Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-13
TOUCHED MANY POINTS.
JUDGE sPFERs CHARGETOTHE
4. ;. COURT GRAND JURY.

4, =. COZ AsI & KAN ID L Il |.
He Deals with the Irish Question:
~ stem OF Government Equal to OF
own Prosecutions for Trivial o
lenses Discouraged.
The United States Circuit and Dlstric
Courts for this district and division wer
opened yesterday morning for the Apr
term. The following were sworn as gran,
jurors. John Screyen foreman, Tnoma
HamilI, Hal 5. johnson, James q. Spauid
Ing, Grantham l. Taggart, James Il. shel
don, Claudius Z. Barrie, George A. Hud
son, Gordon 5. Orme, John +. LaFar y
S. Fleming, John S. Connoway, w. ID
NAPLES, Thomas Monroe, William II
Daniel, seaborn l.. Foster and Lewis
Byrd.
Judge Speer in charging the grand
jurors said: THE courts Of the United
States with regard to criminal inyestlga'
ton have but limited jurisdiction, but
that Jurisdiction is important. 1t IS In
deed most essential to the well being
not only OF the country at large, but OF the
local communities in which said juris-
diction is exercised. For instance that
there should be honesty, purity and
fidelity in the postal system in the coll
lections OF Federal taxes, both from GUS
toms and internal revenue charges, Is as
vital 20 the prosperity and welfare of the
people as the existence OF the same
virtues in the conduct OF local affairs.
1.-The Parliament and the people OF our
mother country are now wrestling with
what seems TO them and to the world a
question vital TO the very existence Of
their empire. In his magnificent state
ment four days ago, Which has been al
ready thumbed TO pieces by men Of Eng
lish blood on the sheep walks Of
Australia, in the Jungles OF In
dia, on the divides of the
Rocky mountains. in the far
Cathay,' as well as in the centres of mod
ern thought, the Premier of England de-
ciared something must be done, some
thing is imperatively demanded from US
TO restore in Ireland, the first conditions
OF civil life, the free course of law. the lib
erty of every individual in the exercise OF
every legal right, their confidence in the
law, and their sympathy with the law,
epart from which no country can be called
a civilized country What, then, IS the
problem before usy Ii Is this. How TO
reconcile imperial unity with diversity OF
legislation. Let the English government,
which, with all Of its faults and injustice
to weaker powers, forms to-day the
most solid barrier on earth, save
our own country 70 the progress of des-
pOtic governments; let this great people
from whom we are descended, turn to
their children in America for the solution
OF their problem. What greater share of
liberty could the citizens Of Ireland de-
mand than that which is exercised by the
citizens Of Georgia? What prerogatives
in their imperial government can the
faf of
fective than those which be-
long to the national government
here. All, gentlemen, let our pitifuI
wTangle Of party be ever so VOciferous,
as to whether james or Jonathan shall
sit in the chair and hold the purse;' the
sense of mankind must at last
admit that ours is the true and best sys-
tenn OF government.
sit is very delightful to me that can
apprse you that there is but little serious
crime against the general government IN
that territory to which your investiga-
tiOns will be confined. Isolated violations
Of the law, there are, of course, but they
are lnfrequent. With regard TO all that
class OF cases, particularly with rela-
ton to the internal revenue laws
where the Ohense is merely technical. not
substantial, and where there is no inten-
ton TO set at defiance the law, / have
striVen to discourage expensive prosecu-
tiOns by the government. To illustrate:
Where an ignorant cOlOred man has sold
half a pint Of spirits without paving the
special tax imposed by the government;
while 1t may be true that by a severe
construction of the United States statutes,
he may have been carrying on the bush
ness OF retail liquor dealer without
paying the special taxes required by
law, il is scarcely contemplated. /
think, that this is the class OF offenders
against whom the penalties of the statute
are leveled. The CRIME is too infnitesi-
nal for the notice of the government, I'M
less indeed be should persist in his sales.
at Is exceedingly expensive to bring
witnesses a hundred or two miles to con-
Wet darkey Of selling a drink, besides
the courts for the States have jurisdiction
of his Otlense. IL prosecuted at all he
should be prosecuted at home where, il he
IS guilty, the prohibition people, who
are usually the friends Of law and
order, will, doubtless, see TO his
conviction. The courts of the United
states are not police courts, of course,
II such an one betrays by his action the
intention to persistently carry ON the bust
ness OF retail liquor dealer he should
be vigorously prosecuted"
The following petit jurors were sworn:
John l., Hardee, foreman, w. Il. Turner,
Peter j. Hobart, James NJ. Carter, john
o. Futch, James Rusking, Julian Schley,
L. NJ. Anderson, Robert Schley, A. ii.
sam, Patrick Mcclure, Geo. S, Bothel-
mas.
A verdict was rendered in favor Of
kOhn, Liberman q Co. against Bird II e..
Mobley, assumpsit, for SITS 70 principal,
with 5 per cent. interest on $347 since Oct
II, 1884, and per cent. interest on the
balance from July 3, 1888.
Capt. George A. Mercer, Col. William
Garrard, K. G. Erwin, Esq, q. N. West,
Esq, and r. Il. Richards, Esq, were ap-
pointed by Judge Speer a committee to re-
wise the rules in admiralty Of the District
Court.
Dockets of both courts will be called
this morning for the assignment OF cases.
At the Theatre.
Tho attraction nj tho Thaotro g. ..s.,. -.