The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-06

William II Hoople, A. r. Smith,
Caleb .. Halstead j. J. vanpelt.
Harrison Hail. stephen Valentine,
John Hutton. William White.
owen Jones, Charles B White,
John ID. Wright. David l.. Youngs
after they had been duly sworn,
The Recorder proceeded to deliver his charge IIe OBJ
the most important ones known to tho law They in
cluded not only the nquisition into all public wrongs
but also the power OF presentation indictment for the
commission of those wrongs The great end Of criminal
urspu the protection Of society and to that
rnd the maintenance Of the laws and correative with
that end also the reformation offender and his
punishment an example. They were selected in
mode prescribed by the law. those competent per-
form the duties committed to their charge. They had
power to take cognzance OF all public wrongs and viola
tion Of public law and various crimes forbidden by the
law Those crimes had been ranged under two classes.
One class deemed fclonious. within which in
cluded those crimes Of which three capital those
crimes which punishable by Imprisonment in the
state prison. The other large class Of crimes were
misdcmeano;s- punishable bv imprisonment in
" prison or by fine. The latter class consider
ed u an inferior character, and varied in degrees Of
atrocity. lie thought 1t his duty to advert to this
class Of crimes particularly, because of them
were the of great sorrow and misery many
families He alluded to the crimes Of gambling Of
drunkenness prostitution The mode of their ex-
trraiion had caused much embarrassment to the
muniy and the standardization Of the laws. One party
cllnod the necessity of passing most stringent laws and
TO lay down law Of extreme harhncss for those guilty
Of intrppsanec whilst another party deemed it inera
dcable. and hnt il would exist in munity.
The first took Interior ground-that nothing but harsh
could In that respect they proceeded too
TAR. We knew that vices most accessible by
reforming power which dictrted by kindncss but
that ca, took it fer granted that stringent laws should
not be enacted to reach the degree of cupabitya to-
lrtion that must make Laws utter nulties He thought
that the laws reached to fair medium between the par
ties. lt correctly administered the remedy would be
eectual and il was in relation to these laws that they
e jury called upon to exercise their duties. lie
believed That all upright citizens would say that the
houses IN Which these crimes perretratcd were
rird great extent and could not be tolerated There
gambling house, situated within short distance
from the temple OF justice. and embelshed by every
luxury. anj OF great cypen~c The existence of
such Institutions could not be necessary. 1t could
not b. that there not power in society suf-
cent 10 eradicate them. They ought to be sought out
for they naturally hid themselves; they would find these
establishments furnished like palaces with exquisite
taste aud magnifcencc to the great dancer and temp.a
tion of the youth OF the community He asked them.
husbands fathers and heads Of families whether it
recouccahlc with their dutc, to permit such establish
ments and danger to exist Victims freaucned these
splendid palaces and by degrees sunk into utter moral
debasmen until they found themselves Migrants in the
streets or the inmate Of prison. for some insignificant
crime Those who conducted these establishments
generally escaped while their victims punished 1t
spd thing ami melancholy task they had to per-
foim. When those poor and miserable crea ure victims
originally have through some infrmy been bro lght to
o state Of misery II dhcult to get knowledge of
the existence gambling houses; they in skilfu
lsndsin the hands Of men Of high power talent, and
who possessed money III abundance; and but lew OF
those outside knew what was passing Within they
only knew by some unaccounable suicide, by
some mysterious bankruptcy, by the breaking
down or some man hitherto Of good character
Could the occupiers Of these houses give reveal
ton. should difficulty SOLVING many
Of suicide death. bankruptcy and ruin of
families. As regards the crime of drunkenness IT WAS
Of those evils which difficult to eradicate but
nevertheless within the power of the authorities
and the province grand jurors correct those
evils which produce much calamity Such state Of
things could not tolerated in this community Num-
bcrs Of drinking shops allowed to exist without
license many Of those licensed In unworthy hands
whore poor creauesyctims Of on inirnity engulphed
aduuRted and'poisonous liquids To the destruction Of
heir health and h'es ny the police returns ~ would
be found that large number of liquor shops existed in
this city without license. There hardly a
family that had not TO lament the ruin Of some
friend by these vices. II his duty emphaticay TO
draw their attention to this subject and he commended
il 10 their careful consideration whether 1t was possible
reach that wise which would eradicate or re-
this evil The laws themselves were beyond qucs
ton if judciousy and theoretically administered sul-
fcout provide remedy IL made the duty of the
court B statute TO inquire into violations Of the election
iaws--the Laws against lotteries and the usury laws
The passage Of those laws had been attended with careful
dehcration aud had been highly regarded by men OF
wisdom and high intelligence The object OF those aw.
undoubtedly good The first branch of them reached
the maintenance q most cherished institutions They
tended to the Of the purity Of the ballot box
Ito freedom in elections. and to prevent ta0se
abuses by which If the liberties of this country sere
injured il would be Wy them for II the purity y
elections should b. impaired endangered there would
/ he end Of civil liberty which would then have only
nominal existence As regurlsd 5tteries II had been
Che determination u the Leiture 20 reac tst picc
They would fnd that no. only Wa the inatitution OF
lotteries made a penal offence but thCy were cxpre>-
prohibited by the constitution Tho usury law, vert
founded upon good principles Their object was e
young against the subtle kornwtted ant
sharp minded. u their duty 10 maintain the law
as they found them there was a lcgiulnntc moui Q
repcsine them If requisite. by the rcprefentatvts
the people. II also their duty % inquire int
gross violations Of conduct by public officer Anthr
branch of their duties to look carefully into W
condition and arrangement Of all large buildings IN
tended for the congregation Of n number o. person
whether theatres churches. schooihouses a'semb
rooms lodging houses. any place wherever a larg
number Of persons congregated ana wherever the a'
La1 been violated then erection arrangement II wa
the duty TO present the parties They also care
fulIy to examine into the condition operation, and man
other instruments Of human convenience. and see tina
they were properly conducted Also gunrowder stores
ard The driving Of cattle in the streets which had bee
Inc cause on many accidents Cemcteres, when imprc
teIy conducted and nusances detrimental TO the publ
b,oltb came within their power Under the hea
. ~ cemeteries might be mentioned the Potter
c.la a. a fair subject for investigation Thcr
vns no reason Why public authorities should be Lev
ureserye inyoilable secrecy to their findings and
prevent any frustaton of justice They could not be u
careful i'm their investigations when had bee
indicted for an offence and even afterwards honorsb
scoutted there always remained feeling Of stain In
bosom and In the hearts Of his family But whore u
evidence was such NJ manifested due proof Of guilt TIN
) would DO their solemn and responsible duty lar
portion u business thrown upon the present "rAnd Jur
~ consequence of want Of time ON the part OF Z
prY0us ono II vas desirable that these m tters sbOu
+ IL theoretically prosccuted " 81 rshtier- ~ low
D1,act a,eouey sooa .. sl~'u os- .a, lne~, sn