Year: 1866

At the session of the United States Dis
trict Court, held last week at Charleston,
Judge BRYAN presiding, the Grand Jury, in
their presentment, submitted, in conclusion
of their report, the following in references to
the state of the country, which will be read
with interest:


The Grand Jury, before closing their duties,
feel constrained to refer to the state OF the coun
try. The peace now reigning throughout the
whole country after four years of civil war of
the most sanguinary character recorded on
the pages of history during the last century,
is source of most devout congratulation.
When we look around and witness the Civil
Courts fully organized, and know that alt
our wrongs and grievances will be adJudicated
before Jury Of our countrymen, instead Of
before Military Courts and other tribunals of
similar character, we have ample cause to
be thankful 70: the peace which we are now
enjoying, and should ardenty desire that the
sword may ever remain sheathed, and that
our country may never know war any more.
It is ferveatly hoped that the National Con.
gress, at its next session, will dispassionately
consider the state of the country, ard direct
its whole efforts to bring about full restora-
ton of the Union by the admission O: all the
States to that representation in the National
Councils guaranteed them by the Constitu-
ton, and entirely remove or modify all dis
qualifying Acts, especially the Test Oath, by
which the citizens of the Southern States are
debarred from accepting Offices that Ghey are
eminently qualified to fill, and in doing so
would reflect credit upon the nation at large.
Our Northern brethren should exercise good
degree of charity in their legislation, and re.
member that the people of the Southern
States, more especially the people OF South
Carolina, have been educated in the school of
States Rights doctrines, and really believed
that their allegiance was due to the State,
| and that the state not the citizen, owed al.
legiance to the General Government. They
honestly believed such to be their duty, and
so acted. Now that it has been decided that
the citizens allegiance is due to the General
Government, they have accepted the issue,
and will faithfully abide by it. In view OF
all these facts we trust that at an early day
all barriers to full and complete restoration
of all the States to their equal rights will be
removed, and that We will again present to
the world the happy spectacle Of united
people.


The Grand Jury would also direct the at
tentica Of the proper authorities Of the Gov'
ernment to the case Of the Hon. Jefferson
! Davis, who has been held in confinement
since the 23d April, 1855, and most earnestly
urge rpon them to use all efforts to give him
speedy trial, or release him on bail. It's
but iustic, that he should be tried or released.
His counsel have made repeated efforts to
have him brought to trial, and are still ex,
erting themselves to that end His longer
detention without q trial cannot but reflect
with discredt upon the country, whilst the
common dictates of humanity demand speedy
action in his case, as his bodily healsh and
mind are fast becoming irreparably impaired
from his long Imprisonment.


Judge BRYAN heartily sanctioned the re-
port, and informed the Grand Jury taat he
would take great pleasure in forwardingttheir
excellent and patriotic Presentment to the
authorities at Washington.