The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-08-14
MISCELLANY Y.

The /oiio5ciag extract Of he Charge of CHEZ
Justice MELLEN 10 The Grand Jury for
he County q Somerset, Is published az their
SPECIAL REQUEST.
GENTLEMEN sF THE GRAND JURY-
WE ought never 10 enter a Court Of Justice
without feelings Of JOY and sTat tude that we
live under government OF Las0s AID not Of Men.
hat we not only dwell in land q liberty, but
feel ITS value and have good enough to
know how to preserve the inestinablc blessing.
That we not only enjoy our religious opinions IN
disturbed, but have the high privilege Of ex-
pressing and didusng them with perfect free
dom and worshppng God according TO the die
tates OF our own conscienccs and in the mode
we may consider most proper in itself and most
acceptable 10 Htvl. That our civil and poli,i-
cal nights are guarantees and guarded by a
Constitution and by Laws fofhled by the intelL-
gence and sanctioned by the appreciation aud
moral sense of the oomufunityr That such are
the habits OF the people that cruel ard unusual
punlshments are unnecessary, and that mild and
humane laws are found sufficient for ur protection
and the security Of our dearest possessions and
enjoyments that we are enabled, at stated Pc
RODS, peaceably 10 assemble for the purpose of
administering the Laws-applying wholesome
correctIves where necessary, TO preserve the
public peace and vindicate the cause of offend
ed justice, or ADJUST contested rights between
litgating parties and thus promote the general
harmony and welfare.
These some of the blessings which demand
our grateful acknowledgment. You, Gentlemen,
form an important department in the administra
ton OF the Criminal Law of this State. The man
ner Ia which you are selected from among your
iellow-cItIzens 10 discharge the solemn duties of
Grand Jurors and the comprehensive language
OF the oath OF office which has Just been admin
istered 10 you, serve to shew the confidence
which the Laws repose in your intelligence, in-
tesrity and conscientious sense Of duty You
ale placed as sentInels round the innocent, 10
guard them from danger and disgrace-from sud
den attack: Of passion and the deliberate designs
OF Teuenge. You are the accusers Of the guilty
and Of such as you believe to be guilty. You
are to certain extent responsible for tie pub
Inc safety and the preservation of the public peace
aud morals.
You perceive at once how much care and dill
igence, integrity and firmness the duties Of your
office demand. With these impression. you will
enter upon the discharge of them and use your
powerful influence in the detection of crimes and
presentment of offenders Always remembering
that the certainty Of punishment has a more sal
utary effect than the SeueTuy Of it. And the more
closely that punishment follows the crime, the
more beneficial will be the Consequences.
(iere the Chief Justice went through the cat
alogue and definition of offences and then pro-
ceeded.) :
Your attention to the subject Of Town Schools
is of high Importance TO the welfare of the Com
muai;y- We have salutary Laws, as you all
understand, for insuring Tie Instructors Of Chill
dren in the rudiments OF learniDg and the forma-
ton of the young mind to virtuous proponsities
and habits. Ii depends in some measure on you,
Gentlemen, whether these Laws shall be faith
fully observed or unieellngiy neglected. The
Injunction is never to be fOrgotten, :" Train up a
child in the way he should 20 and when he is old
he will not depart from IT," But il is not enough
mat towns should employ lnstructers,-care must
be taken to obtain those who are capable Of in
structlng, and whose vIrtuous examples will give
authority 10 their CounsolS. The season OF youth
is justly compared 10 the spring OF the year !: and
the young mind TO garden.-ThiS must be en-
riched and cultivated with unusal care, and
weeds be excluded with more caution than IS
necessary in ordinary lelds.
The seed sown should be pure and carefully
selected, and the opening flowers and tender
fruits should be cherished and guarded with I'M
ceasing solicitude. No ground perhaps, is more
profitable than such a garden. And certainly,
no expense is more wisely incurred than that
which has for its object the culture of the mind
and the early infusion Of moral and religou prin
cipes.
Permit me, gentlemen, TO call your strict at
tention to this interesting subject. As Parents we
stand guilty if we neglect it: As Christians we
are answerabe for the christian education Of
those whom providence has placed under our care:
and as members of Republican Government
are bound 10 dilfuse useful knowledge.
In1 rw,1n1
equal rights and privileges. Every man has claims
TO distinotions-to honors and 10 Offices, when he
ca found those claims on bis own merits and the
virtues of his life.-We are not at liberty, then,
TO thwart our own principles and by negecting
70 furnish the means Of early education, deprive
Thousands in the community OF the privileges
which belong TO them the privilege OF becoming
men Of talents men OF extensive usefulness
and ornaments TO their Country.
In conneXion with the subject Of public schools,
il is natural TO look TO the immune rable advanta-
ges uting TO the community from the relic ious
instruction Of the Pulpit. Enjoying, as we do,
the most ample liberty Of conscience, we are with
oct excuse five do not prize it as it deserves and
avail ourselves of the countless blessings which
il places within our reach. We have the prvi-
lege Of worshipping God according 10 the dictates
Of our own consciences Let US not then abuse
the privilege by neglecting it. indeed, steady,
serious and sincere observance Of the worship Oh
God in his sanctuary, and reverence for the in
situations Of religion the only sure and effec-
tual proof which we can give to the world OF the
exaltedesti nation in which hold this privilege.
An opinion Is too prevalent that Religion is a
concern merely between a man and his Maker; and
as 81 ca should be considered oy human Laws
and that the Deity can vindicate his own cause
without any aid from the Civil authority. 1t i.
true that man stands dire city accountable 10 q cd