Year: 1874

permitted by the: sheriff Of your county
who had in his possession q bench war
rant for the murderer, issued on that
indictment, again to walk or ride out
of town free as a man against whom the
breath Of suspicion had never rested
that while said offender was in your
county seat, he was shown the man,
and was told that he was the
man for whom he had bench
warrant for murder, to which your
sheriff replied, Il do not want to see
him. or Il have no business with him. -
| or words Of similar import; and to-day
the offe nder is running at large, free as
any of you. Now, sirs, l invite your
attention to the sheriff and his conduct,
and if the facts are as stated, and if an
Ov en- county grand jury won't indict
him, l will bring here from another
county a grand jury that will, for say
to you in all seriousness and candor,
this state ofthings shall no longer cx-
'st in Owen county. Precept after pre-
cept, issuing from this court, and BY
the sheriff and his deputies, and other
ministerial officers, returned s:Not
found'-such conduct will not be tol.
Grated by this court. I intend that all
ministerial officers Of this court shall
do their duty, and if they do not let
them bear as they shall the conse.
quences resulting from their own dere.
Lotions Of duty, know that all the ca
lamities which you are now contending
against arc the legitimate result Of in.
efficient officers.


l will seek the favor of no community
at the expense of my official position.
1t is an honorable ore, and shall never
be disregardcd or neglected while am
its possessor, if l have the ability to
prevent it.


Gentlemen, you owe it to yourselves,
your wives and your children, your
homes and the lives Of and homes of
your people, and more still you are ad-
jured by every obligation that each of
you have this day taken, to bring to
justice every offender and violator of
the law.


Proud as are the people of Owen, it
is burning shame that you are afraid
to express your condemnation Of out
RACES perpetrated in your county
during the past twelve months.
Human life has been taken
in the streets Of Owenton, in other parts
ofyour county, and the people are too
apprehensive Of danger to condemn, or
to applaud.


Both the State and federal troops
have been sent in upon you to preserve
order, and give security to the lives of
your citizens, and so far as | am ap-
prised of their conduct, it has met the
approval of all good people. They have
behaved we'll, and are entitled to your
best favors.


| will not instruct you in detail, but
will defer that till you meet together
on the Oath inst. But, gentlemen, as
one who has an interest in you, as one
who is determined, 50 far as he has the
power to enforce that law fairly and
emphatica)ly, yet vigorously, let me
request YOU, in the name Of the law,
human and divire, to discharge your
whole duty, as by such conduct your
people will honor and respect you, your
families and your neighbors will ap-
plaud, and the smiles of another and
more than this higher court will afford
you much comfort, when earth gives
you up, and holier and better home is
provided for you by the great ruler of
the universe.


The court will be sustained in it's &C.
ton by guard of State troops.