Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-26

THE CrRcrIr Court OF HENRICO-JUDGE
currsrr,N,s CHARGE To TIE GRAND JURY.-The
Circuit Court met in the Hall of the House Of Dele
gates Yesterday at noon-Judge Christian presiding
As soon as the Grand Jury had been sworn, the
judge proceeded to instruct them to the duties
and responsibilities Of their position. After abiding
to the various violations of the law which they were
imperativey called upon to notice, he adverted to
the changed status Of the negro, and in substance
said
a. There il one other subject which the duties and
- responsibilities Of my position compel me TO advert
- befOue permit YOU 20 retire. Before tue puOilc1-
tior Of recent Orders by the military authorities
49, u upon recent enactments OF the Legs allure
tS, e some difference Of opinion among Circuit
I5., % 70 what course should be pursued in adj
yiDstoriD the criminal laws towards that class OF
- ,,ornis,; on known as Observation-Disclosures the
go, -. n Ouid claim and Use jurisdiction
~ 81 - whether they should he turned overtO
tbe ,l;tsr trh Qnals known as the freedmen court
These 6uestio u were somewhat embarrassing
On the one hand il was proper and advisable TO
avoid all unneceSsa, y COLLISIONS between the mhtarN
- e;,-;i ontbor;tias Ca the other hand 10 was
bigbIv imDortant nd, in my opinion, Also
lutelv necessary to d. safety OF society that the
laws should be firmly an uiesllesy eAeculeI a..lSS
on classes of offenders. After mature reflection,
5,Ss5 49,, the course 'hieh should pIrSue, and
which I should instruct the grand Juues IN my
courts to pursue towards IN i eeSS V' our poPua-
ton. This court claims lurs N 80 y, ~, VI ~. ~.
has Jurisdiction over all classes % OenueEs aEas'
~ yI io,vs without respect 10 color condition
or GAS WhOSOever may be the ousnuel, u : youl
dptv and y, jne 70 bring him 70 Justice' anu u any
freedman has been guilty OF any S -
MAJ oL or, Pen"l . " such freedman Just as You
yyronl5 o,ri otbsr person, and nehC1 "AiIau~
or such other pr 0cess VIII DC $500 -, - -!
be necessary TO are such ireeo,nA', tL 80
him to trial and pnni Nhment a. any oluei 80.
Rv csrt ,rP1ts Legislature the STATUS
of the freshman so far as the criminal
of the State IS concerned, Is p,eclS5sy Ioojre
that Of any other offender Inc inol r1ornsb
the mode Of trial, the mode ana Heas1.y N y 80,
ant il the same He IS now entitled 70 tue pIiSnese
of an examining court and 70 trlal 10y lIl. in .S
was no law and there was no fedsoh ~! ~, w
courts should relinqush their eTal anu fISl.'ul yu
risdctiou over this class OF ohepders- Inns court
determined to claim and exercise that jurisdiction
miles rreyented BY such authority az It was bound
to yield to. ~. .,,,,,+--. tbsro ..,
,,, Ne no eoIlision between the civil and military
antborities for the Government aeuhg upon Ine re-
cent laws which our Legislature, IN sooa ill'l, en-
acted abOlshng all distinctions pS sS w -
races so far as the administration OF tne Penal law
we're concerned. has now turned over lne freedmen
- tbe civil courts for trial and punishment anu
thew stand now upon the same i0Otihg as AZ! O'ue'
offenders. q, ,,-,,,n+ oil
oere1ces committed by freedmen within the Jursuic-
t;on ~ this court. should be recreant 70 my pialh
est duty and the high responsibilities OF my P'9I.
II failed to remind You that it IS also your sworn
dutv IN nresent all offences committed against the.
Won viii remember gentlemen, that these people are
now clothed by our laws and Constitution with GER
tain civil and personal rights which you and San5 IN
administering the laws Oh ss while we hold them
amenable to our laws, we must at the same time
afford to them the protection Of the laws in all the
rights Of person and property which have Oeeh SON
- ferred upon them. They have become iree without
any agency Of their own During the long and
bloody struggle through which we passed, the re-
markable spectacle was exhibited, without paral-
lei in history, Of a servile race in many sections
largely Outnumbering the dominant race, not only