Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-03-30


though an affidavit was regularly fled, stat
ing the absence of material witnesses on be-
half of the accused:
2. In the use of unusual, rude and con-
temptuous expressions towards he prison
er's counsel; and in insinaating that they
wished to excite the public fears and indig-
nation and to produce that INSTRUMENTATION
to law, to which the conduct Of the Judge
did at the same time manifestly tend
5. In repeated and yexatious interrupts
ons of the said counsel, on the part of the
said Judge, which at length induced them
10 abandon their cause and their client, who
was therenpon convicted and condemned
TO fine and Imprisonment:
4. In an INDECENT solicitude, manifested
By the said Samuel Chase, for the convic-
ton of the accused, unbecoming even a
pubic prosecutor, but highly disgraceful to
the character of judge as it was subver-
sive of justice.
ARTICLE VI.
That, at circuit court of the United
States. for the district of Delaware, held
at Newcastle, in the month of June, one
thousand eight hundred, whereat the said
Samuel Chase presided, the said Samuel
Chase, disregarding the duties of his of
fee, did descend from the dignity of a
Judge and stoop to the level ofan informer,
by refusing to discharge the grand jury, al
though entreated by several of the said
jury 50 to do; and after the said grand iu-
~ had regularly declared, through their
foreman, that they had found no bills of
Indictment, nor had any presentments to
make, by observing to the said grand Jury,
that he, the said Samuel Chase, under
stood s'that highly seditious .emper had
manifested itself in he state OF Delaware,
among a certain class Of people, particular
~ in Newt Castle county, and more especi-
ally in the town of Wilmington, where liv-
ed most seditious printer, unrestrained
By any principle of virtue, and regardless
of social order, that the name of this prin-
ter was''--but checking himself, as if sem
sible of the indecorum which he was
committing added that it might be
assuming too much to mention the name
of this person, but it becomes your duty,
gentlemen, to enquire diligently into this
matter and that with intention to procure
the prosecution of the printer in question,
the said Samuel Chase did, moreover, au-
thorasatively enjoin on the district attorney
of the United States the necessity of pro-.
curing file of the papers to which he al
luded, (and which were understood to be
those published under the title of'' Mirror
Of the Times and General Advertiser, -
and by strict examination of them to find
some passage which might furnish the
groundwork of prosecution against the
printer of the said paper; thereby degrad-
ing his high judicial functions, and tending
to impair tf~ public confidence IN, and re-
spect for, the tribunals ofjustice, so essen
tial to the general welfare.
ARTICLE VII.
And whereas mutual respect and conf
dence between the government of the u
nited States and those of the individual
states, and between the people and those
governments, respectively, are highly con-
ducive to that public harmony, without
which there can be no public happiness, yet
the said Samuel Chase, disregarding the
duties and dignity OF his judicial character,
did, at a circuit court, for the district of
Maryland, heldat Baltimore, in the mouth
of May, one thousand eight hundred and
three, pervert his Official right and duty to
address the grand jury then and there as
sembled, on the matters coming within the
province Of the said jury, for the purpose
of delivering to the said grand jury an In
temperate and nAammatory political ha-
rangue, with intent to excite the fears and
resentment OF the said grand jury, and of
Z