Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-03-19
TIE MARCH TERM OF THE JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT CONVENED THIS
 MORNING.
  GRACE ON ELECTION LAWS The Juries Empanelled and Now Ready for Duty---The
 Personnel.
 
GRACE ON ELECTION LAWS
The Juries Empanelled and Now

The March term of the Jefferson Circuit Court convened in this city this Monday morning, March 18th. The grand jurors were empaneled and Judge Grace charged them and they soon thereafter retired to begin their duties. Judge Graee's charge was complete and timely one. In bis advices he had the following to say on the election law:
 f.I now proceed to call your atten- tion particularly to the laws design ed to protect the right of suffrage, secure the purity Of the ballot box from frauds and punish those who violate these laws. In doing this l do not wish for one moment to be considered as simply diseharging in a perfunctory way duty imposed by the statute. On the contrary regard She subject as the most im- portant which could possibly engage your attention. The liberties of the citizen and the perpetuity of our re- publican form uf government depend absolutely upon the degree of care with which we guard our ballot boxes. W hen the returns made by our election officers fail to reflect truly the will Of the people as ex- pressed by their ballots or when the casting of any considerable propof= tion of these ballots can be directed and secured for particular person or cause by improper means and il tiuencee, the end of the republic is in sight and monarchy or anarchy is not far distant.
 Gentle men: the darkest shadow hanging over this nation today is not the de nger of invasion by any foreign foes. The downfall of our present form of government will come from within; not from without. The use of money to influence or control elections is overlooked or treated with indifference by many, and is looked upon as a subject of jest by others, but il the minds of thoughtful. patriotic men it is the most ominous sign of the times. By it patriotism is being destroyed ard public sentiment debauehed until men who. a few years ago. would have resented as a mortal insult the mere suggestion of their accepting a eonsidera ton for political service, now struggle with each other and with candidates and parties in their efforts to get pay for their votes and influence.
 Now, gentlemen. this is not po- litical speech but an earnest effort to impress upon your minds a full re- alization of growing evil which ex- ists in our midst and great danger hich threatens our liberties. But you may ask What can we flo? We cannot reform the nation" No, gentlemen, but we can reform our part of it. and if other communities do their duty the whole work will be accomplished. The sum of all the parts of enything is equal to the whole, and we are told that in parts of Europe large cities are kept thor oughly clean by having each cltizan sweep in front of his own door. So let us do our duty and hope that others may fohow our example.
 It is a matter Of general Knowledge that primary election was held in this county on the l4th day of the present month, and my information is that it was a legalized primary that Is. was held under and accord ing 10 the laws of the State regulat- ing elections. If this be true, then any violation of these laws by off, cers entrusted with the duty Of hold ing such primary election is punisha bic as q crime, just as though the primary had been a regular general election held fJr the purpose of elect