Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-03-13

call In question your acts or opinions, you
hear the accusations which may be made
against such as may be charged with crime,
you examine all the evidence which in your
judgment can throw any light upon the trans
action, and then upon careful review of the
whole matter, determine what, Whether the
accused be guilty. No. You simply deter
mine whether the facts are such as that the
accused should be held to answer before an
other impartial jury and defend himself against
the accusations which are arrayed against him.
What greater safeguards can be thrown
around the citizen, what better assurances can
be given that he shall not be capriciously call
ed upon to defend himself against groundess
accusationsl
These, gentlemen, are some Of the udvnn.
the means which the wisdom of ages has
wrought out for the execution of the laws
The execution Of whose laws, gentlemen p
Those ofn selfish despot, made TO subserve
his interests-to crafty his ambition? By
no means. Are they the laws Of an aristoc-
racy, conceived in a spirit of cunning and
fraud, and designed for the protection Of the
few, while the many are to be oppressed and
ground down in the dust No, thank Heav-
en-, we have no such laws to execute. Ours
is much more pleasant, more satisfactory
duty. We have 10 execute our lacs-made
By ourselres-5tor om benefit and protection.
Yes, gentlemen, this is the peculiar, the
crowning blessing of Iie government under
which we live. The LAWS ARE ouEs-and
no tyrant can arrest them from us or deprive
us OF their benefits. You, gentlemen, 60 to
our halls of Legislature, and there on mature
deiberation, enact such laws as you believe
will be ior the best interests of us all. You
come here as jurors, and aid in putting those
laws into execution, and observe their opera.
ton. AS citizens we repose under their
protection with security that knows no
fear, confidence that knows no doubling
They afford us more ample protection
than all the locks and bars, or other mechan-
ical defences ever invented by the ingenuity
of man.
As part Of the judicial department Of our
government you are not only called upon to
aid in the execution of the laws but as
have before remarked, you have an opportu-
nifty to learn their characterize observe their
operation, to mark their defects, if defects
exist in them. Then as citizens in your po-
itical capacity, acting upon the knowledge
and experience here attained, you have the
power to amend and improve what is defec-
tive; TO abolish what is iDjurious-to estab-
lish what is beneficial.
The largeness OF your numbers--,le fre-
quency with which YOU are called together,
your selection from all parts Of the county,
and all classes in the community, is admira-
bly, calculated to diffuse knowledge SO exten-
sively that all our people may possess that
information which is essential to the safety
of our free institutions.
With these manifold advantages resulting
from our system of government and laws,
where is the man with soul so mean and
sordid- with mind so contracted-wilh an
understanding SO beclouded as to wish for
their abolition because they cost too much
II any such exist, lei him flee to some cav.
ern in the wilderness. or cmigra,e to some
land where the footprints Of freedom are not
seen-he is fit only for a slave
But, gentlemen, the high privileges which
we enjoy as people, bring with them cor
responding duties-and impose upon us
corresponding obligations. Human govern
ment is not a self moving macbine-human
laws do not execute themselves. TO make
and execute human laws, human agency is
required. In free governments, free men
must look to it, and see first, that wise la ws
are enacted, and when enacted, that they
are faithfully and impartaIy executed.
We have code OF laws made by our
agency-adapted 10 our constructed
with especial reference to our interests
Not perfect, il is true, for absolute perfec-
ton falls not to the lot of humanity, bu
which are, on the whole, better adapted tc
, our condition-better fitted 10 project ouI
varied interests than any other system thai
could be devised.
You are now assembled TO inquire whether
any of these laws have been violated. This
duty will! rest upon you during the coming
year. II is duty which it is expected you
will discharge with fidelity to yourselves and
the community. This duty is required Of
you, not only by virtue of the obligations
which you owe to society, as citizens, tut is
especially imposed upon you by the places
which you occupy, and the solemn obliga.
tion under which you act.
1t is deemed the duty OF citizens of every
country to observe and keep the la ws, ,-doub-
bly, bound are we, in this country, where we
make our own laws, to observe this rule. 1t
is your province to call to account those who
disregard their duty by violating laws, or
omit it, by refusing TO enforce such as they
are bound to enforce.
1t sometimes happens that particular laws
are deemed oppressive by particular classes
of men, or injurious TO particular interests or
localities. In fact, there probably never has
been any law enacted which has no, been
found TO bear hard upon individuals or COM
munities. From the very nature of the case
it must be so. IL there were no persons up
on whom the law was TO operate, there
would be no necessity for The existence of