Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-01-03

| purpose art and address are practised
commensurate with The dread of dis
rovcry. But, gentlemen, if | were to
make only single remark, on every
crime and misdcmeanor cosnizable by
you, | should be led into an ulreason-
able length ; as this is the only crimi-
nal court in this county, every offence
| against the laws is prescntable by you,
from treason down to the breach of a
simple pcEal statute an enumeration
of them would not be easy, nor would it
be useful, and if you should during
your settings, feel any doubts on any
particular subject. they can easily be
removed by application to the attorney
| for this district.
In making your presentmcH's. it is
necessary that twelve of your body
should concur therein your own and
your fellows council you are sworn to
keep secret. for reasons which are
not set down in the law, but which
must be apparent to you you may al
so. and indeed ought, to present all
offences within your own knowledge
or which shall be made known to you
by informers or witnesses who shall
appear before you, after having been
sworn in court. You are to present
none through malice, hatred, or i'll
will, and to leave none unprcsented
from fear, favor, or affection, or the
hope or promise of reward the same
vigilance with which you are bound to
examine your own hearts, to keep
them pure and free from human pas
sions which might warp your WdS-
mcnts, exercise over those who shall
come as acCusers or witnesses before
you, that you be not begGiled by the
false CoIorings Of malice on the one
hard, or the cOncealments and cXten.
uat!ons OF honor on the other. Slight
presumptions Of guilt afford no just
grounds for n prcsentment i; for, al
though your presontment is no COLI
elusive evidence of guilt, yet it is ul,-
just to subject any person to the vex-
atoms OF criminal prosecution, with
out reasonable and probable cause.
One other subject occurs to me to
mention to you. which think de-
serves some consideration by you |
mean that body of executive officers
called ConstabIes. most efficient and
important order in the civil institu-
tons OF our country like the petty
officers OF an army, who are the sup
port of good discipline. so are the
constables the supporters and prrser-
vcrs, in a great measure, of peace
and good order in society. Are they
watchful ? are they vigilant in sup
pressing ARRAYS, riots, and disorder
ly meetings OF slaves and others -
Are they alert in the service Of crimi.
nal process, and in the arrestinS of
offenders These are inquiries wor-
thy, think, of your regard, because
without this class of officers society
could not we'll exist they are essen
tial links in the chain which binds us
together, and should any of this body
be mainly deficient in these duties,
they deserve your particular animal
version. | am far from suggesting
. this t" be the case i; i. is for you to
inquire into it. not for me to accuse ;
| only call your attention to these
things because | think them of pri-
mary importance.
lbelievel am expressly required
to give in charge to you an act Of the
Mary land assembly, entitled san act
relating to negroes, and to repeal the
acts of assembly of Mary land therein
mentioned" passed in 1896, chap e..
The clerk will furnish the acts Of
Congress and of Mary land, when re-
quired by you.
1 will conclude. gentlemen. with an
assurance, that this court will unite
with you IN endeavours to support
the dignity of the laws and maintain
peace and good order in society.
BIT.
Sasa