The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-05


Before Hon. Recorder nllou.
DEC. Alt the opening Of the court this nssnins the
following Gentlemen being present were swsSp In %
Grand Jurors
Roe lockwood foreman, John Mclean,
George Andrews, Charles H. Mount,
Stephen Cutler, James Nash,
Daniel N. Dsvoe yamcs d. oliver,
Walter L. Harding, David Rsuneay,
VIM. ii. Johnson, Linus Scudder,
Robert Kelly, John II. 6prague
Francis Leland, James L. Stewart
The Recorder then charged them ~ follows
GENTLEMEN on TIE GRAND JuRY-Among the most impor
tsnt duties and powers delegated by tho laws to iudv
dua are the powers and duties assigned TO YOU These
duties require the exercise Of integrity, Independence
patience sound judgment and acareful discriminating
mind You selected for your intelligence good re-
putaon and the faith Of that II Is believed that the
duties Of your Office win be efficiently performed. Your
powers in general to ndct after full and careful in
vestgation Of the brought under your notice. the
perpetrators of all acts which amount to pubic Of
fence and all acts which tend TO them. You viii per-
ceive that this duty is highly responsible On your
action depends essentially the destiny the happiness
and future condition Of those who under your
pcrysicn, WHILE the other hand, there Is the main
na -. safety Of society
committed with impunity, IL an evidence OF the inse
curity Of the laws and evidence Of danger 70 public
rghts In all matters brought before you il is essen
tal that you thoroughly understand each casethat IL
be made plain to your minds before you come 70 any
decision, and that you have full comprehension o. all
ton, and make up your Judgments on grounds, the
truth Of which is warranted by the facts. There arc
in which at first sight statements would appear
correct, and yet after careful examination they
turn out Nothing in the course Of human
proceedings requires greater sagacity 81 mind than the
performance of the duties entrusted to you. Among
the offences which will be b ought under your notice are
Tor obtaining goods under false prctences. This
offence is often presented TO grand jurcs and not
frequcntly the charges are made enormously. Is
natural that the creditor suffering from some heavy
loss and where the circumstances OF the case arc doubt
uit Is natural for him to believe that he has been
wrongel. Yet many of these cases, when closely ex
amnod, turn ont to be the result Of uisfortune Your
utmost will be required here but IT, after exAm
nation you find that this offence Is established, your
duty win be to bring in indictment. Among tho du
ties assigned to are 10 inquire into amy violations OF
the election laws, usury laws lottery laws, and laws in
relation to public officers receiving other ices than those
to which they entitled The statute OF the State
ton to these offences AZ to the election laws, the
cessity Of their full enforcement stands out oh
yiousy that it superAuous to charge you ON such
a subject In the integrity OF the bAllot-box
consists the safety and Of the Institutions
Of this country Let corruption enter there, and the
civil liberties Of this nation yaueless The import
ance Of this subject must be apparent to you all The
laws passed in relation tolottees in confirmation Of
the prohibitory clauses in the constitution Of tho State
That vice had obtained such height that tho people
resolves to cpress It. But strong and stringent as tho
laws II is melancholy fact that more wide spread
evil does not exist than lotteries. branch OF this
wrong may be found in those Offices known exchange
Cces Here the wrong reaches the lowest Of the com
munty and through them the laborer Is often induced
to hand his last farhng in the hope OF future
gain request that you give this evil your especial at
tention.
The Court also directs you not to disclose the fact Of
finding indictment for felony against any individual
ua he has been arrested. II is better altogether that
you have outdoor conversation about your
business in the jury room. The violation OF this rule
sften causes embarrassment and trouble.
The calendar for this term IL small, not exceeding
thirty five thrty-six This Is encouraging
far as ii gees but great proportion Of these crimes
Of serious nature The burglar figures largely
the list and of al crimes there is more grave
than that of the burglar who commits deliberate Of
fence, and goes armed prepared to meet resistance
You must also carefully examine the crimes Of lesser
magnitude. Msdemeanors arc apt to be regarded as
inferior In effect but remember that these minor Of
fences frequent in society and prepare the cu
prt for going from bad TO 1t is mercy to attend
them Men do not reach high atrocty at once they
require education III may the expression) and
descend from step to another until they do that
which sends them TO the state prison or the gaows.
You must look impartially upon all-with you the
condition Of man be it high or low must have no
weight In where you have reasonably we'll
founded doubts those doub must be given in favor OF
the accused If in your examination you are not salts
fed with the evidence you have right to examine fur
Their. Where you stand in need Of assistance you have
legal adviser in the District Attorney In every case,
twelve votes necessary TO find Bill With these re-
MARKS, gentlemen commit the business Of the term
into your hands.
There being no cases ready for trial the Court then
adjourned for the day.