The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-04-10
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Charge OF Judge Smith to the
Grand Jury i'm the United States
Circuit Court for the District of
Indiana, now I'm session.

Indiana, now In session.
Gentlemen o. the Grand Ju7y:-Your
duty as Grand Jurors requires you to in
vestigate such alleged violations of the
criminal laws of the United States COM
mitted within the District of Indiana as
may be brought to your attention. The
offenses which most frequently require
the attention of Grand Juries in the
Federal Courts consist mainly of manu-
featuring, passing, and counterfeiting
coin and securities of the Government,
and violations of the laws passed for the
protection and security of the mails
A state of affairs exists at this time
which has given much prominence to
offenses which in ordinary times are of
SnrI1S- tIlr pitsG G"o years formlda-
ble ;nsurrection against the Government
mas been prosecuted by the inhabitapts
Of several Of the States of the Confede-
racy. To aid in suppressing this insur-
rection, it has been found necessary by
Congress to pass laws to counteract and
punish various acts by which a portion
of the citizens of the States not involved
in the insurrection seek to embarrass
the Government and give encourage
ment to those who are engaged in armed
rebellion
The cause of the rebellion may be ma
terially aided by acts which do not
amount to the crime of treason, as it has
been iudicially defined, but which in
their effects give important aid and COM
fort to the enemies of the Government.
The Act of Congress of July 81, 1861,
was framed to meet such cases.
This act makes it highly criminal
nal offense for two or more persons to
conspire together to oppose by force the
authority of the Government of the
United States, or by force to prevent,
hinder or delay the execution of any law
of the United States. ..
The resistance to the authority of the
United States which has been most fire.
quently manifested in this State, has been
directed to the efforts of the Govern
ment, to increase the strength and effic-
iency of the army by drafting men for
military service, and by the arrest of de-
serters.
| The Federal Constitution, and the laws
of Congress passed in conformity to it,
are the supreme laws of the country
| They impose upon the citizens an obi
CATION superior to that which they owe
to the Constitution and laws of the State
in which they reside; and if it should
happen that the laws of the United States
and those of State are in conflict, it is
the duty of the citizen to yield obedissiasf
Constitution
To repel invasion and suppress insur.
rection the Government of the United
| a. 10.
.ouire the service of every citizen able to
perform military duty. 1t is only through
the military power of the Government
that the formidable insurrecIion which
now threatens its destruction can be sup
pressed. Every act which tends tt
weaken the military power of the Govern
ment indirectly aids the rebellion. IL
preserve the efficiency Of the army, it il
essential that those who have entered
into the military service should faithful.
perform their engagements.
Desertion is one of the highest crime
that soldier can commit. 1t may b
punished by death. If the Govern
ment cannot avail itself of the servic
of those who have been regularly enrol
ed in the military service, its efforts t
suppress the rebellion must necesSarll
e fall
j. The citizens of the loyal States cal
e not iniure the National cause in any "
= more effectually than by encouraging dc
sertion and preventing the arressof d
serters.
:, The necessity of preserving the intei
/. rity of the army by providing suitab
penalties against those who should al
or encourage desertions was recognize
5 bv Congress during the war of 1872 wi
% Great Britain The act of January |
ig 1872, and which is still in force, subjec
rs to fine and Imprisonment every perso
t. not connected with the army, who sha
So procure or entice soldier to desert,
shall purchase from soldier his arms