The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-05-06

We, of the white race have all the
offices of power from Governor
to constable, and the negro is
simply the creature of our mercy.
1t strikes me that for us to OPP
press, when we should protect, to
debase where we might lift up,
is unmanly and unworthy of the
proud race to which we belong.
Stand by the nobler traditions
OF your race, gentlemen, and let
it be understood once and for all,
in Lincoln county that no man or
set of men are so powerful that
the strong arm of the law can
not reach them, or so lowly that
the broad shield of the law cannot
protect them.
Our present system of laws, as
with all things which are of en-
during value, has been a matter
of slow growth. We are told by
geologists that way down in the
bottom of the ocean tiny coral
builds its little shell and dies, and
then another and another until
finally as the ages 60 by splen-
did continent is formed and rears
its mead above the blue waves into
the broad sunlight of Heaven; and
SO it has been with our system of
laws. 1t is the heir of all ages.
1t has been cemented by the blood
of martyrs and adorned and per-
fected by the wisdom of sages.
1t is the only rock upon which
our civilization is founded. 1t
meets us when we enter this
world, shields and protects us
through life, and after life's fitful
fever is over, protects our last
resting place from the hands of
the despoiler. Let us cherish it,
gentlemen, as the very apple of
our eye and transmit it unimpaired
as a priceless heritage to our chill
dren.
Gentlemen of the grand jury,
our mother State; God bless her,
wounded and despoiled as she has
been by the cruel ravages of war,
is at last lifting her face to the
rising sun of a better day and
pressing onward and upward with
giant strides in the great race of
Industrial development. Let us
not hamper her in her struggle by
terrorizing capital and forbid
ding immigration. Rather let it
be understood among our people
and the stranger who is within
our gates that life, liberty and
property are secure to all within
our borders.
l call upon you, gentlemen, as
the servants, survivors and de-
scendants of as gallant a soldier as
the world has ever seen; l call
upon you as Mississippians who
glory in her past achievements
and look forward to better things
in the future; yea, i call upon
you as Christians and civilized
men, to rally to the standard of
the law and put down this miser-
able whitecapping in your county.
/ want to say, gentlemen, how
ever, that lawlessness in this coun-
ty is not confined to the country,
but an abundance at least of the
smaller crimes obtain in our cities
also. / am told that since the
last session of court there has
been good deal of the illicit sell
ing of whisky-that is in the blind
tiger way--in your town. | shall
expect you to ferret it out, for
this is the cause of more crime
than any other one thing known.
| / shall expect you in the per-
formance of your duty to know
the fear of no man-to have no
friends to reward or foes to pun
ish-to do as we used to in the old
times, ''hew to the line, let the
chips fall where they may.''
| shall expect you to look after
the carriers of concealed weapons,
and to hold the man who carries
concealed weapon without the
sanction of the law, for he carries
it for the purpose of killing,
should the occasion occur
! shall expect you, gentlemen,
to look into the working of the
county Offices. You, gentlemen,
are the agents Of the people. In
you they tlust, and by law have
a right to trust. expect you,
when you find anything wrong, as
the representatives of free peo-
pie, to correct it. If you find any
thing to commend, why, award
the praise. Give roses to people
while they are living.
There are fees for the perform
ance of certain public duties;
when they are paid, you should
see that every other dollar is
brought into the public treasury.
| / shall expect you to look into
the working Of the poor house
and see that the poor are proper
|ly treated. | want you to see
that the convicts are at least hui
namely treated.
/ want you to turn over all pet
! ty misdemeanors to the nearest
Justice Of the Peace, who can try
them promptly and cheaply.
Finally, gentlemen, when you
have finished your duties as grand
jurors, / want you to adjourn
! promptly.
j. NJ. Wood was appointed fore
man and Thos. II. Lewis, bailiff.
After the juries we're impaneled
! and the charge delivered court
took recess until the middle of