Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

BALTIMORE, July 17.

JUDGE SCOTT's CHARGE.

First Term in the New Court House.

The Grand Inquest for the Body of Baltimore county, thank the Honorable Judge for his very appropriate Address to them on the opening of the Court this Session, and request of him a copy thereof that the same may be published in this critical state of the City.

CHR. JOHNSTON, Foreman.

Hon. John Scott, Judge of the Criminal Court, Baltimore county.

July 16, 1812.

Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,

You have been selected from the great body of your fellow citizens to discharge one of the most important trusts that can be committed to man in civil society. You are now called upon to take a retrospective view of the conduct of your fellow citizens. and you have by the oath you have just taken, made a solemn appeal to your God, that if you shall know of any violations of those laws, which have been made for the protection of the Lives, the Liberties, the Security of the person and property of your fellow citizens that you will present the offenders to the Court for punishment if found guilty. It is no longer a matter of discretion, the whole community now stands equal before you and cause has been given to occupy much of your time.

You are too well acquainted with the general nature of crimes and misdemeanors, to make it necessary for me to specificate them but it would be a dereliction of duty not to call your attention to the situation of your city at the present and for some time past. The civil authority has almost been set at defiance. private property has been outrageously invaded, the persons of citizens have been diligently sought for, to inflict on them punishment and indignity. We shall now have an opportunity of knowing, whether this opulent city is to be governed by the laws or by a small portion of the people; whether the persons of your citizens are secure from any punishment, but what the civil authority may inflict on them.

Read your oaths and you will perceive the amplitude of your power; you will exercise it with caution and circumspection, but with zeal, diligence, impartiality and firmness, and though defended by opulence or station or retired into the recesses of poverty and obscurity, so direct your enquiries, that the guilty may be charged and put to their trial. The public good requires this of you.--Public justice demands it from you--those ought to be punished who have violated our laws. The innocent and unoffending alone should be protected and exempted from prosecution Your experience has caused you to know, that you can hear the accusing testimony only, and that at least twelve of you must concur in the finding of every presentment or bill. You have the power to ask of the court, to issue summons for any witness, whom you have reason to believe can prove the commission of any violation of the law, or to identify the persons concerned in it.

The different acts of assembly which we are required to give in charge to you, will meet your serious attention, they will be sent to you by the clerk.

I cannot dismiss you gentlemen, to your chamber, without asking you to join with me in gratitude, to the commissioners appointed for that purpose, and who have devoted much of their important and valuable time, in designing and superintending the building of this spacious and magnificent Temple of Justice, whose doors have this moment been thrown open to us for the discharge of the various and important public duties severally assigned to us.

Nor can I pass this subject by, but by paying the just tribute of respect due to the master builders and to those engaged with them in erecting this structure, for the complete and elegant manner of the execution of the trust reposed in them. May God in his infinite mercy, grant, that from this moment. civil discord may be arrested in its career, that the misguided may return from the error of their ways and trust their security and protection to the constituted authorities of their country, that whatever differences of opinion may have taken place as to the standard of our country, whether native or adopted, determined that we will sacrifice our lives and our property sooner than submit to the aggressions the insults and injuries of any foreign power on the face of the globe; that we will continue to be free and independent.

It is requested by the Grand Jury that the Editors of the different news-papers in the city will insert the above.