Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-11-17
Hon. Richard ]. Bowie's Charge to
the Grand Jury,

criminal code of the Stale.
The moral power must be added 10 The legal
to make the latter sufficient to restrain the
lawlcss and protect the weak
Grimes Of the greatest magnitude 60 ''un-
whpt Of justice" when sanctioned by NOR
bid public opinion hence enlightened
judgement, clear conviction of duty, unwarp-
ed by passion or prejudice, high sense OF
justice, fearless of consequences, are necessary
in the body of the people TO the security of
the citizen and the reputation Of the Com
monwealth.
The Grand Jury represent the people OF the
county, in the exercise of the criminal jurs-
dction Of this Court. Through their eyes,
their ears and their voices alone can the State
be informed of the violations OF law requir-
ing prosecution. II these he blind that they
cannot see, or deaf, that they cannot hear, OF
dumb, that they cannot speak, the public
wrongs will be unpublished and the public
peace destroyed
"CIimes and misdemeanors are a breach
and violation of the public rights and duties
owing TO the whole community, considered
as community, in its social aggregate capaci-
ty." "Piivate vices, or breach Of mere alb
soluie duties, which man is bound TO perform
considered only as an individual, are not,
cannot he, the object of any municipal law,
any further than as by their evil example or
other Pernicious effects, they may prejudice
the community and thereby become species
Of public crimes.n ''Thus the vice of drunk
enness il committed privately and alone, is
berond the knowledge and, of course, beyond
the reach of human tribunal; but if commit
ted publicly in the face OF the world, its evil
example makes it liable 10 temporal censures.'
The law does not require You to intrude
upon the privacy of domestic life, but it de-
mands that all public exhibitions of evil
example should be firmly condemned and
effectnally suppressed
| The public rights and duties are protected
by the Common Law and the Public General
Law, called the Code.
| Offences at Common Law are generally mis-
demeanors, punishable by fine or mprison-
ment and sometimes both whilst the viola
| tions of the Code are generally crimes of
greater magnitude, punishable by confinement
in the Peniteniary or death.
Common natSdRceS species of offence
against the public order or economical regi-
men of the State, unbeatable by common
law; 'of this nature, are annoyances in
highways, bridges, ETC., by rendering the
same announcement or dangerous TO pass,
either positively by actual ohs.rnctions or
negatively, by want of PREPARATIONS"
The crossing OF the public roads, by the
Metropolitan Branch of the B & 0. R. r., in
many plnces in this county, arc, in my judge
ment, of this character.
| The public highways are rendered dangerous
| for want of proper signals of the approach OF
trains, in many places.
"Al disordery inns, OF ale houses, bagnios,
and gaming honses, public nuisances and
| may, upon indictment, be suppressed and
fined. -
EdUcsdroppers, or such as LsteR under
walls, or windows, or the caves OF a house, TO
hearken after discourse and ihereupon TO
frame slanderous and mischievous tales, are
common nuisances and indictable and punish
able by fine, and finding sureties for their
good behavior
Malicious mischief, or the wanton destruc-
ton of personal property, although only
trespass Al common law approaches so closely
to felony, that it is made misdemeanor and
punished by enc and Imprisonment.
That great Juris', Sir VIM. Blackstone, in
his commentaries, says:
"ldleness in any person whatsoever, is also
high offence against the public police or
economy
'ln China il is a maxim, that If there be
man who does not work, or woman that is
idle in the Empire, somebody must suffer
cold or hunger; The Court of Areopagus
at Athens, punished dleness and exerted
right Of examining every citizen in what man
ner he spent his time ="
The civil law expelled all sturdy Migrants
from the city, and in our own law idle per-
sons or yapabonds whom pur ancient statutes
describe to be "such as ,ea5e on Me u;0hi and
sl1eo on the dan and hau,,t c,,sto1,able taperns
and ale houses and routs about. and no man
wots from whence they come nor whittier
they 90. all these offenders AGAINST the good
order and blemishes in the Government ~
These minor offences are sedulously watched |
and suppressed by law, not so much because |
OF their intrinsic enormity, but because they |
are the roots of crime. " hicb if moi erndicated
in the beginning. will mul,iplv and spreod |
over the whole body politic mill life and |
properiv become unsafe and order ia LOST |
In anarchy and confusion Sohrie,v indus.
try and frupnlitv are Tho essential oval,,;es If |
well regulated society
Whore these prevail. mankind advances in |
the career of civilization and refinement
without them. education. wealth become only
instruments of immortality and licentions-
ness. An intelligent educated debauchee is |
more dangerous by EXAMPLE and the more
degraded by the height from which he hns
fallen.
A period of great rolitical Excitement hay-
ing transpred. it will be incumbent on Won
TO inouire whether the nrovisions of The law
regulating Registration and Elections hive
been faithfully observed or violated In
proportion rs the bass of the Elective Fran
chise is enlarged the VIGILANCE of the proper
authorities should be increased, 10 prevent its
abuse and degradation
A recent act of Assembly lS74. chapter
1911 prohibits any person or persons, directly
or indirectly from selling. bartering giving
or disposiug of any spirituous or fermented
liquors or Intoxicating drinks of any kind. on
the DAYS of the election. under a fenaltv of
not less than $50 or more than SlOo for ench