The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-12
His Remarks to the Grand
Jury Take Well.
THE CRIMINAL COURT
For Wake County Convened Yester
day. Day Was Taken Up with
the Judges Charge to Grand
Jury. Trivial Cases
Heard.

July term of Wake Superior cour
for the trial of criminal cases con.
vened here yesterday, Judge G.. S
Ferguson on the bench.
Although we'll known among the
lawyers of the city, Judge Ferguson
comes as a comparative stranger &c
the people generally, this being the
first occasion on which he has visi-
ted Wake since his elevation to the
judiciary. In appearance the Judge
is a spare built man of ffty-five Oh
sixty years, with a thick suit of iron
gray hair that is combed backward
from the forehead and greyiSf
beard and mustache that retain g
slightly yellowish tinge; his nose is
prominent. his lips full, his skin CT
a Drowned and healthy texture, his
eyes bright behind rimless spectacles
In addressing the jury, he wheels III
his chair with legs crossed and MS
head set deep down between high ano
remarkably square shoulders, Whde
he speaks in a voice that is SLOW
deeply distinct and carefully modula-
ted His charge made good I'M
preston. 1t was thoughtful, sincere
and deliciously devoid of "frills,' and
at times it rode bare-backed on wen
restrained humor that palpltateo pc
tween n righteous Scorn OF nypocll9y
and an innate desire to laugh az inc
foibles of the Weak-kneed DroIher-
hood of man. - i.,
Judge Ferguson charged the july
i'm part as follows:
Mr.. Foreman and Gentlemen of the
Grand Jury: You have answered the
questions that the law requires me "
nut to YOU. that you have no suit 81
issue. and are therefore at peace WIN
YOUR neighbors and have no reason
or disposition through that cduse
either to punish or to shield Tor per
sonal advantage or prejudice; that
YOU have paid your taxes. ana are
therefore fitted to be selected to per-
form a high and responsible duty
There is no position that carries
with il greater power or deeper re-
sDonsibility Those who formed our
government thought it wise TO sepa-
rate the different departments, max
ing each independent In It's spIiei
into the Legislative, Executive anc
Judicial. In the exercise &of their
mowers each of these departments Is
limited by the Constitution. Ihese
separate and independent departments
could not exist unless they were lml-
ted. Each department is conduCteu
bv the citizens. AS we occupy dlrIer-
ent positions, the right and response
bilities of each are different. me laws
were made and enacted by the cltl-
xens-and as citizens it is our duty &c
discuss what laws we think wise ana
wholesome for the general good,
whether they ought to stand or De
changed and modified. When we Sc
Iect men to make the laws, we ought
to take this into considerations
discuss the wisdom of the laws But
we must do this when exercising the
rights of citizens. AS members of the
Judicial Department, it is no longer
our duty or privilege to discuss the
wisdom of the laws-we have moth
ing to do with that. 1t is sufficient
for us to see that such laws are on
the Statute book and see that they
and enforced. We cannot escape the
responsibility of seeing that the law
is enforced. We have no right to say
that we will not bring the violators to
Justice because we do not happen to
approve of the law. When the issue
as to whether we will follow the obli-
CATION of our oath and the law or fol-
low the dictates of our own will is
fairly presented to men of character
and integrity there will be no resitan-
Cy in the decision to which they will
arrive. The duty of juror is the