The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-04
Court OF General Sessions.
Before Judge Rusreil.

IYPAySYLITNG oP THE GRAND JuRY-THg CITY
JUICES CHARsR-THE HAsTY ACTION OF GRAND
ISQUEsTs CoNDEMNID-pTFRCrs IN Our CRIMINAL
JURIsPRUpENCE-NPRorER Prison DISCIPLINE
SJUDIcloUs CLESKSCY OF THs KxKcurIvE, ETC.
NAY She May term Of this Oouit com menced this
morning by the clerk calling ever The Grand Jury panel
and in consequence the prompt action OF his Honor for
the pss. few terms in timing abssntees, quorum
rpeeciy obtained. The following Me names or tho
gentlemen 10 discharge the duties OF Grand Jurors
during The ensuing term
Henry BAyls, foreman. Frapeis n. Fowler,
joseph Apologize, andrew Foster,
Prank 8. Allen, Thomas =. Gilderseeve,
Thomas n Adrianco, James Hunter,
william r Beer, Robert Hysop, Jr.,
vm Bsnta, Vim p. Miller,
Samuel VI Cornell, stephen Philbn,
Allen :. Carte. Edward ID. sprague,
James & peforesi, Edward Snel,
Ambrose X. Ely, AbertS hmith
Thry peus Jurors were cash med SIS for zen q,
tendance
JUDGE RussKLL's CHARGE.
Gcnryr oF NE ssASD JrEY-As often az am called
Upon charge Grand Inquest Of this county never
that The occasion or the duty by reason OF
~ frequency OF an portant character The pre-
roo sive Of ,torisping fellow citizens life, abrdspg
hf liberty which you are in part 10 exercise
Lightly to be regarded TO be used that hasty and
mechanical way which, Ia be feared, been some
lnes smploye ed by members OF inquest Sitting here
no 40 " admnser The laws OF our STATE and often by
the stern requirements Of justice, booming 70 pro
lopged ncaIceraton am continually reminded how pow
erfu your vote and how responsible your duty. And
from tsrm 70 term call over the names Of 60
many intelligent and influential citizens who
avoid The performances Of their duty when summoned
a. jury men by paying into the city treasury the fine
which the statute imposes. n not uncommon tina,
among those Who thus decline hese duties and rcspons
bes be found the loudcst 70 declaim against the
mslsdmnersiion the laws and inveigh against what
they term The decay Of justice have seen some men
figuring sAbbsarisn conventions and IN reform Assocs
tons whose hours there SPENT devoted TO Grand jury
duties-tha they invariably decline-meht accomplish
all the remedies Of which they aim At elsewhere. You
70 inquire into all crimes and mlsdemcanors risble In
THE county Ihcres no pace 90 sacred tnai your sub
pUna may rot visit and no man 90 exalted that his deeds
4 tsoted VIII criminal iasent, may not be Tho.
many SACRIFICES are made by those OF you Who con
scentously stisnd " your duties m Grand Jurors,
constrsined 10 cay thst Grand Inquest could coca
sonsy hold extra sessions for IN purpose Of
and nqurng into public grievances which do not appear
upon the ordinary calendars Of the prison or Of The bail
beck very public satisfaction would be felt, and
doubted puoiic benenw result Every invest CATION,
whether original or secondary In character that you
should be cautious and impartial Hasty accusatons are
often made uniounded conclusions TOO often drawn from
assumed facts and IN individual cases are often very
defimsn ts The pubic safety demands no undue haste
crime had better remain undiscovered than that innocent
persons should 30 suffer. After ne nconsiderable
experience at THIS bar AZ practitioner, and year Of
JUDICIAL duty 10 this place, s constrained 10 say thai
system Of criminal jurisprudence N exceedingly de.
fectve While msnSgrros In the system Of the admin
straon OF criminal Justice in England (where fault find
ing with public servants q national charactersc) have
been remeded yet with u.s. although the ingenuites Of
crime have grown thousand fold in tbe Hrst quarter Of
the present century the criminal code remains subsan
uay the same The delays techncaities Of criminal
remedy remain almost the they came from the
bands OF the revsors t~eniy eight years ago Nor DO
I gee in the recent report n the new Code Com
missiopers 70 the hat Legs ature indcssons of
any thorough remedy In Eng and there are con.
SANITY added new epsctments 10 meet offences
AID Lord Campbell many years ago swept away all
thoss subtetes and tecbpcalies Of criminal procedure
wsss are The egscee Of former centuroe, and which
provoke the inpumcsste delays 10 Justice and immun
tee 70 crime under wh oh daily suffer. IL prosabe
that at the you will encounter some alleged offences
which the Law potent 70 reach and others that, where
The law sufficient by OF the present prastce,
ton upon appeal upon appeal may be resSed
To- 90 that the court " rendered mpotent 20 punish "
The bane Of system that whilst the frtendess crmi
mails almot step from the station house 10 the STATE prison,
others, Who have able counsel and friendly bail,
may badger justice beyond the power OF the most
Judge 70 prevent Our system Of criminal discipline 10