text:  The government might as we explained in a former Number [2] have proceeded by an _ex-officio_ information at the suit of the crown filed by the Attorney-General; but in this instance waiving all the privileges appertaining to the kingly office they appeared before the constituted tribunal of the law as the redressers of the public wrongs invested however with no powers or authority beyond the simple rights enjoyed by the meanest of its subjects--and preferred an _indictment_: which is "a written accusation of one or more persons of a crime or misdemeanour preferred to and presented on oath by a grand jury