The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-11-23
an Admirable Charge.

sn Admirable Charge.
| The Petersburg + tpysss publishes an admit.
| rable charge to the drend Jury of The Circuit
| Court of Petersburg. by the Hon. THOMAS f.
0RoLsos, a Judge who, in ability and oonser.
vative spirit, would have done honor 10 the
Bench Of Nircinil iu its best and brightest
days. The Grand JuIy have done the COM
| munity public service In requesting this
charge for publication. The spirit of LAW
LEssNEss, which is undermining the whole
framework of society and government on this
| continent is the subject of this admirable
| charge. In a former charge, which vas also
published, Judge 6HoLsoS, ref ring to the
! tEmult and disorder IN the land, bowed that
| they were the legitimate results 81 the spirit
of disobedience and Impotence under re-
| straint, everywhere manifest. III the first
charge, he inquiries why this spirit of disobs-
| dicnce this impaiieDce UNDERESTIMATE! And
| these inQ uiries he ,hus answers
They sprlng, IN my OPINION, from inperiee and
etrone us IDEAS rs III what constitutes Ta'ional
freedom. There is prevalent a vague and unde-
non as license is allowed the cIuzens. No such
vaSnery had possession of the minds of our
cestoIs when they instituted our Governmen-
No! They had neen tried in the furnace of self
DENIAL. and were accustomed to restraint. They
had devote d. and we're ready to devote themselves
| and their substance To their country. The, had
governed and restrained themselves, and knew
is " eapsS Of sell 'S but we haS S
now hao almost uninterrupted peace and pros
perltS for more than hail n century. Most OF the
present genera'ion are free. without ever having
themse.ves made a stnsle struggle or undergone e.
single sacrihce Tor freedom it - zoe bIth-ngbt
cheap. They forget the immense sacrifices and
| tolls with which our Liberties were purchased, and
| do not Iemeu her that we can preserve them only
! hS IestIaIning our passions and rendering dan
obedience to The laws Of the land, No people
undo nd an appreciate the sprIt and substance
al liberty, who are not ready 10 make, ard Who
| do not make, sac ihces for her maintenance. Ne
| people are "apahe Of sell government who viii
and do feel the necessity for, and by their
| acts acknowledge. the supremacy OF the law.
| liberty That costs nothing. IS worth nothing.
| Men desire to do as the, please. They violate
| the laws and tn ns tEey should not suier for IT.
| There could be no freedom ii such opinions We're
| TO pTsvdIl. strong man could WIN lnpunit,
| despoll his weak neighhor of his goods, but he
/ would not he happy or Tree; Tor 'sircnser than
| ne would eome. and IN like manner despoi him
| of his q DDS. The weak and helpless would be
| 1T the mercy of the strong, and the strong
| carry on continued warfare among the nsev yes
! To let men do they please. to destroy liberty
| by blnlst!n; peac, and order. Few. if any, are
bold enough openly to favor such a state OF things
| Ali desire the advantages al goo1 government.
| bat there are too many who are unwilling 10 pay
| their part Of the cost, b. rendering individual
| personal obedieLce TO the laws. And 1t is night
| here the error of the present day lies.
" The youth of the country witness what trans
pres and seeing how re uctant MEN are to obey
thus led, without reflection 10 regard the law
hard mas ter, getting that 1t is made by the
people themselves. They express sentiments at
should be permitted 10 redress their own WRONGS;
justify dueilnt, while 1t Is forbidden; see their
! aconit. law er no law. Thus. manv of our younr
men, vino, to defend the liberties OF their country,
If as allied by an enemy would bare their bosouis
and pour out their blood, all ithout beng con-
scious OF IT, lenoing their INFLUENCE to sap the
ave spiTt OF and NAV by the
time they grow Older and wiser, ind they will not
helped TO raise
Judge GHoLsoN proceeds 10 argue that our
people must learn and feel that in order to
preserve our free institutions, it is necessary
that they render, in word and deed, obedience
10 the law, and be willing TO yield their indi
vidual views and purposes when they clash
with law and public policy. He then shows
I The business and reasonableneSs of legal re-
1 Iuirements and restraints. Ii they summon
you TO the battle field in war, II is that you
/ may help defend your own liberties; II You
| are required in peace to pay taxes, II Is ina
|! your own government may he supported II
10 do duty as jurors and witnesses, Joi n
neighbors are called upon 10 render SINH ar
1 service to you il TO keep the highway smooth
aud even, it is thai you, as well as others. SIay
travel with comfort and safety. Then, IS 10
(; The restraints of the law
''There Is no restraint, unless 1t oe to pr ahlbt
what Is wrong IN Itself, or what. It DONE would
with what is yours, p .ovIded you d, not thereby
HJure Others. The lrmer mag build ms re pond
Oh his lard but he c innot raise his dam nigh
~ t. erfow his mel IhOors' land; for II he would
20 50, then another he ightor mgEt IN IKE man
Lee overflow his land.
but our laws perl ait us TO do whatever ls night
H. rsseit AID not IS iu nous TO Others thus is
the soul and substaL ce OF true liberty. No gov
ern msnt can. wlthou t sin, permit what is wrong,
and 1t Is the dnJ of all governments Tot to allow
one 10 do what 10 in J uri. Ius 10 another
We can auire pi op erty and dispose OF il as
we pleas go,where chOOse-wOT ship G0d &C
cnIGln% - the dlctaa of our own CONSCIENCE
think a 1u act for on re slves-nerry and ave 1T
Insrrat e. nave e9 partlcl patton IN making
the laws By WHOM We al q to lie goNerned-hve IN
>our owa DWELLINGS,, 20 matter now humble, aid be
pl detected IL r. per sons and property hat
iro can rattC aa o sngS ask. And for these
should not !eyS good man he willing and anxious
reader iulf ard he irty obedience to the laws
q" We educate 81 Lldren 10 read and write
we leach the n Latin and tiTeek-we tell them of
the ways of rhe ycT'H and guard them against
tue vIles OF men. DO teach them tn love and
atey inc ia rs: DF"- we show them, explain to
'aeiIl, that q e you,p7 men Ui tiis LAID must lie
,tsau,, in viz -ue anitirs adr obed order
q esf petuatn our IRA dom: Do We lrstill INTO
he'll Alinds love Of peace and order: Do We
a Ike n,,s pairs to pcsn out to them the unhappy
,un asnces which Iii to society from acts OF
violence and wrong am persuaded that there
g in THIS YcspecI q erea reussness, and that. II
parents did their duty 10 wards their chld that
lur yOuAg men, inste74 of entering upon lie, az
5 now TOO Fl eGueUUy IN case. without chart or
.oinpass,' aad Iiat.le I be driven hther and
hther by tiIe hGt and rdent passions, would 70
,h ned by conserps@i 4, epnncipies, and become
the only sure toundatio,A upon which free Institu
lions can permanently Ia T."