Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-10-15
CHARGE.
Gentlemen Of the Grand J,ey,-


CHARGE "a
Gentlemen Of the Grand Jey,-
The Constitution Of the United States declares
that "no person shall be held to answer for cant
tai or otherwise infamous crime unless ON a nre
sentiment or Indictment by Grand jury - except
In certain cases which come under the cognizance
vi martial law. This wise and salutary provision
OF the fundamental law impars to the Institution of
brand Jurles the highest interest and impor,once
=. 70 lhaeed ume-h0nored Institution, and it may
not be too much to affirm that no system which the
wit of man ever devised has been faund ,o ,ns,,,as
more admirably the ends for which il was ostabIsh
ed. Whlle 1t throws an impenetrable sb;old .
round the innocent and clothes him with armor IS
proof, 1t affords the surest means for the deto,o
OF crime, and for the infction of that punisbnan.
denounced against the vioator of the laws. Won
have been convened, Gentlemen, from yarious ma r,
OF this extended Judicial District to aid this Court
In the administration of the criminal iurisd;ct;on
with which the Constitution and laws of tho I'M
ted States have invested it, and it is made INV dntv
to furnish yon with such lights as NAV be essen,
uai 10 guide you IN the discharge of the important
duties devolved upon you. Your duty to enm;rs
INTO, being coextensive with, and measured Inv tho
power OF the Court to punish infiactions Of the
criminal code. II Is proper that you should take with
you iii your retirement correct general idea of the
nature and extent of your criminal jurisdiction in
order that you may not exceed it, by prosecuting
your enquiries into offences of which this Court
cannot take cognzance OO'''
The criminal jurisdiction. then. If tho E.Jor,,
Court is extremely circumscrbed 1t has been re-
Peaieoiy decided, and must now be regarded as
ARMY eslaolished, that they have no common law
JURISDICTION OF criminal cases, and can ONLY punish
such offences as are expressly declared to be sucb
ei'ner oy me Constitution laws of the United
states made In pursuance thereof All other crimes
hin
are under the exclusive cogn2ance of the State
Eourls' In a complex political system such as
'a' uhaer winch 1t is our good fortune to live. il
was OBVIOUSLY OF the highest importance that the
boundaries of the jurisdiction of the Federal and
o'ate Courts should be defined with precision in
oruei that lne harmony of both should be secured.
ana mat each should move in their allotted snbere
without collision with the other. That harmony
mas oeeh secured, so far as human wisdom could
secure IL, by the principle above cited lim,inp the
i'rnier 10 the prosecution of comparatively few
sPeced crimes, and referring to the latter the MN
ishment OF the great resduary mass of offences a.
saihs' the peace, happiness, and well being Of so
With this brief and general view of the cbar,c-
Ter OF your criminal jurisdiction shall proceed to
invite your attention TO few subjects which from
thelr importance, seem specially to demand il
ana prominent among these are the laws punish
ing offences against
1t is not necessary that should address onv ar
gument to body whose members are selected with
view to their intelligence and integrity TO show
the Importance of Furnishing with exemplary rioor
all violations OF those wholesome and salutary laws
winch Congress have passed from time to time ~
ensure the sale transmission and delivery of all mat
ter committed to the mail. Every member of CO
ciety, every citizen Of the United States. humble or
exalted, has common if not an equal interest in
tie maintenance and execution of those laws. wbe
.her we regard the mail as the medium established
oy law Tor the diffusion of political or private in
teiigence among the people, or for the Transmission
Vi 'Ie enormous amount or property daily commit
ted 10 IT, IL does not fall within the scope of this
address to point out with minuteness every nart;
cnlar offence which the laws referred to were do
signed to punish. II will be sufficient to state in
genera terms that they extend to every person en-
Ployeu In any OF the departments of the Post Office
establishment who shall delay detain. or omen onv
letter OF other mail matter, or shall secree embez
%e' Or destroy the same, whether containing money
vi security LOT OF assurance relating to money! or
not and TO all persons having charge of the mails
OF the United States, who shall quit or desert them
before devering them at the proper Post Office or
Tie mali carrier or agent of the general Post OF
nee autnorlzed to receive them TO every person
VINO snali TOD or attempt to rob (whether the al
'ePt DC successful or not )any mail carrier the u
o''es; ana 70 every person who shall procure
'"e ptipoudtiOu vi any such
crimes II any of these prohibited offences shall
come to your knowledge, it will be your duty, as |
cannot doubt 1t will be your pleasure to brine them
promptly to the notice Of the Court
md VIII next call your attention to offences
ieia'iiig 10 the currency of the United States The
constitution has conferred upon Congress power
10 com money, regulate the value thereof, and of
!oIelgn CON- and hence has resulted the inciden-
tai power to pass all proper laws for maintaining
and preserving the purity Of the circulating medium
OF the country In execution of this latter power
congress has declared it to he felony falsely to
make, forge. or counterfeit or procure to be So
made, any coin in the resemblance or simitude Of
e gold silver, or copper coin of the United States
Whetner IL be domestic coin issued from the mint of
,he United States, or foreign coin made current by
Jaw, or 10 pass OF attempt to pass or sell as frue
any such counterfeited coin, knowing it to be com
,erieit, with intent to commit fraud or fraudu
lenty and for the sake Of gain by any means what
soever, to impair, falsfy, scale or tighten such
iorelgn or domestic gold silver coins of the limited
States. These all declared to be fcIonies az
nigh grade, and the commission of anv of them
with IMMUNITY would be fraught with such serjous |
ana injurious consequences to the best interests of
saaNW~ AN.-a.