Star.
London, England, 1824-02-12 00:00:00

QUALIFICATION OF JURORS.

Mr. WESTERN sail he rose to move for leave to
bring in a Bill to alter the qualification of Jurors.— •
Though the alteration he isesnt to propose was a ma-
terial one, yet he apprehended there could be no well
founded objection to it. The subject was one of no
small importance. The qualification of Jurors had
been altered from time to time, till the law was settled
as it now ••tood. In the City of London and in BO:
roughs, a qualification ia land was not necessary. Per-
' sonal property tá the amount of one hundred 'point%
was sufficient in London, and in Boroughs forty pounds;.
It seemed strange, that in counties alone the qualifica=
tion of landed pi operty should be required. By this
means a numerous class of persons, the most enlightened,
and the most fit to discharge the duttes, were excluded.
lie did not see why the possession of copyhold or free-
hold property to the amount of ten pounds should be
attended with the revisizes for n Juror. There were
many possessed of copyhold property to that amount,
who wet e yet extrentely. poor and ignorant. The pre-
sent system had the effect of throwing the labour on a
comparatively small number of persons. In a number
of
.parishes in Essex (the Honourable Member men-
.tioned the names of Eve or six parishes), the whole rental
of which amounted to £94,500, the number of Jurors
was only 87. If such were made eligible who rented a
farm of £2OO a-year, the number of Jurors world he
much incteased. lie aeprehended there could be no
more difficulty in asceitaining a qualification ariSiit
from personal, than from landed property. His plan
would call into action a number of enlightened Jurors,
and by fixing £4OO as the amount of qualification, it
would be sufficient to secure fit and proper persons.
His measure could not, as he saw, interfere. with the
measure for consolidating the laws respecting Julors, of
which the Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Peel)had
given notice. He was glad that the Right Honourable
Gentleman had such a measure in contemplation. The
Hon. Member concluded by moving for leave to bring
in a Bill relating to the qualification of Jurors.
Mr. LEICESTER seconded the motion. He highly
approved of the measure proposed. The class of per-
sons contemplated by the measure were fit to discharge
the duty of Jurors, and they were wiiling to undertake
it. The burden, being thus' divided, would become
much less onerous titan it was at present, and would
not at all increase the labour of Sheriffs. He was anxious
for the success of the Bill. It would be a safe stepping-
stone to the introduction of a third Assize in the difisr
rent counties. The advantage of a third Assize was
clearly prrived lately in the county of Hertford, where
a heinous murderer was brought to punishment.
Captain M4ABERLY said, settle inconvenience might
arise limn the introduction of two Bills on the sae
subject. That of which the Right Honourable Gentle-
man (Mr. Peel) had given notice might interfere with
the measure of his Honourable Friend (Mr. Western).•
Mr. WESTERN said he should take care that no
such inconvenience should occur.
Mr. LOCK [I A sad the subject was irn pottant,
and die House should pay attention to it in every stage.
The new principle of qualification proposed required
much consideration. ‘Vlntiever fault might now be
found with the present practice, he had no doubt tfit
when first introduced by their ancestors, it was a wise
practice. Ancient institutions should not be lightly al-
tered. It might be said that they were founded in pre-
judice ; but it was to many of tlatr:e institutions whith
were branded with the name of prejudice, the conntyy
was indebted for the anexteopled pitch of greatness She
had attained. They should look not merely to the Fro-
petty, but to the character of a Juror, and fake care in
any change which might be introduced, that freeholders
should form a fair and just proportion of the Jery. He
should be. very sorry that any system should be intro-
duced which would have tite effect, either through the
neglect of the summoaing officer, or from any other
Cause, of removing from Lite panels cf Juries tlie
old
yeomen of the country ; men who front their fixed ha-
bits and steady characters were not lightly moved 6y
the Boating prejudices of the day, nor easily swayed from
the principles in which they had been brought up; and
who were,. therefore, the bust and surest clefenders'of the
lives and liberties, the tights and property cf their coun-
trymen. He was al:xi:ins to be understood as not'op-
, posing the, introduction of the measure proposed by the
Honourable Member, but as desiring that it iliettU
.un-
dergo the fullest discussion in every stage. He uid hot
feel that it would be his duty to oppose the I3ill at all,
but he should carefully watch it throUgh all its pro-
gress, with 4.view to. guarding in the strictest =tiler
the invaluable right of the Trial by Jury from any ca.

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