New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-09
La " INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF GENERAL sEssloNs-TvrsDAr, Apraa

Before Judge CAFRoN.
AZ the opening OF the Court the following named
gentlensp were mpanneled as Grand Jurors for the
term: Bepj. ii. Day, Foreman; Aonzo r Cushman,
VIM. Flandreau. John Mclean Benz. Wandell, Ste
phen Daymond, Thomas Gldersleeve, John W. Miller,
Robert J. Randolph, Thomas TIainor, VIM. y. Den
man, John W. Howe, John Pettigrew, Peter Boglrt,
Francis Gay, John X Meyers, Charles q. Pratt, Ed
ward Scheb and Walter ii. Taylor.
To theee gentlemen the Judge delivered the follow
ing charge
CHARGE OF JUDGE CAPROS.
GrsTLRnES: The charge which shall give to you
on this occasion will be especially practical.
You are body Of men, selected according to the
forms OF law, TO discharge most delicate and respOhs-
ble dutite. Upon your action az Grand Jury depends
the question, Who among your fenowcitzens shall be
subjected 10 the necs ssty of public trial any
charge of crime committed within the City and County
Of New.Yorkl You will therefore consider yourselves,
az the law intends, shield for the defense Of inno
cence against private malice popular excitement,
and sword to cut off the hopes which the guilty may
inculge that they can violate the laws with impunty
You will organize by appointing one of your num-
Der Clerk, and il will devolve on him to preserve min
utes Of your proceedings and of the evidence given
before YOU aud to deliver those minutes TO the Dis
trct.Attorney when directed TO do 10 by the Grand
Jury. The foreman, appointed by the Court, WIZ ad-
minister oatbs witnesses in your pre- sence, and pre-
side over Jour deliberations. The Distrct-AttOrney is
your legal adviser and he may be with you for the pur
pose Of examining witnesses. That officer will issue
fubpenas for such witnesses you may direct to be
summoned before yea, but he may not be present
during the expression Of your opinions the casting of
Your votes ON the final questions submitted to your
determination.
The Grand Jury cannot have more than % members
nor less than l6 and IL must TO nd indict
ment.
You are not allowed to disclose the fact that in-
dictmeut is found for felony until the accused shall
have been arrested, and you should keep secret all
matters submitted to your GctiOn.
Being properly organized, it will be your duty to
give to complaints which may be laid before you a
IA .pAY inv attn IN
legal adviser all doubtful questions of law.
While you should be careful not to find indictments
except evidence so strong as to remove from your
minds all reasonable doubt of the guilt Of the accused
yet you should ignore bills on csptious or chimer
ical of uncertainty respecting the conclu
sioDs at which you should arrive
The law enOins upon the Court the duty of particu
ary directing the attention of The Grand Jury to
eiaf statutes In the opinion Of the Legislature the
welfare Of the people will be promoted by the prompt
punishment of offenders against the provisions of these
statutes. You will therefore pardon the Court for
offering the suggestion that, the law requires that
YOU shall be specially instructed on particular class
Of subject the DUTY of obedience to the Instructions
on your part follows as an irresistible corolary.
Why should the Legislature command the Court TO
instruct YOU if the instructions may be disregardedl
One OF these is the statute entitled "Of the interest
OF money" BY this law no greater interest dlscount
or consider atom the loan Of money, can be received
than at the rate Of 81 for the use of 800 for one year.
on the sum loaned. If more is received, the person
receiving it Is guilty of misdemeanor and liable to
onInent not exceeding six months, or both.
Another of these statutes is the law declaring and
prohibiting extOnon: No public officer or person can
demand or receive any other or larger fee or reward
than that which fixed by las for the performance of
the patcular service for which the fee reward is
demanded. Whoever shall violate this provision is
guilty of a misdemeanor anu Is liable TO treble the
damage sustained by the party aggreved thereby.
must also mention the election laws. The safe
guards that are thrown around the integrity of the
ballot box by this emnenty important statute are nu-
merous. An violations of those safeguards are de-
cared TO be either ieOnics mlsdemeanors, according
to their character, and the punshments imposed are
correspOndingly severe. What is Familiarity called
'swearng in vote" if false, ia declared to be per
lury procuring a vote TO be fil.ey sworn in l. the
same crime; purchasing votes declared to be bribery;
furnishing entertainment, paying for it, by candl-
date for office, other person previous to or during
election furnishing money u promote inc eectlOh
of such candidate is a crime; changing or altering
votes fraudrlenty, furnishing votes containing more
than the proper number of names Wluiuly dlsooeynS
the lawful commands of the Boards of Inspectors OBJ
structng or hindering electors on their way to the
polls; voting offering vote Ill an Election Dl'trct
where the eectOr does not reside; voting OF oner!og
to vote more than once at an eecuoni procuring ne
gal voters: procuring aiding or counseing another TO
come into any town. ward district, i0 the purpose
of giving vote, knowing the person not 10 Dc guam,
fed are o acts which by the election law are declared
to be II kdemcanors, and are Indictab!e. ~ ,
Another of these laws Is the statute prohibiting the
establishment of Lotteries.
AT this day no lottery, or game, device, or chance,
In the nature OF OttCfN Is Nu'hVIIeu ny tue H"7 vi
this State nor can lottery tickets be sold. Every vo-
laion Of this statute is declared to be msdenieanor,
and ia iDdctabe.
with this subject will bring to your especial notice
the statute enacted for the suppression OF gambling
and the vending of lottery policies, which by our law
denominated gambling. Experience has demonstrated
that the beat interests of society may almost say
that the very existence of domestic ana social happ-
ness nperously depend upon the prompt Suppression
of these towering evils. lfthese great objects OF GOV
aita1 and aro eQtp1 DfW
arc Government and laws Without domestic and
social happiness, all the sweet sentiments that cluster
around that alluring word, Society, are but an
empty sound. ,....
These two vices prevail to fearful extent in this city.
Something has recently been attempted for the SUP
pressioa of both but much, very much, more must 10
done before the work will be accomplished. nee1
not lay open before YOU, the sac and gloomy scenes
that mark the pathway of the heaTtless gambler.
Your own experience as men engaged in business II
this CITY will point your minds TO the thousands OF
home once peaceful and happy that have been made
lest Sute by his satanic arts; You can readily
him. 10 recollection the fathers and mothers, hus
bandv and wives and brothers aud sisters whom yo1
have known, and who by the accursed wee OF samo'
hng have been reduced from competence ana even
from opulence to beggary from s0brety ana punty
70 drunkenness and debauchery, and from the bright
hopes of present and future joys to the solemn CERTAIN
~ of the DOOM Of the suicide. -
Do you ask, Can gambling be erahcsted IN tne wy
of Navy rk | promptly answer \ rs. 40 yo1 ~
quire How can the good work be done lcantne
more mlaessivoly reply by stating hoo .. Hertr -" 0e
done. Gambling viii never be stopped by the mac
tivy which at present char8cterIes me moral
of the population of this city the subject IL i easy
~ fold our arms in pleasant homes and say, Inc
weHare OF the city is IN the care OF the nnlsoi Oh
the law and they will look after the gamblers th-
aided by the moral power ofpubhc sentiment, how I'M
potent are all the engines of Government Have We not
during the past year had an impressive e1empeation
truth enacted before eyes BIS - no theOEec
flourish no new idea When in primitive times me
Ill 10, hold uot "a