Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-04-03

The ensuing Presentment of the Grand
Jury of Harrison County, has been read
with wonder and regret. Are thcsc,
we ask, the Citizens of State, who has
been heretofore distinguished for her
decorous respect for the laws Admit
that this law is a bad one, is this the way
in which the Citizens of Virginia should
speak of the men who framed it -
Some respect is due to the Legislature /;
and. while we expose their errors, we
should doit at least with decency But,
when their measures are not stamped
By corruption when they proceed from
ntotfUcS which no disinterested person
can reasonably suspect when those mea-
snrcs, too, are approved by a very large
portion of the State, they were surely en-
titled to some little indulgence from those
who ought to have set an example to
a the rest of their fellow-citizens, and who
re peculiarly selected as the conserva-
tors of the public peace.
The spirit which is manifested by these
proceedings. must be met and resisted
A few words will be sufficient by way Of
argnn,ent-The Legislature of this State
has not been guilty of usurnation, of any
offence against society, of any violation If
the constitution, ot.en or indirect, of any
tyranny, of any cncroachntent or cuhidty.
Where IS the proofof it , Is X to be found
in the following Presentment i?
C5arts6uwg, March o5.
PRESENTMENT OF THE GRAND JURY.
VIRGINIA, SIS:
r. Harrison County Court, March Term, 1916
The Jurors of the body of the County ofHarri-
son, Pres'nt-fhat daring atteupthas been made
to infringe the Constitutional right of the people OF
thls Cemmonw ealth, by the promoters and proisc-
tors Of an Act of the last Session of the General
Assembly. entitled " IN Ret more eGectualu tn
PreVent The crcuiahon cj'tOfes emitted by unchGr-
FOR THAT-the obligation OF divers subsisting
| contracts between the citizens of this Common
wealth, whereby the parties had previously formed
limited partnership, consistent with the laws then
m force, Tor dealing III gold and silver coin, bullion
bills, notes and other securities, are impaired and
annui!ed, by the said Act of the Genera Assembly,
IN violation of the 9th section ofthe LIST article of the
| Constitution of the u. States.
| FOR THAT-ccrtain Bankng Institutions in
| operation, previous the passage Of the sad Act
| by virtue OF compacts which would necessarily
proung their existence until after the 5ih day of
November, in the year 1916, denounced as cri-
minal and threatened With heavy penalties BY the
Purviev OF the said act, for continuing existence
| AFTER the said 18th day of November in the year
aforesaid whereby the said Act of the General As
sembly resolved itself into post lacto law in
violation OF the said I0th section OF the LIST article Of
| the Constitution OF the u States.
| EOh ALA the mGsDAerS, agents and ser
wants, OF certain companies ct trade within this COM
| nonweath, are subjected 10 judgments and o< ecu
tons, to indefinite amount for their contracts and
TO heavy penalties and imprisonment on accusations
OF pretended crimes, without the intervention of
the trial by jury by the Aforesaid act of the Gene
| raj Assembly, contrary to the S;h article Of the
LJecardtiOR ofiights made By the REPRESENTATIVES,
| ofthe good bcOble Of Tireinid, assembled in fil
| and free cenOentioD 1shich rights il ggas there
| 1y declared, do apbertain 20 them and their boste-
! mi I'm La-E, r
| De,n
! [ THE JURORS aforesaid, are conscious that it
Is not their province tn present abstract asd ddbi
GUS questions OF aw merely, hut they are advised
that any attempt to deprive the people ofths COM
monweaith OF their liberty and property, contrary
| to the Constitution Of the United States and Of this
| Commonwealth, would be and remain, an offence a.
/ gans society and that such attempt would not a.
bate oil ITS turPtude, although aided BY acts of
| THE JURORS aforesaid-!,ave learned, that
possibility remsns for the people OF this Common
wealth, TO shelter themselves by the Judiciary de-
partmert against the outrages cont plated by the
aforesaid act of the General Assembly, but they are
compelled to view with deep concern, another fea-
ture Ofthe said act whch endeavors to set at def
ance every aid the Judiciary in its ordinary avoca
on, should furnish against the violation offundamen-
! tai laws.
| FOR--the Jurors aforesaid further preeent-tlat
by the Cd section OF tic aforesaid act of the Gene
raj Assembly, the stock OF certain trading companies
within this CoismOnwc cath, is taken from the said
| companies and vested in the government of this
State, by the prof ssed operation aud force of
! the said act of the General Assembly for certain
supposed Offences and without the intervention Of
any bill of Indictment information, presentment,
plant action, trial or other judicial investigation IN
violation OF the aforesaid eighth article of the Dec-
ration of Rights made By the Representatives. ofthe
| good people Of Virginia assembled in FIJI ana
free c0Uenfi0n and in violation of the third article
ofthe Constitution Of the government of this Com
monwealth.f
THE JURORS aforesaid, on a review of the
aforesaid 81 section Of said of the Gen. Assem-
bly, observe that, the Chancellor ofthe Richmond
District, who pTesdes over the Treasury of the
State (and who bath not any CRIMINAL penal or law
jurisdiction power tn hear peadngs or Jury
trias) is merely directed to take an account Of the
stock of the said companies, which the aforesaid
act of the General Assembly processes to forfeit
without hearing Of the proprietors.
THE JURORS Aforesaid, are advised that an
act OF tie Legislature inyOlsingan open and fragrant
violation Oftbe Constitution cannot acquire any mo-
raj force or obligation and that ile courts OF the
commonwealth would ordinarily arrest the progress
Of its violence yet, should the Legislature, To
oice its tyranny, usurp The powers ofthe judiciary,
iits coordinate depMtmcut) and itself pronounce
ced by the said second section OF the aforesaid Act
of re Geaerai Assembly, such juncture might
furnish legitimate element for public revolu,i-
on.
IL is appsrentto The Jurors aforesaid, tlist the
government OF this State, by the provisions of the
Aforesaid act processes To appropriate to itself the
property Of the citizens without trial or judicial en-
| qury but II is not equally certain that the people
| should be deprived ofthe right Of using physical