The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-30

against the passage of any law relating to steam
oats, and requesting thu if any is passed, it
may be generalized.
To the Hon. the General Assembly of Maryland,
the Grand Inquest for thv State of Maryland
for the body OF the City Of Baltimore, most re-
specially PRESENT.
That their attention has been especially di-
rected to the evil which exists in this commune
ty known as the small note currency, issued by
individual bankers and pretended saving Institu-
tons, which make up almost the entire change
circulation of the State, in open defiance of thes
laws of the land. The grand jury, acting with
entire unanimity on this subject, as well in view
of its violation of law as from conviction that
ultimately heavy and irreparablc loss from this
spurious currency must be visited upon the pub
lie, and more particularly upon that class of the
people, who, being engaged in more humble pur-
suits in life, and with limited means, the less
able to bear with the loss which will be inevta-
Bile in the end, have been anxious to arrest an
evil which is increasing to an alarming extent,
and VIII ich threatens to absorb the entire circula
ton of the community.
In the examination which the grand jury have
instituted into this subject, instances have been
presented to their consideration in which the in
dividuals issuing these small notes unblush-
ingly engaged i'll this pursuit without aay means
or capital whatever, far they have been
able to ascertain, Ill one CSpeclal case, per-
haps more glaring than Others it has been in evil
dence before the grand jury that particular in
dividual whose small notes freely received
by the public, has called upon the assessors OF
taxes and excused himself from contributing to
the common burden by declaring upon oath, that
he was not worth one dollar.
The co-rellative obligation imposed upon the
grand jury of presenting for punishment, so far
as they are authorized, violators of law, and of
affording protection to the community from an
invasion OF their rights, has stimulated the jury
in their efforts to bring this evil in the form OF
presentment before the proper tribunals, but they
have been enioined in this desire by the peremp-
tory cnactments of the existing laws in relation
to the subject, which Of penal rather than
a criminal character, and provide specifically
that all violations shall be punished by simple
infection of fine, to be recovered in the nature
Of debt, by information before single justice
of the peace, thus leaving the grand jury no jul
risdiction in the premises
They therefore respectfully present to the
General Assembly of Maryland, the existing
detective legislation upon the subject of individu
al banking and irresponsible issuing Of small
notesYas great evil
The grand Jury further present, that by far
the greater part of their time has been taken up
in hearing complaints and finding presentments
in cases Of simple assault and battery, and petty
misfemeanors, arising out of insignificant squab-
bles and wraglings, all of which have hereto
fore been inquired into and summarily disposed
of by Baltimore city court on Saturdays, during
the recess of the regular term. This salutary
law, authorizing the exercise of the power by
the Judges in the action of the court, has been
| in part repealed; and, consequence, the
grauh Jury is continued in session employed in
| the tedious forms OF examination and present
ment in such cases, whilst the court with its
attendants, to wit: clerks, sheriffs, baliffs, at
| torneys and jnrors, required to remain day
after day, awaiting comparatively unoccupied,
the delay of these forms of law for the trial of
petty complaints which, when matured by the
grand jury, for the most part submitted by
the parties to the court, and thus, in fact, deter
mined at last in the same manner in which they
would have been disposed OF under the former
system, with this essential difference to the pub
lie, however, Of subiecting the city to the very
greatly enhanced tax attendant upon the regular
/ session oil the court with all its officers and
jurors.
The grand jury therefore present to your hon
orabe body that, apart from this useless and vex-
atious delay, occasioned by the operation of this
law in the administration of justice, that it is
onerous and burdensoEne to the people by subject
ing them, at period OF general depression in the
value of property and industry, to greatly in
creased expenditures, without comforting any cor
responding benefit whatever upon the comnu-
nifty.
They therefore respectfully represent that the
passage of the law of the last session of the Ie-
gislature, abrogatng, in part, the Saturday court
for the remaining trial by the judges of petty Of
fences, is an evil and ought to be repealed
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES L. RIDGELY, foreman; Edward Hall,
George S. Eichclberger, John Lynch, Philip
Baltzell, Benz. Deford, Thomas Widely, Geo. F.
Knots, Philemon Towson, Arthur Mitchell,
John |. Gross, William Crist, John G. Wilcox,
Patrick Caughy, Jas. Campbell, Noah Ridgely,
VIM. Chalmers, Jas. Lucas, James Bacon, VIM.
Fl. Hanson, BENZ. c. Ross, James p. Heath, Jas.
Field.
To the Hon. Judges Of Baltimore City Court:
The Grand Jury, in compliance with the duty
required of them by law, have visited the Jail of
Baltimore City and County. While they are
gratifcd in reporting 10 the honor of the commu-
nifty in which they reside, the fact that but FIVE
individuals were imprisoned in that institution
for debt, they regret that they are constrained to
say that proper lodging is not provided for the
unfortunate debtors who are there confned they
therefore respectfully suggest TO the early consd
Grafton of tho visitors and governors Of that nsti
tuition the propricty of afording such lodgings to
this class OF our fellow citizens as common hui
manity would prompt They would also sug-
gest, that in their opinion the same common COM
fort ought to be extended to all females, and to
such witnesses who may be confined in prison for
want of security, awaiting the trial of the cases
in which they are required to testify.
They were much pleased to find that the n
eral arrangement of the prisoners, the great
| cleanliness OF the various apartments and the
apparent interest manifested for the health and
comparative comfort Of the inmates, were such
as to commend to the very favorable opinion of
H. 49,. A