Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-04-05

against ,032, 020 and Slaves g.. 800 for the
month against 246. 100 for the quarter.
! CRIMINAL CoURT-JUDGE MEARE8' CHARGE TO
| THE GRAND JURY.-This tribunal was opened on
| Monday By the Sheriff of the County, with the
| proper prucamatiOne.
John L. Holmes, Esq. presented his certificate
Of election and was duly qualified as Solicitor
4 Grand Jury were then sworn and empannelcd,
with James Anderson, Esq., as Foreman, and the
Judge then proceeded to charge them. The charge
Was distinguished throughout for It's practical
common sense and comprehensive definitions Of
factg, Utcnses and all matters concerning crini
malls Which may BE- brought to the attention Of
the Grand Jury. His Honor ssid that the Court
had been created Though necessity, and that it
WIS destined to be source Of great benefit to
the people aid relieve them from vast deal of
expense. He asserted that the former System Of
trial for criminals was source of oppression TO
the people, ina3lnuch that by reason Of delay it
deprived man Of his just rights and cntailcd a
burden OF expense upon IN already oyertaxed poo
pie The object of the Court he said, was to sup
press crime, and, unless nterfered with by bay
oncts, this Court con and ,rW suppress crime in
the county Of New Hanover. He disclained any
feelings Of sympathy for ro1Ges, and expressed
ed, the ecvcrest punishment that tho la can iu-
tct He alluded to the TACT that it is part of the
history Of North Carolina that her criminal record
il tho cIcancst Of any State IN the country, and
earnestly solicited the Grand jury to pursue such
course III the discharge Of thcir duties, as Will
tend to the suppression Of crime, and enable our
State to preserve it's reputation in this respect.
lie then spoke with feelings of the deepest pride
Of tho reputation of the State, ana said that the
simple fact Of mans being North Carolnian
was passport to society, business responsibility
and places OF trust and confidence i'll other States,
Our criminal code is the best and is the child Of
our heightened spirit of society, or rice re,50.
The change OF circumstances from that of for
1ncr times was commented upon, and the wide
spread generalization attendant upon the late
civil war alluded to and designated as curse
which in most Instances inicts itself upon the
coltqueror we'll as the conquered.
His Honor then alluded to the deprivation Of
our rights, as guaranteed under the Constitution,
as tending to produce unsettled state of feeling
and asserted that the last barrier between the
people and anarchy is the common law. Stand by
that law, gentlemen, he urged, preserve it, keep
it. and be law abiding people.
An allusion was then made to the change of the
condition of the cOlored race that history demon
srate6 the fact that this is incapable of self
government and that their natural characteristics
prevent it. The Court sympathzed to great OK
tent with that class--that is. with those who be-
have themselYue.
The time has now come when the yagrant law
should be put in operation, and it was as
serted that the greatest curse which aitiicts
society at the present day is the astonishing
amount of va9rancy which exist in our
OH
of Migrants was urged, for larceny was in
the opinion of the Court, but the child of vagran-
cy, to which in fact, many other crimes could be
traced.
The punishment for larceny, forgery, ETC., had
been restricted 10y the unconstitutional measures
Of Congress, but other punshments which the
law provides besides whipping could be rcsorted
to. III the opinion Of the Court the pillory, as a
punishment, could not claim much preference III
the eyes of criminals to that which had been pro-
hibited.
His Honor then proceeded with an enumeration
of the various otcnses which would i'll all proba-
biity be brought to the notice of the Grand Jury,
and entered into all explanation Of each, as de-
fined by the best legal authority This enumcr-
alton was quite lengthy III its details. It would
give rs much pleasure TO dwell upon it at length,
but space forbids.
The whole charge was delivered with d quiet
dignity Of manner, and absence OF ostcntatious-
ness which could not fail to impress every person
within the Court room, and had the effect which
its merits demand. We arc more than ever con-
yinCed that tho appointment Of Judge Moares to
preside over our Criminal Court, will be produc-
tive of much benefit to the community and to So
Ciety i'll general. At this particular stage Of our
Affairs the services OF such a Gienified calm in.
telgent and able official are much needed. Nav
they DO fraught with the greatest success.
Big Fruit Crop.