The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-02
Court.

Judge Earnest Gary ope ned court
here last Monday and without any
delay, things became organized and
ready for business. Solicitor Wilson
and Stenographer Parrot were at
their posts and the grand jury Sc
lected Mr.. W. E. Jenkinson as their
foreman.
His Honor Judge Gary after ex-
pressing his pleasure at being again
in our midst proceeded to deliver
one of the most magnificent charges
we have ever listened at. The fol-
lowing is a synopsis:
"NIr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the
Grand Jury:
"In the outset of its association,
with those who are to perform your
time-houored and, I may say, inesti-
mable duty, it is a venerable custom
for the court to give some brief ez-
preston in outlining and defining, as
it were, your duties or service in the
capacity of grand jurors.
'.In the outset, gentlemen, let me
tell you that you are not here on
pleasure bent nor for the purpose Of
transacting private business; you are
here in the performance of very
high and responsible public duty.
'The law Of the land is. that no one
charged with crime can be put to
his proof, unless through the present
ment of grand jury, Except in time
of war; in that case court martial
is instituted; or in some minor cases
triable by magistrate.) He cannot be
tried in Court of General Sessions
unless he be indicted by a grand
Jury. You see that through you the
machinery Of the court is put in mo-
ton. Until you act the court is pow
erless to act 1t is through you that
charge is brought against citizen
of South Carolina for violation of
South terolina's laws In the max
ing of that charge you are not the
t.iers Of a case, but you simply say that
the State has furnished you with suf-
fciens proof to bring the party to
trial; if so it is the duty of the grand
jury to find true bill.
"Now, Mr.. Foreman, your lnvesti-
CATION is e1 palte; you have the
States side of the cases and deter
mine whether there has been a prima
facie case made out. If you find that
prima facie case has been made out
it is your duty to find true bill.
"Now, in the performance of your
duty I DO not want it misunderstood; !;
I want you to know and find that in
tue administration of justice at this
term of the court, your agency and
your actions is of vital Importance to
the community in which you live, so
much so that the grand jury has been
termed the right arm of the court.
You are the right arm Of the court,
You touch the electric button that
puts the machinery Of this court in
motion. Until you have acted the
court is powerless.
eff in the performance of that duty
your efforts are paralytic to that ex-
tent, you paralyze the right arm Of
the court. To him then who would
have and deserve the good opinion
of his fellow-man, need not dwell
upon the weighty character and
binding obligation of that dual re-
sponsibility.
"Let me remind you, gentlemen,
that you are the representatives OF a
county whose past and present his
tory with the exception of brief
intervaD has reflected such glory to
her name, in which all of her sons
have a just pride, whether on account
of the vicissitudes of fortune OF from
any cause they have crossed her bor-
ders, they have always cherished a
pride in the glory of Clarendon. But
while, gentlemen, we may indulge in
natural exultation in the renown OF
our country, and while we may justly
boast of the beauty and symmetry Of
our laws, by indifference and inatten-
ton we may endanser the one and
give reprosch to the other.
"The patriot has been eloquentl,y
reminded that fetelnal vigilance is
the price of liberty
s'It has also been said that the ser
vices of the juror is the patriotism
of peace
aTbe object OF law is to promote
peace, happiness and good order to
society. And if in the dealing with
this enemy to society you are mis-
guided or improperly Influenced by
any consideration other than is con-
templated BY law aud the spirit OF
.your oath, you but SOW cancerous
sore in this county, the result OF
which you cannot estimate.
"The State provides you able coun-
sci in the person of your honorable
solicitor. If in your intercourse with
him you are in doubt upon any ques-
ton that may arise, you are welcome
to have such information as the court
can afford you.
Entertaining the belief that when
1onr anties are ended I may con.