Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-06-08
Great Trouble Experienced in Se-
curing Proper Attendance
Of Grand Jurors.
Judge Underwood Reads the People OF
Richmond Good Lesson, and Com
pares their City 10 SOdOm.
William B. Reed Appears and Declares
his Personal and Professional Sym
pathies With the Arch Traitor.
RrcHMoNn. June r. 1863


at Gen Terry's headquarters, in the man.
sion formerly occupied by Jefferson Davis
Most of the nonresident members Of the
Grand Jury arrived this morning and made
their appearance during the forenoon at tho
United States courtroom in the custom,
house Soon after II O'Clock, the hour al
which it was expected the adjourned session
!. of the Circuit Court twould be opened, Mcssrs.
Reed, Brady and Brown, counsel for Davis,
entered the Court Room and engaged in CON
versation with prominent members of the
Richmond bar and others. Messrs Van
Sickle and Thomas H. Edsall, of New York,
and Charles Gross, of Philadelphia, junior
counsel for Davis, were also present
| Not more than fifteen or twenty spectators,
including two ladies from New orlS, were
in court at any time during the day, it
having been ascertnined by actual count
that the legal number of Grand Jurors were
not present.
Judge Underwood did not appear and nc
eupy his seat until O'Clock. AT that hour
he entered the room, and the Court was for
mally opened by the crier BY direction of
Judge Underwood, the clerk, w, II Barry,
called the names of the Grand Jury, aud
fourteen only responded.
james h. lipscomb and H. l.. Wigand, of
Richmond, who had been summoned 10 make
up the requisite number, were then callc, 10
the clerks desk 10 qualify as jurors The
ormer declined To take the prescribed oath,
and was excused. Mr. Wigand tool, the oath
and occupied seat with the other Jurors
Another long pause was occasioned by Mr.
| Lipscomb' 8 refusal to qualify. Finally Gil.
bert c. Walker, of Norfolk, appeared and
took the oath. The panel being thus COM
plete, the Judge, at . O'clock delivered the
following Charge
GENTLEMEN OF THE GRAND JURY:~-l am
happy TO meet YOU again, and TO know that
yoh are still living, Notwithstanding the
assaults that have been made upon YOU
Little need be said in addition to the instruc-
tons given at Norfolk, Your last session
has made you historical, and trust that the
efforts which have been made to ntimiJlate
you and to impede the course of Justice. will
moi make you less faithful and earnest in lhe
discharge of your public duties. We ought
not to be surprised that the REASONABLE and
llcGntlous press of this. Statoand civ, should
vince and rage and become furious when
treason ana righteousness are exposed and
arraigned for trial and punishment. Nor
should we he surprised at the enor ty and
desperation exhibited when we remember
That thls city has long hcen the centre and
seal OF the greatest traffic in human beings
| that has ever dsgIaccd the word--a traffic
winch. has annually employed many llm
dreds OF moral monsters and many millions
oi capital, slibsdiz' " the press, pulpit and
ponies ol the Sl"ie, rendering Richmond
more infamous among men l0r its paltcina-
llon M This great crime than all thc cities
along the coasts of SGncgamlil, unprr uuil
Lower Guinea, Congo, LOamgo, Angola or
behElieh combined, The wonder rather is,
lllal 50 many traces of Kindness humanity
ana Christian civilization should have sur
| VVGd such debasing and bnltnliziur inilu-
ences and let lis thank God and take courage.
| lllht, more fortunate than the devoted cities
OF antiquity, we can count more than ion men
VINO have stood faithful among the lnithless
ne complaints OF threatened violence and
| intimidation which have been forwarded 10
me ny several OF yonr number, Tor your htc
heroic and patriotic actions. have been sub
mllted TO the highest legal and military au
'h"Il'ics Oh the government, and can assure
you OIL the earnest sympathy and firm sup
port OF az inc ofhcers of the law, not except
| lng the President, whom the treasonable now
halter and lawn upon, but whom they will
proDably soon curse as heartily as they did
TWO years ago, But, gentlemen, | am glnd
10 cail your attention to Il law of Congress.
Whlch puts your own vindication, as well M
lhat OF the country, into your own hands
IN 1851 congress enacted as you will find
on page 4sS of the fourth volume of the
statutes at Large, as follows:
SEC. 2.--ARd he ii .fufther enacted, That
u any person or persons shall corrnrilv, nr
ny threats or force endeavor to influence in
umldatc or impede any Juror, witness or Off
Ger in any court of the United States in the
discharge of his duty, or should corruptly
on py threats or force obstruct or impde tile
uue administration of justice therein, every
( person or persons so offending shall he liahlr
to prosecution therefor by Indictment. nnd
snail, on conviction therefor, be punished
ny n line not exceeding five hundred dollars
or by imprisonment not exceeding three
months, or both, according to the manure
March 2, 1881"
You will thus have it in your own power
TO exercise wholesome restraint tpon licen.
nous tongues and pens, and upon II press,
when, as blind leader of the blind, has
llern anu still is one Of the chief G. uses Of
pasl, present and prospective calumny and
misfortune, the murders, luels s,nssnssnaiions
violent and UNCOVERED passions, ending N
seltcontlagration or self-immolation, unpar
alleled in any heather country; the poverty.
suffering, agony and degradation which have
given this city, OF almost uneuunlled natural
mate perils of the teachings OF its public
press; and anything You can be able to con
tribute TOWARDS its reformation will, in the
highest degree, be serviceable TO the cause
OF the country and of humanity. But, gen
| tlemen, let us act with moderation and dis
elimination, for, though prosttuted press
is one of the greatest calamities, a free and
virtuous press is one of the greatest public
bessings-the greatest ornament and sup
port of public virtue.
Amer delivering the charge, Judge Under
wood remarked that in the absence Of the
foreman, MIR. Harrison would act in that "a
| paciiy.
The Grand Jury then retired to Their room
| There being no formal business before the
court, Judge Underwood said, "Wc shall he
happy to hear from members OF the bar, nl
ways giving preference To members from Il
distance u
VIM. b. Reed, of Philadelphia, then ad.
dressed the court as follows:
May please your honor, beg TO present
myself in conjunction with my colleagues as
the counsel OF Jefferson Davis, Il prisoner of
State at Fortress Monroe, and under u,lict.
men for high treason in your TIon0r's court
We find in the Iecords0 If your lIOnOr's court
an Indictment charging MIR, Davis with
high offence, and il has seemed to us due 10
the course of justice, due TO this tribunal due
to the feelings of one sort or another, which
may be described as crystalzng around the
unfortunate man, thai we should come at
the very earliest day TO this tribunal aud ask
of your Honor, Cr more properly the gentle
man who represents the United States. the
| simple questiOn-what is proposed to be done
with this Indictment? Is it to be triedY Is
|. it-and this is a question perhaps that have
lorght to ask-is tito be withdrawn, or ia
it to be suspendedY If it is TO be tried, may
il please your Honor, speaking for my col
| Iona and for nlNsnlr nnh for tLt aLi,rA..l