The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-03
From The Bal,imore American.
CHAl GE OF JUDGE PARKER TO THE
GRAND JURY.

GRAND JURY.
The following is the charge of Judge Parker
to tleigrand jury of jefferson county, Virginia,
just n, sde:
Gentlemen of the Jury: In the state of ex-
citemfat into which our whole community has
been yrown by the recent occurrences in this
count :, feel that the charge which l usually
delive to grand jury would be entirely out of
place.
Yh,e occurrences cannot but force them.
selfes upon your attention. They must neces-
sarily occupy a considerable portion of that
tims ehich you will devote to your public du-
ties ara grand jury. However guilty the I'M
fortur ate men who are now in the hands of
justic may prove to be, still they cannot be
calle0supon TO answer to the offended laws of
our Commonwealth for any of the multifarious
crime with which they are charged, until
grand jury, after "digni6ed" inquiry, shall
decid that for these offences they be put upon
their teial
IwIl not permit myself to give expression
to snl. of those feelings which at once spring
up in every breast, when rejecting upon the
enorS.ty of the guilt in which those are involved
wh@ INVADE by force peaceful, unsuspecting
portigA OF our common country, raise the stand
ard instruction amongst Us, and shoot
downSrithout mercy Virginia citizens defending
Virglria soil against their invasion. l must
remember, gentlemen, that, as a minister of
justics bound to execute our laws faithfully
and ir>-she very spirit of Justice herself, must
as 10 ereTy one accused Of crime, hold, as the
lac 9lds, that he IS innocent until he shall be
prope guilty 6y an honest, an Independent, and
an Impartial jury Of his count1ynuen. And
what IS obligatory upon me is equally binding
upot you, and upon every one who may be
cont sted with the prosecution and trial of
thesS offenders. In these cases, as in all 9TH
ers, f3a will be controlled by that oath which
each ~ you have taken, and in which you have
solep hy sworn that you will diligently inquire
| into offences which may be brought to your
know sdge, and that "you will present no one
thr9p q i'll will" as well as that you will
leaFe 10 one unpresented through fear or favor,
but all your presentments you shall present
the t 9Th, the whole truth, and nothing but the
trutks' Do but this, gentlemen, and you will
have fulfilled your whole duty. Go beyond
this, and in place Of that daigent inquiry and
calm Investigation aohieh you hare sto0rn TO
nadhs, act upon prejudice or from excitement Of
passion, and you leW haze done toronq to
that tarc in ichoSe serUice you are engaged
AS before said, these men are now in the
hands of justice. Theydr TO haze a fair and an
impartial trial. We owe it to the cause of Jus.
hce, as well as TO our own characters, that such
trial should be afforded them. If guilty.
they will be sure to pay the extreme penalty OF
their guilt, and the example of punishment,
when thus inflicted by virtue Of law, will be
beyond all comparison more efficacious for our
future protection than any torture to which
mere passion could subject them.
Whether, then, we be in public or private
position, let each one of US remember that as
the law has the charge of these alleged offend.
ers, the law alone, through its recognised
agents, must deal with them to the last. II
can tolerate no interference by others aoith dr.
ties IL has assumed to Itself If true to her
self and true she will be, our Commonwealth
through her courts of justice, will be as ready
to punish the offence of such interference as
she is TO punish tqese grave and serious often.
ces with which she is now about to deal-in
case these offences be proved by legal testi
mony to have been perpetrated. Let us all
gentlemen, bear this in mind and in patience
await the result-conGdent that that result will
be whatever strict and impartial Justice shall
determine to be necessary and proper.
1t would seem, gentlemen, and yet speak
from no evidence, but upon vague rumors which
have reached me, that these men. who have
thrown themselves upon us, confidently ex
peeted to be Joined by our slaves and free ne
groes, and unfurled the banner of insurrec
ton, and invited this class of our citizens tc
rally under 1t. And yet, am told, they are
unable to obtain single recruit.
SLAVERY IN MIssoURI.-The New Orlean
; Bulletin, quoting paragraph which has bee,
extensively published, in reference to the de
crease of Slavery in Missouri, says:
This corresponds with what Missouri cor
7 respondent of the Weekly Mirror says in refer
, ence to the same subject and tallies with tn
7 general current Of events in that part of tn
, country. 1t accords with the theory that W
years ago advanced, that not only Missouri, bu
Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, and Delawar,
viii gradually become free States. The ev
, dences of the truth of this proposition are i
+ process of perpetual development. The resu
D mentioned is merely a question of time. II
realization may be few years earlier or fe
l years later, according TO circumstances; bu
: in our Judgment it can no more be STAYED o
: finally than the revolutions Of the seasons ca
d be prevented. He who cannot discern Ii
}. workings Of the causes that will surely brin