The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1896-09-05
Good Law and Sound Logic.

We publish the following extract
from Judge Dnpre's charge to the
Grand Jury, as it will deeply interest
our readers:
: Gentlemen of the Jury Your oath
requires you to do your duty faithfully,
impartially and fearlessly and with an
eye single to the public good. Justice
is blind and should be dealt ont even
handed to tho rich and the poor, the
high and the low without reference to
their rank or station.
Crime is crime no matter by whom
committed. Neither the time. place nor
circumstances under when it is COM
mitted, can relieve the author from the
penalty which the law attaches to it.
would be recreant to my duty as the
presiding officer of this court il failed
to warn yon against the insiGious and
mauGlin sentimentality which some
people would have you subscribe to
with view of having offenders go un
whipt of justice.
Your oath is Imperative. Yon shall
present no man for envy, hatred or
malice: neither shall you have any man
unpunished for fear, favor or affection
or hope of reward, but you shall pre-
sent all things truly as they come to
your knowledge. Resolutions and ap-
peals not to prosecute violat0rs of the
law because the crimes, forsooth, were
committed in times of great political!
excitement should not make you sworve
one line from the path of duty. The
law must be enforced at all hazards.
When courts cease to throw their pro-
lection around the life, property and
liberty of the people, they encourage
crime and anarchy. Ihe citizens can
not feel safe in any land "where the
law secures not life"
AS observed crime is crime no mat
ter 10y whom committed, and no resolu-
tions passed at political convention
"can blazon evil deeds nor consecrate
a crime"
Ny duties are confined in charging
you as to the law generally, and in do
ing SO could not refrain from advert
Ing Ing to these matters without being rec
reant to the position | hold. | do not
invite prosecutions, but [ certainly
commend, and heartily recommend,
prosecutions for any infraction of the
law, no matter by whom committed,
nor where committed, nor when com
mItted.
For years St. Landry stood aloof
from the perniclOus practice of election
frauds and the deuial to the citizen of
his constitutional right to cast his ballot
for the candidate of his choice and to
have that ballo, couuted as cast. At
the last tlectInn all attempt was made
To deny him this right. Disconlcnt,
turmoil, bInodshed followed as IA ratu
raj conscquence-and matters went
from bad to woise until the Empire
Parish of ST. Landry became a hywo,d
of lepionch among the sisteIhood of
parishes which compose this State. Let
us hope this may never occur again
Let peace aud quiet, law and order,
reign supreme. Let our people dare to
do right because it is right, and refrain
from doing wrong because it is wrong,
aud our parish will soon be restored to
the proud position she once occupied.
Palsed be the hand and cIoyen the
t. ngue that would noW encourage law
l,ssness and disorder within our midst.
x bountiful Providence has blessed us
in many ways. Let the -,,usbandman
reap the fruits of his labor il. seace and
without fear of molestationH 1t the
seed was sown in times Of political tur-
moil and strife, let the crops be harvest
ed under the protection of the law, and
many homes where want now prevails
will smile with peace aud plenty ere the
year dies out.