The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-20
dates. !. the act of the sOth April. 1880. commonly

dates, Is the act of the 30th April 1880, common
called the Crimes Act, Och. 3D. The Dad section o
this act provides that - II any person SHALL know
ipgly and wilfully, obstruct, resist, oppose ny
officer OF the United States, in serving attempting
To serve any mesne process warrant, or any rule
order OF any of the courts Of the United States
any other legal or Judicial writ process whatso.
ever, every such person shall, convc ton be i'm
not exceeding three hundred dollars" This sec ton
has been held by Judge Washington TO coInpre-
bend all descriptions OF process whatsoever in the
| hands OF officer OF the United States: and Ia.
offence of resistance 10 be complete where the party
has refused TO obey the officer according TO hs writ
whether the refusal was or was not accompanied by
a breach Of the peace. q w. c. c. r.. $3.50
Another act Is that OF the I'd of March, 1881, (ch
/ 99,) OF which the second section contains these
words lf any person shall corruptly, by threat
or force, endeavor to influence intimidate, or i'm
pede any juror, witness, officer in any court OF
the United States, in the discharge of his duty or
shall corruptly, or by threats or force, obsruct or
| impede, or endeavor to obsruct impede, the due
administration OF justice therein every person 80
offending shall, on conviction be punished by fine
| not exceeding five hundred dollars or by impris-
| onnent not exceeding three months, or both, ac-
cosding TO the nature and aggravation of the Of
| fence
Besides these, the act Of Congress of the 18th of
September last, (ch co., relates more particularly
10 the offences OF obstructing the arrest of ug-
| tive from labor, and OF rescuing attempting to
rescue him when arrested, aiding him to escape
from custody after arrest harboring or conceal
ing him 50 as to prevent his discovery and arrest
after knowledge or notice that he such fugi-
glvej each of which offences subjects to fine not
exceeding one thousand doars, and an imprson-
| ment not exceeding ak months.
IL, gentlemen, il shall be brought to your know
LEDGE that either of the offences which these acts
describe has been committed within this District,
either by resident citizens by strangers, it will
be your duty, under the oaths and affirmatons you
have now taken, to bring the facts the notice OF
the court, either by an appropriate presentment,
or by bills OF indictment against the parties incul-
| pated.
! am not judicielly apprised, however, that any
evidence will be laid before you which should form
| the basis OF such action on your part We have all
| OF U.S. from time TO time, heard rumors of popular
gatherings in this and some of the adjoining coun-
! ties, at which purposes are said TO have been
| threatened, approaching more less closely to
| crime. But do not remember to have beard that
any officer Of the United States, or other person
| charged with process, has been resisted within the
bounds OF this district, that the meetings around
have gone further than the proclamation Of some
| vague and contingent mcnaces. And would dis
tinguish literally, and would have you to dstin
| guish, between inere extravaganza OF dicton, and
the endeavor by threats force TO obstruct the cx
! ecution OF the laws Of the country.
! have now, gentlemen, completed in all frank
ness, the few observations which the occasion has
seemed TO to call for. ! submit them to you
with the fullest that they will be accepted
by you in kindred spirit, and that your debera-
IONS and your action on the interesting subject {,
which they relate will be charac erzed by frmness
| dignity, and, above all, by uncompromisine
devotion to the Constitution of the United States.