Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-03-07
Supreme Court.

i Supreme Court.
H This Court is still in session in this place
On Thursday Inst, Thos. w Dorr was brought
| from Providence, and arraigned before th,
| Court the same afternoon, when The ndict.
men, was read and he called upon to answer
II Al this siags Of the proceedings his counsel
I nled plea against the jurisdiction Of thu
Court in this case, the alleged offence having
been committed in the county of Pro, id-nce.
\ The Court allowed the Attorney General until
\ Thursday [to.duy,l to fila an answer to the
| plea.
\ The regular term Of the Court ,mcncrd
on Tuesday, 10 .. si.-present Chief Justice
Durlre and Judge Halle. The Grand Jury
aud petit jury being both in their seats, after
taking the customary oath or affirmation, the
| Chief Justice addressed the former in a very
able and instructive charge as TO the reSpeetirc
duties Of The sererd bodies, ,chich iegaiiy con-
stitnted that organized iohoie, THE STATE and
\ lmPressing upon the jury the urgent necessity
in the present slate of public opinion in this
coanlry, that the jury as one Of those bodies,
should iearlessly, congcieniiously, and strictly
Il fulfil its separate duties to tho letter, carefully
abstalnng from infringing on the appropriate
duties of the other bodies he had named as
foTming par, of the social organization
Having discussed these topics at much length,
| and very mpresslyely, ,he concluded his charge
!, by enumeraling the several classes Of often
ccs, which would probably come before the
Grand Inques, for their consideration und ac.
u ton.
! The Grand Jury then retired and the Court
| proceeded to call over the old docket. This
business having been concluded, T. w. Dorr
was brought into Court and asked leave to
withdraw The plea filed by his counsel on
1 Thursday last, on the ground, as he states,
that, desiring speedy trial Of his by the
country, the 2;e time assigned by the Court
for the trial Of the plea, would preclude him
from trial by jury the present week, If he
persisted in coninuing his plea to the jurisdic.
| ton. The prisoner stated that he thought
himself entitled to the benefit or1oih the trial
| at Inv of the question involved in the plea
aud of trial By jury also, AT tho earliest dag
! possible, but that cIrcumstanced as he was, tho
| Cour, having assigned so late D time for hear.
! ing the arguments on the plea, he was con-
| strainel To wave the former, and to request TO
: proceed at once to the triul. lie said, that he
! wished to make it evident to all that he desired
! an immediate trial.
II The Court remarked, that the prisoner
seemed to be under the impression, that the
trial by jury would ne' cssariIy tako place this
! week, if had at this term The time Of hold.
ing the trial by jury had not been determined
| by the Court-thS, must depend upon the state
! Of the business Of the term, when they came
to that question. AS the Court, however,
! would bavc an adjournment from its present
| setting, the prisoner would have an opportuni-
Il iy of having a trial Of his plea and n trial by
II jury also, at the present term, if he elected TO
| proceed with both. Whether, however, he
would so elect, or would wave the plea 4. he
had intimated, was for the prisoner to deter
H mine. The Court further remarked, that in
! naming Thursday of the present week, for the
trial Of ia" plea 10 the jurisdiction, they had
reference to the engagements Of the Attorney
General before the Grand Jury, on business
| arising at the present term, which made it i'm
possible for that officer 10 be in Court before
the day named for The trial Of the plea.
II The prisoner then said, that no withdrew
| his plea to the jurisdiction.
i The Court took tmo until afternoon, when it
was expected the bench would be- full, To dc.
\ eide upon the day for proceeding TO tho
| trial by jury. The prisoner was then remand.
ed.
H AT balEpast T.. NJ, all tho Judges bcing
| present, r.. W. Dorr was again brought into
Court and, by his counsel, requested that as
early day possible be assigned for proceed.
II ing to his trial. The counsel for tho prison.
er, and the Attorney General both profrSscd
themselves ready to proceed nt III, earliest
II day the Court would name. and much discus.
II sion was had as TO whether it would be cHpe.
II dent or possible to proceed with the trial on
some early day Of the present week. The
/ Court finally decided, that looking to tho state
H oiIhc civil aud criminal business now pending,
II aud to the fact also that the regular March
term for Bristol county would bo held IN that
county on Tuc.day neat, and thst tho Count
must necessarily bo held in other counties,
they would assign the Friday next following
The 4th Monday in April next april 26th,) as
II the most conv cnicnt time for commencing this
trial That day was accordingly 80 assigned.
| The prisoner was then again rcmanded.
II We understand tho Newport BR,ss B,Sp
will give another Concert on Friday evening
ueAt, nj Armory Hall.