37i found against him at the Quarter Sessions in ince, was most instrumental in procuring the the county of Burlington, and this was the indictment to be found against Jamison. Promptly, so soon as the indictment was ground of the indictment. At the Novem ber term of the court in 1715, one of the quashed, an order of court was entered grand jurors refused to take the oath in the disbarring Basse. ordinary form, alleging that he was a Quaker, The rest of the term of Jamison as Chiefand that by an act of the Legislature passed Justice was uneventful. Harmony was re several years prior to that time, he was en stored between the contending parties, and titled to be affirmed and not sworn, as he no disturbing cause ever interfered to pre was conscientiously scrupulous of taking an vent the peace that reigned while Hunter oalh. The passage of the act was admitted, continued in the office of governor. Jami but il was contended that it had been re son appears to have been a great student of pealed by a statute of Parliament. This the Bible. He delighted to quote largely was the position assumed by the partisans from the sacred records, especially in his of Lord Cornbury. The Chief-Justice over charges to grand juries. He was a believer ruled the objection, and ordered that the in witchcraft, and thought heretics ought to juror should be affirmed. But the clerk was be punished. But no prosecution for either contumacious, and refused to obey the order of these offences, as they were called by of the Chief-Justice. Here was a decided Chief-Justice Jamison, ever disgraced the contempt of court, and that of the most jurisprudence of New Jersey. He was con flagrant character, — a refusal of the sworn tinued in office by Governor Burnet, who officer of the law to perform a known duty. succeeded Hunter in 17 19. Jamison resided Of course no grand jury could be impan in New York during all the time he was elled at that term. The Chief-Justice had Chief-Justice. By this arrangement suitors but one course to pursue; he necessarily was and their counsel were very much embar obliged to sustain the dignity of the court : rassed, and at the earnest solicitation of he held the obstinate clerk to be in con the Assembly Governor Burnet removed tempt, and fined him. The punishment, him, and appointed William Trent in his under the circumstances, was very light. place. Yet at the next term of the Court of Quar Trent was not a lawyer by profession; ter Sessions the Chief-Justice was indicted but he had been a judge in Pennsylvania, for fining the clerk. Jamison behaved in the and had acquired a most enviable reputa most dignified manner. Governor Hunter tion. He was a Scotchman, had been a felt constrained to interfere, and he rallied successful merchant, and was a man of ex in defence of the Chief-Justice. He pub cellent judgment, of good, sound commonlished an address to the citizens of the col sense, with not a breath of suspicion on his ony relative to the subject, and in a calm and reputation. At the time of his appointment dispassionate manner reviewed the whole he was Speaker of the Assembly. His house case. The indictment was quashed on mo in which he had resided in Philadelphia was tion of the Attorney-General, after having standing a few years ago. At the time of been removed into the Supreme Court. The the meeting of the Continental Congress, order setting aside the indictment may be during the Revolution, it was used as a still read in the minutes of the court. It boarding-house, and John Adams and sev states that it is made because the proceed eral other members of Congress had boarded ing is against the Chief-Justice of the colony there. Trent bought several hundred acres 'or doing his duty in the execution of his of the ground upon which Trenton, the capi office. J eremiah Basse, a licensed attorney, tal of New Jersey, now stands. This was in one of the most prominent men in the prov 1 7 14. Seven years afterward, in 1721, he
