The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-12-13
From N. ~ ~ Commercial .Liurtistr.
TEAIlrIONY OE MlGnlGAN.

4
Is \ nnn muy see how this world goel " ilh no
"eyes. Lool withihne en,s5 SEQ how van
! Justice rails uron yon simple tiel iIark
:. IN thue ear chpnge plnfes and handy
" handy which Is The Justice, which the
| "tlliri = khg irar.
Such is the motto prcfycd 10 u series Of
| publications Ia the Detroit Gazette, plrpur-
/ Ting Ia be- Reports Ut Trials Arguments,
! ID, cisions and Proceedings of the s.ptriu-
ther tar,a nj the supreme court OF the Ter
i nlory Of Michigan; and really IL one half
ihat Inns been published in the Detroit pa
| per within the three ar four years, aud ne
Yer caniradictcd, be true, there never was
Il state or territory IN North America 80
badly governed. Michigan, under The Ter
rltorlal Ordinance of the United States Of
81, has served an apprenticeship, list, as a
! component part of Tie North Western Ter
fiior, adly, asa part % the Indiana Ter
rilory and 3dly, seventeen years as the
Terriior. of Michigan.
The Governor and the Judges Of the SUI
preme Court, appointed by the President
and Senate ot the United States. eonsiitute
what is termed a Legislative Board This
BOARD, II we are correctly Informed, has the
power al any and all times, In enact such
laws rs II Ficases with the privilege Of Sc
l'cting such laws as they may wish, from
any or all Of the several states in the Union.
| With this license, one would think that
| Michigan had Law enough N all conscience
and what is molo, laws enough NJ all times,
ready or in state 10 be made ready in five
minutes, Ia suit any east according 10 the
mhlms or caprice Of the judges. For in
| stance, ifthc Judges wished to seize the pro-
| perry ola man before trial or Judgment. for
debt, they would have only To adopt the
attachment law of tonneetseut Or, if a
friend of the same Judges should happen to
hill negro, they need merely To turn Le
thr statute book of South Carolina, and en-.
| act that he should phy fne Of thirty or
! sixty dollars. But notwithstanding this cx
traordlnary facility for prosecuting the art
! AMI mystery OF law making, ii seems that
] seventeen years have rolled away, without
leaving them ia possession al law enough
10 cmpannc grand jury. The last two
ar three numbers of the Gazette before
mentioned, have contained ludcrous din-
logne betw cen ih. Judges ofdhe court aud
members of the bar, on the course 10 be
pursued properly TO organize a grand jury.
| The difficulty seems to have been in admin
!
! By tie territorial stalutes. Some Of the
, lawyers were for SWEARING the Jurors by
common law, and some by the statute Of
! PHnnsy lsania SOME were for swearing the
larors before ihd foreman, aud eplers the
foreman before The Jurors. The Judges
Were perplrNcd, and what is singular, three
Judges Ncr fQuuHy dioi3d zach having
an opinion ST his own The following is a
part Of the proceedings upon This poiut as
| contained in the last Detroit paper -
Jtdgc Udhercil-l dont think itc oath
, - common I;ny, more than Judge Rogcrs'
! ve1scs; think thr jury is good e44e.
fudge Uoodwarst- have given no opin-
ion ms 10 The goodness Of the jury whrnit
comes before me, | shall do il 10 The best Of
my skill.
WiougaH---Pcrrit me, as IN old inha-
hitant TO state my views | regret that eve
ry Fllain escapes by the departuwe of The
court from the common law. MADISON ne
yer will be punished. hope The court will
! 30 strait, according 10 the common lasy.
UHhceH-Y"u don4go'fir enough with
your common law. man must haze a
large reasesiatc to qualify hun as a juror.
U0od0ord-N
UMenH-'Tis so. Criminals should not
be- entitled to the benefit Of clergy.
.uUong0ii-Take the common law as
II WAS NJ the revolution.
Tie Jury declared that they had chosen
I1euis Beeu(at their loreman.
Judec CfWn-They oan't ben grand ju-
| ry until they are sworn. According to The
COMMON law, the foreman must be sworn
first.
Udh'rd proposed 10 adjourn I'LL The next
day, and asa icgidainre, pass law presc,'i-
blsg the form of oath.
Uoodrord Mr.. Larned. what do YOU
! think ot the mode proppsed by Judge Wi
therell, 10 make law oD hand ?
! I'afhed-Not prepared, tho he thought
Of tins mode in tho morning 'twould look
curious bat on the whole, he thogghi il
the oply remedy, iC that could be a RENE
dy.'
This proposal seemed 10 take with tho
court, aud Finally the jury was discharged
from further attendance, aud the coun adj
Journed until the next day, thai they might
hare time ia make a law
Que transaction which took place during
this memorable session, appears 10 have 81
ven universal dissatisfaction. The clerk of
the court resigned, rod recommended a
successor. Judge Woodward requested
/ the bar 10 recommend a Successor also, and
they unanimously joined in the recommen-
daiion of the ex-cIcrk. But the Judge dis
i regarded this, and appointed his father, " no
resides IN Pennsy lyanIa, and also ma,lc n
i Temporary appointment Of clerk, to hold
the office III reycrslon, until he could send
for his father
4 spirited writer in the paper before US.
thus enuancratcs some of the principal dilli-
enllies under WHICH they are laboring.-
Seventeen years experience, with lceis-