Demoine courier., 1856-06-26
LecOmptOn'sC Charge to the grand
Jury.

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Lecompton's Charge to the grand
Jury.
"GENTLEMEN-You are assembled &c
consider whatever infringemen,s Of law
may come under your notice, and bring
IN bills a. your judgmen, dictates againsl
those whom you may find 10 have been
guilty OF such infringe nent. Your Al.
ien.ion will naturally be turned toward
an unla awful, and before unheard Of, or.
ganization that has been formed ia our
midst for The purpose Of resisting the
laws Of the Upitsd States. The exciting
state Of affairs makes il important thai
you should deliberate calmly. and above
all have respect to the oaihs that you
have taken, and without fear or favor oi
any parry Of men. whether high or low,
to meet to all the justice which 10 their
Que. You will take into consideration
the cases Of men who are dubbed Gov
ernors, men who are dubbed Lieut.. Gov
ernofs, men who are dubbed Secretaries
and TressureTs, and men who are dub
bed all Tho various other dxbbs with
which This Territory 10 filing land there
are such men, and find bills in accord.
anse with the following ins,rus,ions-rl
give below his exact words. This Ter.
risory was organized by an act Of Con.
grsss. and 90 FAR its authority 10 from The
Unned States. II has 4 Legislature
elected in pursuance OF this organic act.
This Legislature being an instrument, Of
Congress. BY which il governs the Ter.
rlsory, has passed iaws-,he.e laws,
therefore. are of United States authority
aud making, and all That resist ahese
laws resist HE power and authority oil
the Uniiec States, and are. therefore,
guilty OF high treason. Now, gen lie.
men, II you find that any persons haze
resisted these laws, then mus, you. uu.
der your oaihs. finG bills agains. such
persons for high treason. II you fluid
that no such resistance has been made,
but that combinations have been formed
Tor the purpose OF resisting them. and
individuals Of influence aud no,oristy
have been aid ng and abeuing in such
combinations, then mus. you end bills Of
Constructive treason, as the courts have
decided that 10 constitute treason the
blow need mo- be struck. bu, only the in.
fenfion be made evident"
"ls will be easily seen," says The Keo
sauqua Republican. .lha, these indie.
'nsnsa have been procured by the sx
press direction of the Judge"
Art. 3. Sec. 8. of the Constitution
says: Treason agalns. The u. Stale.
shall consist only in levying war sgains,
THEM or in adheriug to their enemies,
giving them aid aud comfort"
Nov. the Constitution says it shall
consist only in Isvying war; Lecomp pie
says u shall consist in resisring the axe
cuuon Of the laws.
We ale willing 10 make allowance 70,
ignorance. or Tor The mistakes Of Judges,
bo. surely this discrepancy has its origin
only in a corrupt heart. To resis, an Of
hcer IN The execution Of a warrant, is an
offence, but no. treason TO DO punished
with death
Every MN who knocks down a con.
Stable or breaks a jail, 10 guilty Of re.
sisiing the execution Of law, but not Of
lsvying war against the United States
The hrst is 10 resist process AID escape
punishment. which 10 inciden, to all GOV
ernmsn,s. but treason 10 to a,tem2. "a
overthrow the Sovereignty itself.
Who can imagine ,ha, Lane or Rob
inson desired TO subvert the U States
COMMUNICATIVE can imagine tina, The
mon who would not consent to be arrest,
ed By . william who had Infested ,hsi,
territory. and criven away their Judge,
OF election. with pissol ami knife. in
tended thereby 10 overthrow the Sover
eighty Of these United S,a,esi Surely
Il would have been enough to have ia.
dic'ed these men for -esisiing an officer
but that would be an offence for which
men could have been admitted 10 bail.
II is true the judge points ou. the per
sons he wishes indicted. by referring ,c
those who are dubbed Governors, &c,
bus he does no. pretend ,ha, any o.
these persons lave ever pretended 10 ex,
ercise tho duties of these officers in op,
position TO me United States authority.
II 10 true. they are dubbed Governor,
and Secretaries. &c.. bu: il 10 also true,
that oil they have done has been with
the express condition that the Congress
Of the United States shall receive them
a. : State. and recognize their action
The Legislature Of Kansas pretended
only 10 pass laws 10 take effec, upon
condition Of their recognition.
q The New York Times cites The
following passage from The Merry
Wives Of Windsor" 40 applicable to !,
percentage Of tho present day:
my hand. BULLY. thou shalt hav.
eg:ess and regress, bu, thy name shall b
BROOK"
The Now Bedford Standard, q demo
cratic paper. has the following:
"Some Of the papers are discussing
brooke pedigree. We take il that h
belongs 10 that family