The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-12
GGr0pe.
FROM BELLS WEEKLY MESSENGER.

FROM BELLS WEEKLY MESSENGER.
LONDON, April %.
The verdicts found by the coroner's jury in
London and MiddleseX, upon the bodies OF
two persons killed during the late riots, have
excited universal interest. TWO vcrdicts
have been returned of 7viifuk murder against
unknown soldiers, we believe OF the regi-
ment of life guards-Many people are dis
posed to object to these verdiCts we are not
I'VE consider them as the only legal and
lustifabe verdicts which could have been
found, & we are prepared to defendthem as
such-but first we must object to the indie
cent suspicious which have been cast upon
these verdicts by Certain persons, who look
upon the inquess OF the coroner as mere
partial examinations, and formed rather up
on hasty opinions than matters of law and
fact. These persons would do well to heSi~
tate before they shed their malignitv upon
the most ancient and honorable Office in the
kingdom-the kings Jench is the supreme
coroner of the country, and every coro-
ner is the Immediate deputy OF that high
court.
So high was the credit which the law for
merry gave 10 the inquisition OF death found
before coroner, that anciently the judges
would not receive verdict Acquiring a per
son of the death of man found against MIN
by the coroner's inquest, uniess the Jury,
SO acquitting the defendant had found, at
the same time, what other person did the
fact.
tits rule of law, when a person has
the marks of violent death upon his body
committed by the hand OF man. to presume
The most aggravated species of homicide,
viz. zviLfui murder, till the contrary be prov
ed. lthas been holden by our ancient law
yers, that if person be killed by another,
and it be certainly known that he killed MIN,
the jury must hear evidence only for the
king and whether the killing were by ma
lice or without malice nay, though 1T were
such killing as was juStiiiable, as An officer
killing ore who assaults him in execnsing
his Office /; yet the inquest shall find it mur-
der, because the party shall be put 10 ala
swer and, upon not guilty pleaded, the
whole matter will come to be tried by ju
ry, where the evidence of both sides will De
heard in court, and such direction given as
the nature of the fact requires, viz. whether
1t be mnrder-nian siaughter-or fier inyor-
kunium.
i his was the common practice of our an
clent law till within a Century past. 1t is
now, indeed, the practice of the coroner to
so more largely int the evidence, and to ex
anime, rather than 10 conclude himself
bound to accuse by the duty of his office
The coroner's inquest, in this case, differs
from grand Jury. The coroner's inquest is
to Inquire how truly the party came oy his
death, and to hear evidence on both sides.
The grand jury proceed to accuse ec harte.
now 1t is this more enlarged exercise Of the
duty OF coroner, at the present day, which
stamps higher credit upon his inquests.
The coroners take evidence on both sides
they receive the verde; upon oath-lhey
are bound by the rules of law, and must be
guided by those prescriptions which the law
deduces from certain acts, and direct their
Juries to form their verdcts upon them as lie
gal probabilities. Now, as we have above
| said, unexplained, unjustifable homicide,
must, by the Coroner, be interpreted into
wilful murder. A man is brought before him
his head shattered with pistol ball, the
evident cause of his death-can he direct
7 his jury TO return verdict Of manslaughter ?
Certainly not because manslaughter is a
species OF homicide justified by certain cir
cumstances which excuse it, and il those
circumstances be not laid before him in e.
violence, he cannot presume any such to exist
| Ills duty is the contrary way, and he
must presume the most exc ;gerated spe-
cies Of homicide, in the absence of all JUS
! LITIGATION.
! What is the next species of justihabIe
homicide Self defence--But in the case
we nave put, the Coroner cannot presume
this. Homicide, sc fcjcndcEd3, is the Kill
| ling Of another person in the necessary de
fence Of himself against him that assaults
him. But the coroner has no evidence laid
before MIN that the party killed made an as
sault, or was anywise engaged in fray
with tine unknown person Who has killed
! him: Having no evidence Of this sort, and
! being pressed with evidence contrarV to the
presumption Of such fact, lie cannO. return
a verdict Of homicide, justified by self de-
fence. lit had appeared, indeed, that the
man killed in Mr.. Goodeye's shop had at
| tackled the life gucrdsman, the coroner
might have returned verdict Of az defen
de'.dO J bot the direct Contrary was in eyi-
dcncc.
Now, what othcr kind Of violent deaths are
! there, many Of which tie coroner ight bavc
presumed There is death by the visitation
Of God ---coald nc have presumcd this
lEcXt, there is death, ter i4}orIuniaor, or &C