Western Sun, Volume 1, Number 14, Vincennes, Knox County, 3 October 1807 — Page 2

LAWS OF THE INDIANA TERRITORY.

An act for the appointment of Coroners their duty and povjer. $ 1. A Coroner (hall be appointed in each county in this Territory. J- 2. Every Coroner within the county for which he is appointed, lhall lerve all writs and precepts, when the Sheriff or any of his deputies ihall be a party to the fame, and fliall return jurors in all caufes where the Sheriff Ihall be intereftcdor related to either party. The Coroners, . or in cafe of their abfencc, any Jullice of the Peace of the refpefUvc counties, fliall take inquefts of violent deaths, and cafuai deaths happening within their refpeftive counties, and fhall before they enter upon the duties of their refpeflivc offices, befeverally fworn affirmed, to the faithful difcharge thereof and give fecurity in the fame manner as Iheriffs are obliged to do. 3. Every Coroner fliall, as foon as he fliall be certified of the dead body of any perfon fuppofed to have come to his or her death by violence, or cafuality, found or lying ivithin his county, make out his warrant, dire fled to the conftable of the Townlhip, where the dead body is found, or lying, requiring him forthwith to fummon a jury of good and lawful men, of the fame Townfliip, not lefs than eighteen in all (fo that twelve may be prefent) to appear before fuch Coroner, at the time and place in his warrant expreffed, and to enquire upon a view of the body of (name here the perfon deceafed, if known) there lying dead, how, in what manner, and by whom, he or fhe, came by his or her death ; and every conftable, to whom fuch warrant, fliall be directed and delivered, fliall forthwith execute the fame, and fliall repair to the place where the dead body is, at the time mentioned, and make return of the warrant with the proceedings thereon, unto- the Coroner who granted the Time. Every Ctunlable, failing unneceflarily, of executing fuch warrantor of returning the fame, as aforefaid, fliall forfeit and pay the fnm of eight dollars ; and every perfon fummoned as a Juror, as a Fo repaid, that fliall fail of appearing, without having a reafonable excule, fliall forfeit five dollars which fines fliall be recovered by acYion of debt, before any jurifdiclicm that can take conizance of the fame, and be applied to the ufe of the county. 4. The Coroner or Jullice fliall adminifter an oath, or affirmation, to twelve of the Jurors, that fliall appear, to the foreman firft ; in the following manner : 44 You do folemnly fwear, or folcmnly, fincerely, and truly declare and affirm as the cafe is that you will diligently enquire, and true prefentmcnt make, how, in what manner, and by whom, A B, who here lies dead, came to his death, and you fliall deliver to me the coroner of this county a true inqueft thereof, according to fuch evidence as fliall be laid before you, and according to your knowledge, fo help you God." 5 5. The other jurors fliall fwear or affirm, as the cafe may be, in the following form : 44 Such oath or, affirmation, as your your foreman hath taken, you, each and every of you, fliall well and truly obferve and, keep fo help you God." i G. The Jurors being fworn, the Coroner, or Juftirc fliall give them a chargrtfp.. on their oaths to declare of the death oF the perfon ; whether he, or flie died of felony, or mifchancc, or accident; and if of felony, who were principals, and who were acccfarics, with what inllrumeiit, he or Ihe w as

ftruck or wounded ; and fo all prevailing circumftances which may come by prefumption, and if by mifchance or accident, whether by the aft of man, and whether by hurt, fall, ilrokc, drow ning or othenvife ; alfo, to enquire of the pcrfons (if any) were prefent, the finders of the body, his, or her relations and neighbors j whether he or flie was killed in the fame place where the body was found ; and if elfewhere, by whom, and how the body was brought thence, and of all other circumftances relating to the faid death: and if he or flie died of his or her felony, then to enquire of the manner, means or inftriiment, and of all circumftances concerning it. $ 7. The Jury being charged, fliall ftand together, and proclamation lhall be made for any perfons who can give evidence, to draw near, and they fliall be heard. 8. Every Coroner or Juftice, is further impowered to fend out his w arrant for witneftes', commanding them to come before him to be examined, and to declare their knowledge concerning the matter in queftion. He fliall adminitter an oath, or affirmation, to them in the following form : 14 You do folemnly fwear, or folemnly, fincerly, and truly declare and affirm, that the evidence you fliall give to this inqueft concerning the death of A B, here lying dead, fliall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, fo help you God." 9. The evidence of fuch witneffes fliall be in w riting, fubferibed by them ; and if it relate to the trial of any perfon concerned in the death, then fliall the Coroner or Juftice bind fuch witnefs, by recognizance in area- , fonable fum, for their pcrfonal appearance at the next General or Circuit court, to be holden within the fame county, there to give evidence accordingly ; and commit to the common jail of the county, any witnefs or w itneffes, re fu ling to enter into fuch recognizance; and fliall return to the "fame court, the inquifition, written evidence, and recognizance" by him taken ; and the juryhaving viewed the body, heard the evidence, and made all the enquiry within their power, fliall draw up and deliver unto the Coroner, their verdict upon the death under confideration, in writing, under their hands and feals. i 10. Upon an inquifition found before any Coroner, of the death of any perfon, by the felony or misfortune of another, he fliall fpeedily inform one or more of the Juftices of the fame county thereof, to the intent, that the, perfon killing, or being any way inftrumental to the death, may be apprehended, examined, and fecured, in order for trial. JESSE B. THOMAS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. B. CHAMBERS, ' President of the Council. Approved September irth, 1807. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.

An act to authorise and require the Courts of dommon Pleas to divide the counties into Toivhships, and to alter the boundaries of the same id hen necessary. $ l The Judges of the court of Common Pleas in the feveral counties within this Territory, fhall in their terms refpeflively, proceed to divide the faid counties into Townlhips, affigningto fuch Townfhips refpecYively, fuch limits and bounds, natural or imaginary, as fliall appear to be moft proper, having due regard to the extent of country and number of inhabitants refiding within the fame ; and the faid Townfhips or any of them to fubdivide from time to

time, whenever the intcreft and convenience of the inhabitants thereof may feem to require it ; and the laid court of Common Pleas, fliall caulc their Clerk to enter of record on the docket of the fame court, the the particular time when each Townfhip is fet off and the fpecific boundaries afiigned thereto. JESSE B. THOMAS, Speaker of the House oj Representative:. B. CHAMBERS, President oj the Council. Approved September irth, 1807. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.

An act for rendering, authentic as Evidence in the courts of this Territory the public . acts, records and Judicial proceedings of Courts in the United States. l. Every act oF the Legislature of any one of the United States, having the feal of fuch ftate 'affixed thereto, fliall be deemed authentic, and receive full faith and credit when offered in evidence, in any court of juftice within this Territory. . . 2. And the records and Judicial pro-e ceedings of the feveral courts of, or wijAim -the United States, fliall be proved and ad. mitted in the courts of juftice in this Territory, by the atteftation or certificate of the Clerk or Prothonotary, and the feal of the court annexed, together with the certificate of the Chief Juftice, or one, or more of the Judges, or of the prefiding Magiltrate of every fuch court, as the cafe may be, that the perfon wljp figned fuel) atteftation or certificate was, at the time of fubferibing it, the Clerk or Prothonotary of fucli court; and the faid records, and judicial proceedings, authenticated as aforefaid, fliall have iw faith and credit given to them in every court within this Territory, as -by law or ufage they have in the courts of the United States, or of any one of the ftates, whence the faid records are, or fliall be taken ; any thing in this, or any other a 61 contained, to the contrary notwithftanding. JESSE B. THOMAS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. B. CHAMBERS, President of the Council. Approved September irth,, 1807. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.

THOUGHTS ON THE PLEASURES OF DOMESTIC LIFE. Of all the gratifications human nature can enjoy, and of all the delights it is formed te impart, none it equal to that which fprings from a long tried and mutual affection. Tke happinefs which arifes from conjugal frlicity is capable of withftanding the attacks-of time, grows vigorous in age, and animates the heart with pleafure and delight, even when the vital fluid can fcarcely force a paiTage through it. No man ever profpered in the world without the confent and co-operation of his wife : let him be ever fo frugal, induftrious or fuccefsful, all avails nothing if flic is unfaithful to her truft, or profufcly fquanders, in pleafure and diflipation thofe fums which toil and application gained : but if (he unites in mutual endeavors, or rewards his labor with an endearing fmile, with what fpirit and perfeverance does he apply to his vocation ; with what confidence will he refort to his merchandize or farm ; fly overland ; fail upon the feas ; meet difficulty, and encoui-ter danger if he knows he is not fpending his fttcngth in vain, but that his labour will be rewarded by tie fweets of home ! How delightful is it to have a friend to cheer, and a ccrrpanitn to feothe the folitary beurs of grief and pain I Solitude 2nd difappointment enter into the hiflory of every man's life ; and he is bit half provided for his voyage, who finds but an aflociate for happy hours, wh;, for his months of darknefsand diftrefs, no fyrrupathil.ng partner is prepared ! Prudence and forefight can neithei ward cfTthe flreke of difrafe, nor prevent the calamitirs which are crdained by Heaven. AfSuence cannot purchafc rtleafe front pain, nor tendernefs cool a fever in the blood ; yet there is an ear open to the married man's complaints ; a heart rtady to fymjmhife in his forrows;an eye bedewed with the tender di opt of ccnipalfion ; a'J a life that is absolutely hound up in his ; and as enjoyment derivec additional reliOi from participation, fo mifery lofri the pyignancy of its birb, in the b-frm formed for fympa'thctic Hndncfa.