The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-11-13
gFE.B GAZATTGs
PORTLAND. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER Is. 1871

LEN delivered an able charge 70 tie Grand Jil-
~, in which, after passing N lucid order through
the long catalogue Of cfimcs, he adTerted to the
surest means Of protecting society from Their
raYages. These he considered TO be derived
principally from early education, and from the
formation Of good principles in the minds Of the
Young, as well by care and example in the do
nestle circle, as BY founding ana securing inst-
tutions for religious and literary Improvement
The q. j. appealed TO the best feelings vi the
Jury, as heads Of families and members Oh socic-
ty, for their vigilance as guardians ofthe public
veal, to check crime, not only BY presenting the
guilty, but to ensure the best remedy against It's
commission, in strengthening the moral prnci-
Plies Of orr youth, and eevating the tone Of their
minds.
These remarks arc entitled to particular at
tention, and il is only BY our feeling the full
force Of the evil that we can fully appreciate
their value. We are happy to learn that the
charge is to be published, at the request Of the
Grand Jury Of Peno6scot TO whom it was also
delivered.
There were several bills found by HE Grand
Jury, principally for larceny When The long
vacation, both Of the Supreme Court and Com
mon Pleas, is considered, it win be gratifying to
the citizens the county to tihd that there was
50 little employment for the Grand Jury at the
present session.
We understand that there Is civil business be-
fore the Court, sufficient to occupy their time .
fortnight or three weeks longer.
We are happy to announce to the public, that
the revised Statutes of this State have at length
issued lrcm The press. The labors Of the Board
Of Jurisprudence" have resulted il the pubIca-
ton Of two royal octave yolumessof about 45O
pages each, exclusive ofa copious index the IT,:
Pograrhical execution Of which, Is not inferior
to any statute book in the United States. thourh
we are sorry to learn that the errata are very
numerous.
The laws Vhich had been en- lcted in Massa-
chusetts, during our connection with her. had
swellet e FIVE large octave volumes. of which
many statutes had been repealed, and others So
altered and amended, that but little Of their VI
ri6ln2l application remained. So that il had be-
corne difficult aud dangerous task, for persons
not very familiar with the statute book, to as
certain the precise bearing Of existing laws On
certain subjects, and not little perpIexinr a
ven to the lawyer, to steer his way through the
devious track Of obsolete, repealed AID addition
Al acts. This obvious evil demanded attention.
and it was one Of the first objects Of our new
Government to besto57 il the selection Of the
Judges Of the Supreme Court to perform the du
ty q revision, was at once a pledge Of the good
intentions Of those who advised the measure, ant
for is able and faithful accomplishment.
1t was the duty ofthe Board Of J,o,;sprudcnoc.
70 select from tie laws Of Massachusetts. Iii
those parts applicable to lhis State. which had
not been repcalea-to bring those torcfher
which related u the same subject. and class ttc
whole under general heads they were then re-
ported to the Legislature, who passed mon acrf
as upou original bills. After they he'd thus heen
rc-cnactod, the Board Of Jurisprudence were ar
pointed 70 superintend their publication. ana
prepare " suitable index, marginal abstracts.
references and table Of contents" which as f. Y
a. we have been able 10 examine, possess Tie
greatest merit and fully Justify the high expcc-
ta'ions reposcd in the Committee.
The volumes contain the Constitutions Of the
" = and Of this State, and an appendix com
pretending such statutes and parts Of statutes ~
have local and particular application IN Elaine.
For more easy reference, they are divided into
chapters and sections, each act c,nst,rut;rr J,
cha2'er and each volume containing \ ve-ga
inll alphabetical index Of the matter in boii..
Tie INDEX is not yet completed. but Il vs.
thought best not to defer the delivery of tie
work on that account, in consequence M tls
i'apa'ience Of tie public for its appearance.
we congratulate he citizens Of this State Oh
lnc successful accomplishment of u..s interest
'ns undertaking, by which :he law II s.nplife5
ana 97cue Ii nearer q. tie rndcrstanlirr Gifts
SUBJECTS ana that certaintv.~ VI so.es meas
ure attained, which Lord Coke ss,. y, !. III
49,