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and what is obligatory upon me is equally bind ing upon you, and every one who may be con nected with the prosecution and trial of the of "Gentlemen : In the state of excitement in fenders. In these cases as in all others, you will which our whole community has been thrown by be controlled by that oath which each of you have the recent occurrences in this county, I feel that solemnly sworn, that you will diligently inquire the charge which I usually deliver to a grand into all offenses which may be brought to your jury would be entirely out of place. Those oc knowledge, and that you will present no one currences cannot but force themselves upon our through ill feeling, as well as that you will leave attention. They must no one unindicted necessarily occupy a through fear or favor, considerable portion of but in all your present the time which you will ments you will present dewte to your public the truth, the whole duties as a grand jury. truth, and nothing but However guilty these the truth. unfortunate men who "Go beyond this, are now in the hands and instead of that in of justice may prove telligent inquiry and to be, still, they cannot calm investigation be called upon to an which you have sworn swer to the offended to make, act upon pre laws of our common judice or from excite wealth for any of the ment of passion, and multifarious crimes with you will have done a which they stand wrong to the law in charged, until the grand whose service you are jury after diligent in engaged. As I said be quiry, shall decide that fore, these men are in for these offenses they the hands of justice. are to be put upon They are to have a fair their trial. and impartial trial. We "I will not permit owe it to the cause of myself to give expres justice as well as to our sion to any of those own characters, that feelings which spring such a trial shall be af ANDREW HUNTER up in every heart, when forded them. If guilty, (Prosecuting attorney in the trial of John Brown). reflecting upon the they will be sure to pay enormity of the guilt the extreme penalty of in which those are involved, who invade by their guilt, and the example of punishment force a peaceful, unsuspecting portion of our com when thus inflicted by virtue of law, will be mon country, raise the standard of insurrection beyond all comparison more efficacious for our amongst them, and shoot down without mercy protection than any torture to which mere pas Virginia citizens defending Virginia soil against sion could subject them. Whether it be in their invasion. I must remember, gentlemen, public or private position, let each one of us that as a minister of justice, bound to administer remember that, as the law alone has charge of our laws faithfully and in the very spirit of justice these alleged offenders, the law alone, through its herself, I must, as to every one accused of crime, recognized agents, must deal with them to the It can tolerate no interference by others hold as the law holds, that he is innocent until last. with duties it has assumed to itself. If true to he shall be proved guilty, by an honest, inde herself, and she will be, our commonwealth, pendent and impartial jury of his countrymen, could more prejudice.
fully
refute
the
charge of
