The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-08-07
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EDITORIALS OF MERIT
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Good" Citizens Who Fail To Dc
Their Duty.


not want them enforced One dag
last week at Meridian, the chief city
OF the state of Mississippi. Judge
John I. Buskley. presiding in the
circuit court, in an address at the
beginning of the regular term. said:
1T pains me to say that the Grim
inal law Of this state IS not as Wig
orously executed as it should be.
There are two counties within
my district--namely, Lauderdale and
kemper-where an enemy in the
past could be shot down with per-
feet impunity and the assailant
would invariably be indicated by
the petit juries."
This state of affairs is by no
means confined to any particular
state, or to any particular commun-
ity IN any state The worst crimi
nails are set free by the jurics, which
are composed Of citizens chosen
from the great body Of the people.
and they represent the people
There IS no other possible conclus-
ion than that the people want the
persons on trial set free or treated 10
trivial sentences. So general IS this
the case that no murderer, no mat
ter how extreme the atrocity OF his
crime, if he be a white man. Is ever
condemned to death unless there Is
Ia general outcry of the public
against him
Judge Buckley on the occasion OF
the address mentioned. made this
striking and significant remark:
eve should have a law to require
a person, whether convicted or ac-
quilted of the crime Of murder. TO
support the deceased's widow dur
ing the term of her natural life. and
all minor children till they reach
their majority, and any other dis
abled member of the family during
life, or during the period OF being
incapable of making a living.
1T is said that the laws of the
ancient Germans required a person
who did great bodily harm or dis
abled another to pay a money con
sideration to the injured person or
his family If the accused were not
able to pay the sum demanded
ed, he was forced to turn over to the
aggrieved family his sons as slaves,
and even himself. If necessary, to
satisfy the amount demanded
"A somewhat similar procedure
has been practiced by some tribes
of the American Indians in the
West.
IF such a law was in vogue and
enforced by savages and barbarians,
why not adopt similar law during
this enlightened age in this South
land Of ours:"
1t is certain that such a custom
prevailed among some OF the great
Indian tribes of our Western terri
tories. There was no law for the
punishment of slayers among the
tribesmen, but whether in quarrel
or otherwise. an Indian killed aooth-
er of the tribesmen he was required
to support the widow as long as she
remained unmarried, and The chill
dren as long as they might remain
helpless infants or minors. 1t was
wise law and went far to prevent
tragic occurrences, because the
slayer was at once saddled with bur
dens that he did not court or de
sire
| Judge Buckley was very urgent
that the best citizens should be on
the juries. but these are they thai
are always insistent with their ex-
cuses, and they commonly escape
the most important public service
they can render But when the al
legged best citizens do all in the;t
power to evade jury duty, and fai
to go to the polls and vote in pub
lie elections. what IS to become o.
government for the people by tht
people, except to deliver it into tht
hands Of self-seeking professiona
politicians
: Judge Buckley is extremely sew
ere IN his denunciation Of the pistol
: toting habit. He said in that connec
: ton
THE officers of the law shoulc
} make a strenuous effort to 1ocah
} and catch all people who unlawful
ly carry concealed weapons, an,
the number OF pistols would b
; greatly reduced in each and ever,
county within the borders Of Mis-
! sissippi Tie officers should strict
! " comply with section IIo4 of til,
Code OF 1000, which section make
; it mandatory upon the sheriff L
; forthwith publicly destroy each an,
: every concealed weapon when
conviction IS had | am inclined t.
: think that the minor officers, suci
{ as justices Of the peace and mayor
are somewhat Indifferent about de
| livering concealed weapons to III
sheriff where convictions are had i
their courts. Iou should familiar
: ize yourselves with said section, an
& indict each and every officer VIII,