of or eXtrlvagancics In
the expenditures of public funds, you are to
present them to the Court, that such orders
may be taken as shall meet the ends of JUS
tice. The two former Of these reports are not
now required to be published in your county
newspapers, and while your duty to examine
portanee. ] 'F See Section @ 69s General Statutes,
note, and page 657 OF the Acts OF 1885,
The, County Commissioners are also re-
qured to report yearly exam examinations Of rail-
The Public Guardian is required to report
on estates In his hands at the first term of the
Court Of Common Pleas in each year.
The Master is required to make similar re-
port to the Court at its fall term in every
year.
The Clerk is to report all moneys remaining
In his hands under orders Of the Court, Sta
term Of the Court. He is also to report
monthly to the Auditor and Treasurer all
moneys collected on account Of licenses, fines,
penalties and forfeitures.
The Sheriff and Trial Justices are also to
make reports similar to the last mentioned.
Those of Trial Justices are required to be read
in open Court at every fall term.
The Clerk should file all OF these reports, eX-
cept his and the Sherif's, on fines, &C., in his
office for the inspection Of all persons inter-
ested, An examination of all these reports
would aid you In testing your officers.
You ought TO examine Into the condition OF
to the last fall term on the condition Of the
Clerks, Sherlfr's and Register of Mesne Con.
veyance's offices may aid you. Orr he must
examine these at some time during the year,
he may be pleased TO meet committee of
your body and jointly perform that duty at
You have general idea Of the duties of
your several officers and can readily obtain
from the Solicitor or Clerk more definite in
formation whenever a special complaint Is
made to you Of one Of them.
The poor, who are sick, or intrm, or aged,
or in helpless infancy, demand your earnest
attention. No others ought to be charge up
on the county. Able bodied vagrants ought
not to eat unless they work. Clean and COM
Portable clothing and bedding, and such deli
cacics and medical attention as their feeble
conditions respectively urge, ought to be fur
nishcd to the really poor.
Are your public roads, bridges and ferries in
rs good condition as the resources Of the coun-
ty will allow? Good roads not only add to
tho safety and convenience Of 4 community.
but are also an index to its civilization and
add to Its wealth.
on the other hand, gentlemen, you will be
anNiously looked to, by the innocent, rspc-
clally If poor or timid, to shield them from
the expense and notorlety Of public trial. a
lrima fdcic case should be made out in every
case before you find Il true bill.
Twelve OF your number must agree that Il