Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-08-13

~As AAseoE 4AN GEopGleboE OF
the HERALD have been arrested by
order Of A. BuFwell, Esq, Police
Judge, upon . charge Of libel and
ordered 70 appear for trial to.mor-
row morning At nine o'clock.
As we understand the Law, libel
is an indictable OfFense and should
come under the cognizance Of the
Grand Jury, and as this body is
now in session, we must admit we
are somewhat surprised to know
that the Police Judge has taken the
matter into his hands. Our sur
prise Is increased when we learn.
upon inquiry, that Judge Burwell
has ordered this arrest without an
affidavit having been made before
him. How does he know we have
committed a misdemeanorl How
does he know we are guilty oflibel9
A libel is the publication Of q Sian.
derous untruth, what testimony
has he that we have been guilty Of
this ofense. He knows that the
Grand Jury is now employed in in
vestigating the charge which we
recently made against Mr.. Web
Der, why can he not wait and let
that body decideT Does he sim.
ply desire to crafty his curiosity ?
II 80, we are sorry to say we dis
like very much to accommodate
him. We have our business to at
tend to and cannot very well put
ourselves upon exhibition TO graft.
fy the idle curiosity Of any one,
but since he is Police Judge we will
OF course respect his mandate.
The charges made by US against
Mr.. Webber were not public often
ses, even ii they should prove
untrue which wa deny. There was
only an individual agrieved. Why
could not Judge Burwell content
himself until Mayor Webber de.
manded an arrest or an investiga-
ton of this affair. We think
Judge Burwell should be content
to attend to the business which is
brought before him and not hunt
that which in no wise concerns
him. We have heard it said that
men have been known to get rich
by attending to their own affairs.
Would it not be well for our Police
Judge to adopt this as a motto?
1t has indeed come to q pretty
state Of affairs when If Q citizen
attempts to show up the crimes
and evil doings Of public official
another public official steps in un-
sought and unasked and renders a
verdict without hearing Of testi-
monY or trial of persons and
causes the citizen to be charged
with libel and arrested for
trial. We thought our Off.
GERS were appointed to execute
the laws. We did not think they
were appointed to bolster up and
protect other officials charged with
offences before the law. How does
he know We have committed libel ?
What right has he to suspect it ?
Does he know all connected with
the publications which we have
made? He must knoO that we have
committed libel before he feels as.
sured we have committed an Of
Tense which will justify arrest. As
we understand, Mr.. Weber has
filed no affidavit to this effect with
Judge Burwell, and he alone knows
whether our charges are true or
not Iftrue, they are not libelous.
At all events Judge Burwell can
know nothing. 1t is probably q
laudable curiosities which he de.
sires to crafty, but as we have said
we can not afford to crafty the Gu
riosity Of all who desire full infor.
nation in regard to our affairs.
CIY FATHERS IN EXECUTIVE
SESSION.
This is q new era and with it
comes new customs. We have q
new City Charter, and under it is
planned to adopt entirely new
customs. Among the most pecu-
liar and fascinating of which, is that
of going into executive session.
We are not surprised that his
Honor the so-called Mayor, should
ha focninatad NTH this i4.1o So.