The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-30
STATES EFFORTS TO
 BREAK UP PEONAGE
In Charge to Grand Jury of Tallapoosa County Judge DenSOn Makes Some Most h.
 tereSting Statements.

cial term of Circuit Court for this coun ty convened here Monday morning. The large number of homicides committed ir the county since the last term of the court brought a large crowd to the open ing of the court and the large court room was crowded. Judge Denson's charge to the Grand Jury was lengthy and full of hard common sense. There was nothing sensational or that even bordered on the sensational in the charge, but it was the honest effort of the conscientious judge to the Grand Jury as to its duties. Following is the part of the charge relating to the in vestigations made by the recent Federal Grand Jury of certain matters alleged to exist in this and Coosa counties.
 I greet you this morning gentlemen. as representative citizens of Tallapoosa county, and trust that you are here with fixed determination, to diligently inquire into, and true presentment make of all offenses which have been committed and are triable in your county.
 The purpose of government is to af- ford security to the citizen in the en- joyment of his life. his liberty and his property, and to promote his happiness. If government fails at either of these points, it's mission to that extent is thwarted.
 Government can only act through its appointed agencies or agent, and under our system, the Grand Jury is a most important agency to secure the ends mentioned, because the law provides that no person may be brought to trial for any offense, without consent, until a Grand Jury first indict for the offense.
 Pointedly then. 1t may be said. the good name of the State is largely in the keeping of its Grand Juries, they are the guardians of it. If you will indict, persons who violate the law may be brought to trial otherwise crime wnl run riot. men may revel in wickedness with impunity, and anarchy will take the place of government
 How important then is it. that men who>> compose the Grand Juries should be self respecting, honorable and in- telligent. Men who are interested in the welfare of the State, are jealous of its good name and will make sufficient sac rifices to maintain 1t. Men who, whilst maintaining the closest relation of friendship for others, will, in acting upon sworn testimony relating to the conduct of friends, do so without the slightest variation from right line of rectitude. In short, men who will dare follow the path of duty in the face of every obsta- cle.
 NodTly year ndS eldpSeu EInCc d Grand Jury has been organized in this county. During the interim, some things which occurred in this county, and in Coosa county, have been brought to light by the Federal Grand Jury which recently adjourned in Montgomery. that do not reflect credit upon us as a peo- pie who love liberty and justice. Things that add no lustre to your good name, but detract therefrom and are not in keeping with your high standard of citi- zenship. The revelations made by that Grand Jury and the workings of the Federal Court, have given us considera- ble notoriety. and have focused the eye of the Union upon this locality, this county I am sorry you are not known as well away from home as you are at home. That there are men in your county who will violate the law Is con eeded and this proposition will have to be conceded with reference to every County in the Union. Whilst the prop osition is true as to Tallapoosa county, at the same time 1t Is well known that there are as good men In your county as may be found anywhere. and the standard of civilization maintained here will compare favorably with the major ity of the counties throughout the Union.
 The things brought to light by the Federal Grand Jury have been done, as shown by the report of the jury, by a dozen and half men in the two coun- ties, and for the misconduct of those men the entire citizenship of the State has been held up before the country at large in an unenviable light. Notwith- standing only a few of our citizens. eighteen out of eighteen hundred thou sand, have been charged with the doing of those things, our critics have charg- ed it upon the conscience of the State and the South.
 The charge upon the whole State, or upon the South, is a misrepresentation, one calculated to arouse resentment, and We might retaliate by a recital of many gross violations of the law which have occurred near the homes of our critics violations in which the negro has been the victim. But that would neither gain anything to our reputation. nor amelior- ate the crime within our borders. Be- cause in Indiana, the murder of a white man by a negro. created a riot and pre- cipitated miniature race war, is no warrant for any of our citizens to mis- treat the negro, nor for us to leave un- punished white men who may mistreat him.
 We are confronted by an unfavorable condition, our course in dealing with 1t should be, to act wisely, dispassionately, prudently. justly and with perfect candor, Adverse criticism should not be allowed to make us stumble and fall in our efforts to do our duty. As court and jury w2 cannot afford to lose our self-control and drift into the role of the demagogue and politician in dealing with the situation in which we find ourselves, nor can we af- ford to play the role of mere time-serv- CTS. We must put our consciences into our work here. give the matter our very best efforts as true and loyal citizens, under an oath that requires faithful ser vice. If we will do this T believe all things will come right in regard to this special crime in hand.
 All right thinking people regret that such violations of law, and invasions of
 human rights have occurred in our State, and since condign punishment has fallen upon some who were actors in the lam entable drama, doubtless in their more reflective moods they, too regret their misdeeds.
 From the proceedings had in the Feder- al Court it has been made to appear that | a few of our citizens, actuated by greed | of gain, carried on a system of peonage | held negroes in state of involuntary
 servtude here in Tallapoosa County. The
 persons who engaged in that practice dis
 regarded the principles of good citizen