The Evansville daily journal., 1857-11-20
U. s. DISTRICT COURT.

U. b. DISTRICT COURT.
JUDoE HUNTINoroN in opening the
autumn term Of the U. S. Court at In.
dianapolis, on Monday last, delivered q
very pertinent and q most excellent
charge to the Grand Jury, embracing
some judicious remarks upon the stir
ring events Of the day.
In noticing the offence Of counterfeit |
ing the coin ofthe United States, he incid.
emily expresses an opinion ofdeep inter.
est at present, when the subject alluded
to is likely to become one OF the most
important questions of our times.
By the Constitution of the United States.
"no State has the right 20 coin money, or
emit bills of credit" This great and i'm por-
tant power of the States surrendered to the
General Government when the Constitution
was adopted. About The frst clause of this
provision there never was any room for cavil
or constructon--it Yas plain inhibition
upon the States to coin money and fix the
standard of value, and think it extremely
doubtful II for the first time the question
were now submitted to the Supreme Court of
the United States, whether the States were
not prohibited from issuing or authorizing
the Issue OF bank notes 10 circulate us money,
il would not b. held that it was intended by
the Trainers ofthc Constitution that Congress
should have the sole control over the cur
rency OF the country, and that bills of creditn
meant nothing more nor less than bank or
other notes Issued and intended to circulate
~ money.
But the question is adjudica.cd and there
1t must rest until the Supreme Court shall re-
view that question, or until the evils of a
Redundant and irredeemable paper currency
shall work n general change OF policy. Over
the coin Of the country the General Govern
mcnt exercises exclusive control The wild
spirit OF gain which seems, during the last
nve or six years, to have penetrated every
class ofsGciety-p produced by whatever causes
has been N arked by wide spread demor-
alizatlon. Every day startles rs with some
new disclosure, where hitherto long trusted
integrity has yielded to the prevalent spirit,
ard well established institutions have been
crushed by the rapacity and faithlessness of
its agents and officers. Nor is it strange that
under the influence of this degrading spirit
which has disturbed even the farmer at his
plow, and when all classes of men are seek
ing to amass fortunes without toll that the
more vicious should resort to the obviously
easy road to fortune by counterfeting the
coin of the country. 'Tis true they risk
something more than he who leaves his field
or work bench to speculate in town lots. wild
lands and fancy stocks. II lie is detected. he
must endure the penalty. There is good
; deal OF this spurious coir in circulation, and
our information is that good deal is manu-
factured IN this district. You will ofcourse.
investigate the matter, and if you can sue
ceed IN bringing the guilty to punishment,
and break up this den of counterfeitors, Won
: will deserve the thanks of the State.
) The Judge after denouncing fillibus-
r tering-the spirit Of which he admits has
been inherited by US from our ancestors
5 like our common law, and the institu.
a ton of trial by jury-and which seems
a bred in the blood and bone OF the Saxon
: race-he passes to the consideration of
:, our obligations as members of the con.
S federacy.
a And so, keeping faith with other nations
a we must keep faith with each other. Ths
comfy of States, the honor OF the Republic
= aud the integrity of the Union no less thar
% the express letter of the constitution, holt
sacred the rights of the citizens of all tn,
d States, whether those rights relate to person,
"a or property. Every attempt to defeat tina
Y States which provides for the extradi,ion o
~ fugitives from labor whether white or black
Q tends TO weaken the ties that bind us togeth
of er one people and to beget enmity between
;. State and State. The power to execute th
:. provision OF the Constitution is now confde,
n to officers of the U. S. Government. 1t i
ls easy enough to cavil about the terms of TIN
law passed by Congress to carry ont this con
N stitutional provision-it is easy tC infuenc
10 the public mind by specious objections Il
modes of procedure and to excite unworth,
10 preudices against the ministers of the la \
: but wlIcn all this is done, there still stand,
the Constitution-the Constitution whicl
Is empowers me to sit here as Judge, and yo,
i'm to sit there as Jurors-until it is trample,
:. under foot OF abolished. the right OF the M as
IL ter to his slave must be held as undisputed.
'e The Judge makes the following for
iS chile comments on the spirit exhibited
y by the popular upheavings in the East
I" ern Cities.
While we as citizens of Indiana feel a Jus
5, pride in the loyalty and lawloving tempe
et Of the people OF the State, it cannot escap
our observation that spirit of lawlessnes
and utter disregard of authority has exhibi
ted itself in various other parts of the coun
:. try. Although this spirit has been chief
III confined TO the depraved population OF tn
O large cities, it is spreading, and the timc vii
come when those who have influence an
8 have lent encouragement to it, will be hel
r. to,s fearful responsibility. Vicious an
/, unprinciplcd men can always be found i
u all large communities; but until lately the
n have always been held in subordination t
:. the law aud authority. That bands of arm
y ed ruiiians and assass.ns by day and by nigh
d. have been able without any considerable re
-, sistence from the officers of the law to travers
the public streets of cities. penetrating mur
tn der and outrage at every step and carryin
es terror and CONSERVATION to the hearts OF til
quiet and unoffendine inhabitants is almos
he Incredible and yet it is true. Is it not strang
n that this class OF desperadoes have been abl
to defy the law and defy society-and stran
IS, ger still they have never been brought to jus
nm tiec in the courts of the vicinagel To I'll
readers of history, do not these events reoa
a that period Of corruption which marked til
al general Generalization of Rome, when Ca,
:. aline with armed assassins ut his heels, caI
30 ried terror into the very Senate House2
a, To my mind these things import a rapi