The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-04

have today sacredly pledg ed yourselves
to regard as your rule OF conduct In this
nigh and important trust which has
been reposed in this Grand Inquest:
You will find In your oath the full and
plain exposition of principles which
should govern you IN the performance
of your official functions, and in order
for you to faithfully perform these func-
yourselves from all personal feelings. all
personal prejudiceS. bias, affections or
friendships.
THE OATH OF OFFICE.
II ask you to bear with me while this
oath of office may be repeated to you.
Your oath is:-
''The grand inquest of this county shall dill.
gently inquire and true presentmenr make OF all
such matters and things as shall be given you
in charge or In anyway come to your knowledge
touching this present service; the counsel or che
State, your fellows, and eyour own, you shall
keep secret; you shall present no one for envy,
hatred or malice, neither shall you leave any
one unpresented for fear, favor, affection, re-
sent all things truly as they come TO your
knowledge, according to the best of your under =
standing.
"A copy of this oath will be handed to
your foreman, SO that you may have 1t
before you from day to day during the
progress OF your duties. and frequent
reference to its obligations will in no
wise interfere with your public service.
Whilst the Court is impressing upon you
the nature and Importance Of this oath.
it has the greatest confidence that you
will fully and entirely fulfil allit obli-
cations.
''Your duty should be, SO far as the
business on hand is concerned, disposed
of by continuous sittings from day to day.
After this is done you, can adjourn from
time to time with such intervals inter-
vening as you desire, or as the admins
tration of justice may require.
SUNDAY LIQUOR SELLING.
ut is necessary for the Court, in the
performance of it's duty, to call your at
tention to the open and notorious viola
tion of the laws of this State against the
habitual sale of liquor on Sunday. The
attention of the Court has been especially
drawn to this matter, but ii this had not
been so, still it would have been incum-
bent upon the Court to have directly and
specifically instructed you in relation
thereto.
'.The Legislature of this State has by
enactment after enactmen5. declared that
the sale of Intoxicating liquors on Sunday.
to be contrary to our established institu.
tions and demoralizing in its influences
and effects upon the public. The Court
entirely comedies with this conclusionsof
the Legislature. And the statutes of
this State remain substantially unchanged
in respect to this subject.
There Is no need OF any elaboration
upon this subject; it is your duty. if proof
be presented to you, of the violations of
this law by the habiIuaI sale of liquor on
Sunday, to present an Indictment against
the person, persons, corporation or COR
perations responsible for such sale. And
TO this general rule Of conduct which the
Court now gives you, you ought TO make
no exceptions whatever. The place
where such sale is carried on is, under
our laws, public nuisance and q misde-
meanor. by whatever name it may be
termed.
"There is a recent enactment on this
subject. but it does not take effect or
come into force until the fourth day OF
July next, ana therefore at this time
need not be regarded by the grand in
quest. Even under that statute the habit
ual sale of liquor on Sunday is q Inisde-
meauor, fnterdicted by just as rigid re-
strictions as under the present law and
fndictable as misdemeanor, punishable
with precisely the same severity. A
closer examination of this recent statute
under the proper rules OF Interpretation
may deveIope that il is intended by the
Legislature to apply still more rigid limi-
tations to and. restrictions of. the sale of
liquor on Sunday than is provided by the
laws which are now and have been here
tofore in force. 1t MAJ be. under the
proper Interpretation of this recent
statute, that single sale Of liquor upon
Sunday is a misdemeanor punishable by
fine and i'm 3risonment, but there Is now
no necessity OF any Instructions to you
in relation to this statute. 1t you are
still in session after it takes effect, IL
necessary and desirable, the Court will
call your attenti ton again To this matter.
10 Frn n w
book, upon any subject, which should not
be obeyed and enforced, and the habitual
sale of alcoholic liquors on Sunday is
crime under our laws. and the Grand
Jury can only perform its sworn duty by
indicting when sufficient proof OF the
commission of the offence is presented to
it, or when the Grand Jury by its own in-
yestigation can discover it, or where it
may be within your own knowledge.
''It is not at all material what the Pc
culiar notions or sentiments of any per-
son or persons may be on this subject.
It is not material what your sentiments
may be, or what the sentiments of
the Court may be. The statute,
the law, remains upon our sta
uute Books, as the expressed will
of the legislators, and the expressed will
of the people, instinct with legal vitality
for the advancement of public good.
The laws should be obeyed and enforced,
and we violate our 0athS OF off1ce II We
fail to enforce them, and no such neglect
or disregard of duty on our part can be
excused.
THE POLICY EVIL.
sour cities in this county are demoral-
lied and diSgraced by lotteries, a spe cies
of gambling termed policy playing"
Il is extensively practised and carried on
aud fiourishes more or less openly, anu
the places where il is carried on are we'll
known to the police authorities. Many
arrests have been made from time 60
time, and to former Grand JurieS COM
plants have been presented and proof adj
duced before them, without any beneficial
results. This species of gambling is con-
trary to law, IL reduces men, women and
children to beggary, and 1t is to be de-
nounced with all the vigor of rigid en-
forcement of the statutory provisions
against it. Need say to you that this is
one of the unlawful practices of a cheap
form which is crowding our streets and
homes with young gamblers, prostituting
boys and young men to a dishonest life,
and rendering them unfit for any honest
occupation OF life. No one will employ
them, with knowledge OF their jn-
dulgences. Need / ask you, as men
having the honor of our community
in charge. and for the well-oe1ng
of those who are young and more or
less helpless and dependent, to stamp out
these Illegal, Ubiquitous practices, and
with vigor and alacrity bring to the bar
of justice and punishment those VINO
SO disgracefully contemn our laws
and retard the growth of houest manhood.
Ia this as in other criminal matters
T. N.-1t ~ n Sfpf N n