The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-08-23 00:00:00

the stoarhribge Ohsertur.

SATURDAY, AUGUST "13, 1673.

Tiii.: JURIES BILL.

One of the Government measnees of the late
se-sion which Itadto he Iv:ditty:twit becatt-te there
Will not sufficient time for i a cousidera.ion was •
the hill for rtferluilig the 11.iiv rellitiag to tae
couatitution of Pubis. One irtu,:e of the del ,y
was the large i umber a sisiiss suit
different slasses of the cotunoluity for exmiption,
and another Was a ditticnlty respeetiog tae re-
innueration to he paid to jorors—wh ther, it,
fact, they should be psal out of iocal or national
taxation. But although the Juries' Bill INSS
quietly put aside for the time, there can be but
little doubt that the grievance with which it
proposed to deal is of teu a very serious one.
We are, of course, all proud of the institution
of trial by jury. We like to think of it as a
perfect tribunal, or at all events as perfect as a
human institution can he. It has b-iett in force
in this country not fir from a Glint &UPI years.
When a man is accused of a crime, the theory
of the law is that he throws himself upon his
country, that his country selects twelve of its
citizens to weigh the evidence, and that they
decide without fear, favour, affection, or the
hone of reward upon the testinmuy brought
before them. There is no doubt that upon the
whole the system has worked well, and un-
questionably it would be very ,infiatilt to find
substitute for ono which has survived the
vicissitudes of so litany C,/11111i- S. At the same
time,a gout many can's of hardship mitionbtettly
occur, and it will he it once admitted thst the
days are very different front those of King
Alfred the Great. lima was then of little or .
no importance to the honest burghers of our !
towns; now it is everything in the race of life. I,
One of the jurymen now serving upon the Tich-
borne trial lately declared that lie Was losing
11.20 per work through his being compelled to !
serve in that court, as the hearing is not likely
to tertitimite notch het ,re Noveint,r, having
comoteuced iui Alai!, tile a terifice will doubtless
he regar led as a emisiderit,lo on -% Bat it does
not require on extreme ease this to Mus-
ty:int tam oppress.vet,eas with an ien the peest'llt
inc4W occasioually works. The growth of
our comitairei 1 activity hss hrougitt with it
mere litigation, tort iu term thae there tire
fr la.eitly six irso von com-ts sitting in West.
istio-t• r It it!. fhis means the attendan,,e.
e. k ,it--r we, k, of 5.-ores of Fonda' and 1-etty
jir ii. n, only a sin IL proport on of whom are
meta:thy serving, will!, the oth-rs have to wait
shoot in the c trri 'ors until pasi.l4,4 of the
co-,r, under heavy pen :Pi,. lead.; to be sworn
*lieu tire 'l' • many a pro
I to) !::e a all tra.),-wilati who is
umtble to afford On expense ;;Liat, this
nit -01 -ti from 1-nsi.,ess • reai,y a sellout
ni ut r, aria the it:jury ihme is ft..,, such as
C 1111• A easily p •-• •,• I 111-re is ill.
r As YU Why, in an .1, it of teach
.5.-queue,., a rie:t mote; siteolti call upon its
e t wens to farnieh such pr0...1s of Lls, ir ait
tn. Vast nmulters who now regard a jury
summons with horror, becansu ef the loss
w 1-.11 it involves, woubl have i;t ie qv no 0 j
Cott ta obey it if they were at aII lie.lflstOl, re-
m 'aerated. Rot this is not to a- .1 as
to coils fr j try service I. -s with es etc's!
save:ity upon Va.., lower tuard!, classes, the is
no n- soon why the nation, with its immense
wealth, shout I not properly pay those who dis-
charge such au onerous prltiic defy.