North Carolina Gazette

              aogust 14 177s the number 441 north-c^rolin gazette with the kteft advices foreign and domestic semper pro libertate et bono public interwoven in oar prdent happy j q ia i hem nf governm nr that no citizen can be denied t f be ucpiivrd o ir but h.i t : conlh'uti jq uut this inefiimable privikdge wiih otners equativ fo toe iron hand o onfeejiog britiih tyracny upon minu ....', and iil founded pretentious would tear fix in u -, and fabfiuuu inlkad of it a mode of proceeding iranv j bv the uritt-d c?i i ilretched invention of cruelty an>i tyranoj combined by chat perhaps the innocent out ufiup^ii fufpe&ed peribn ftiaji be icized dragged from his iritr.ds and atari it connexion thrown into the nojiuin hole of a vefiel loajtd with ir rj ar.j at the riique cf his life trai.fpum j three theuf-i.e niiltrs over h ; ( great britain there probabh , without money to ftiiain hio without friends to cemfert him without coirtil to i^-.iiv tua with ut wi;ntitos to tcllify for him and whhi ut lib neighboots to try him ; perhaps too cniy upen the i&f~::rn:au n r'^n attor ney gt-ne ai always a creature cf the court hhd agamji him be fliall be a.-raigned before a ccurt andjuly unacqu3in:ed with evei circumilante v>f the charge and equally itrangers to ihe niajj nai.cy and dtiign of the profecntor as the charafler and diiprkzl on o iheaccofed in this f.tuaiicn acd thus en cu.r lanced fa nocence itfelf mufl fall a vimim this diort ccntiaf oj the two rre?.f.!rt muft at ence fill rur mint's with h rn i > f the ore arh oi x t-ri-ai'.i with a glow of •■ : ( ; '-; : • { \.> .- .. ii i t mine u j cry every cxtiiicii acd ux»k.t t»c;j ciioit i i-cipalatc iht hill and rejettihe latter gentlemen the office of grand furors for this diirricr 2t this time affigoed you i have the fuiicit perfoafioa oui prindplea n.d inclinations were you tun under tiic ctcd obli e tion oi un cat 1 ) will lead you to an impartial execotioa cf h\.r me to point cut to y<;u the pinlcular bi.ui,efs of it or to enumerate the fcveral orfencts whicli iail ur.dcr ycur cognizance is lnntccitary and vvcu!d be tedious and irkpoase b<-ih to y u ard myfci — let it fufrice that i acquaint jcu that crimes arc in:f dtmeanors of every denoniinatioc from the hightil to the lu.vt.ii rature from treailns againlt year late to rrefp»fiej ajainh tlic pocrc.t individual of the ltate committed i.i thia diitridl t prefenuble by you a few matters only i will mention to you ard rhpfe are m f priilur.s tf treafon againll the ilitf and crlerces aficdiag your public bills cf credit a well thoic emitted by fhe genera co grei's as thoie f mitted by ihe fever j congrefies of this flaie j atd as the ciaufrs o the adu c u l ie central aficinbiy relative to them deiciibc kem more fully than i tan i wili jc«id i.-itm o my claufes read the miichievcus and wicked tendency cf tlvfe ur.der rhe r.l clafs and the irjuricus and r«ir.c:o r -./ c r.ce as w,e!j to the public as indivjgraju tfrtai nndei the hatter and the frequent repcd;:c2 ci bou make it ntceilary to attend to them 1 r.e are practifed by rr.en nefted in our befemi who did their r.fo l-j;iuns keep pace with their inckaations it is not doubled wlu j cennnit crinit-s cf the fijit magnitude agair.il us but not danrj to avow thiir intentions to enxn and nil openly they like satan at the ear of eve whifper their iies i»iinoa;e their l.s.i hoods and fpread uifpiriiiog news in order to pervert r wezlc intimidate the fearful uniettle the minds ol ihofc net perfectly ilable and to feduce the j-ebflc gecerally frcm their allegiance to the fiate wilmington district june u 1778 to the honorable samuel ashe efq one of the judges oftb e superior court of law sir th e gentlemen cf the grand jury beg leave to return their thanks to the h-norable samuel ashe k'q for his infible and feafonabie charge dtjivered them at thecpenng f this court and requelt the favour of a copy of it for the pref that if poffibje its inflaenca may be riujs as cxtenjivc as us matter is important wilmington june 12 1778 7o the gentlemen of the grand jury fur wilmington diilritt mr ashe prefects his compliments to the grntlemcn of the grand jury and in compliance with tht-ir polite reqaeii tr^nnnit3 th-m z enpy tj his charge ; pleafed that iv crude thoughts hafrily thrown tog-?ti-«r meet witli thv approbation of thtir jefpeftaulc body and mil be happy if they ihcuid contri bute a mite towards the welliaie oi his coantry gentlemen of thl grand jury in every civi];z;d hate to efiablll ire peac of the r^--'y to pwfcrirccecwum among me people c*ai 6 c and to cr uel individi^ais ir their fereral rights fiaonicipaj laws of rul«;s or ci!i toi.iiuct aie ii.iu.ld ordaining puniihments to ihofe who fliaii diftuib the general peii.e i i the commu nity or violate c intrude on ihe rights of individuals thtf in difieieat ftates are various and vi tit rr2;v the modes cf punifhing trarifgrcjiors are variartand imfixed depending up on the will of the prince or judge both in the manner i fureoftherp but with us it is a felicity that crimes and mifuerueanours hive acccru.ng to their hcinoafncfs knov*n and aihxed puniusments and nothing is left to the cpinicn or aibitrary will of he j^o n a few caii-s only a difcretionary mitigating power may be cx ercifed by him ; u-r thfe fame la^v which creates the offence de fcribes and apportions the puniftment and equally careful are ourla»vs in charging diiu trying l^ndori the iccufatiou in he firft inilat.ee mult be i>rtde y twi-lie at tocit-al of the grand juiy for the diitiiit where tae ott.ncc was committed and by them j^r mnlly preieoted to the cuurr the charge being thus made the culprit is called nr into court and the troth of tbe matter sg in nqoircu into hy twe;»e crhcrs — his neighluuis hia equals im partial indifferent arj uriexcepti^nable men j andthis enquiry mull be made ia the s&ac£j>f theaccuu-d and the witne/tes agcinft him produced ar.j openly ex.n " -•-. •'.!& s prcf«?^c . ay * he at liberty to crofs examine toetn to a n front them with wit neitcs in his favour to leftea or refute their teftimony &:. j orhcr vrife to offer matter to juiiify txcais or acquit himfelf by thus fairly and cpeuly canvalli the charge the party if guilty is tlttcfted and punilhed ; it innocent is protected ar.d pidctd be yond the retch of peifecuting malice oropprefiive fallhood senfirjle cf the advantages rciuirirg hum iw invaluable ri^ht f a tryal by a jury of the vicinage a light often lirug^icu tor bj our a&cefiois and handed down by then to us we have fo