Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-06-11
RIGHTS OF lURIES.

fB rsiodicsl publication, entitled "THR
PArnor," furnihes one among thoOiand
inaaoees, Of OVs,bsarxg arrogance in a Judge,
and bsnsf iudtScnatn0 in jEy.
(Bs60n Cb,os.
Ii 10 proper that every citizen. liable 90 be call
ed On to diicharge the high and important
duties ofs Jaynas, ihould entertain due
fcnte OF the coniequence oil his 6tuation. Al
though sRr Judges are diveaed Of iome of the
gewgaws OF Office, which arc deemed eaen,isl
20 the jurifprudenes Of England yet, even
is ssr roEsf,y, we /owsfin0 have occahon TO
recollett "that the fanttuary Of Juaice hE
bees polluted by aTRtssILiAN,s ScRoc cs,
aud a JsrrrRIispl
A LIVING Judge, who, not many years
4 n 6nce, travelled the northwea circuit in
ireland, came TO the trial Of cauie in which
much OF the local conieqseuce Of fome dcma-
gogues in the neighborhood was concerned il
was the caufe Of a landlord. proiecurion asaina
spoor man, his tenant, for aHault and battery,
comnited on the Perfon Of the proiecutor by the
defendant. in defence Of hi, only child. an in
nocent and beautiful girl, from rsviihment.
Not only the Bsreb bot the whole Bar. dined
with the profecutor's faiher the day before the
trial. and fome OF them. to this day, ptaife the
vsnifon aud claret.--Next DAY the poor man
was brought into Court and put to the Bar.
The prcfecutor appeared and iwore moi man
fully TO every tiuIe Of the indictment. He was
crofs examined by she jurors, who were honea
tradcfmcn and refpeetable farmers. The poor
man had 90 lawyers to tell his foy. He plead
cd HE own cauie; not to the Jany but, TO the
judgment and TO the HKART--1he jury found
him NOT Gmity."-
The Court was cnraged, but the fursound-
ing fpettstors exulted In thout Of applsofe.
The Judge told the jury they mua 70 back to
their jsfy- room and reconGdcr the matter, add.
ing, /" he was aaohifhed they could prefume to
return 70 infamous a verdict" The jury bow
ed, went back, and in quarter of an hour re-
tosacd, when the foreuse.. = venerable old man.
thus Addicted the Beneb.--s' MY Lord in
compliance with your deGre We went back TO
our jury-room; but as we found no reaton to
alter oar opinion, or our verdiet, we return il
TO you in the fame words AZ before, ." Not
Cuiiy"-We heard your Lordihips extraordi-
nary language Of reproof but we don't accept
isD properly or warrantably applying TO us.
'Tis true, my Lord. that we cnr/efves, mdiyid-
RELY may be poor ioiigni6cant men /; therefore,
in that light, we claim nothing without iide this
box, above the common regards Of our humble
and honeR fations but, my Lord, aGembed
here H j1y, We cannot be infenGble to the
great and conHitutional importance of the de-
partment we now fill: We feel my Lord, thar
we arc appointed by the Law and the Conftisu.
ton, NOT ooly az an impartial Tribunal, to Judge
between the King and hi, fubjeefs, the offended
and offender bot that by the favor of the Con.
Ritution, we are in 6tuation of Gill greater
coniequence for We form a. ysy, the barrier
Of the people againR the influence, prejudice,
patton, or corruption Of the bench.
80 To you, my Lord, meeting you with
out theie walls, !. for my own part, might pof-
fibly mesfure my refped. by your private vir-
tues in fb1 place, your private character 10 in.
pJdbls, for il is in my eyes, veilcd in your eff
eiai one. and il 10 to open conduit in that only
we can look. ra
"This jury, my Lord. docs not in this bu-
fnefs prefumc to Offer the fmallcff degree of diE
refpeA. much Ie6 infas we pay the refped
one part Of Q tribunal Mould pay another for
the common honor of both. Tbis jxy, my
Lord. did not arssign that bench with partislity,
prejudice, isfsmsm dtejGen, nor yer with inAu-
ence. PATTON, eonsptiou, opprefion, or syran-
ny: No We looked up to il a the mercy feat
Of Royalty. {" the fantlusry Of trsth and juaice.
80 Still my Lord, we cannot blot from our
minds the records Of our fchooI books nor
erafe the early interruptions written on the 6rf
pages of orr intellctas and memories. es.--Hence
we nuR be mindful that the mercy feat Of royal
y. and the faoetuary Of juaice, have been pol
luted by TRrssILIAH, aScRoocs, and
JRYrER,ss. Here Iosvs from be Beseb.]
Nay, my Lord, am poor man, bat am
free born fubjed Of the kindom of Ireland,
member OF the ConRitation nay, / am now
bigbey, for am Rtpns/fsfafivs thereof. /
therefore do claim for myfelf, and fellow w-jurors,
the liberty Of fpeech and If I am fefufed il
here. fhall refume il before the people at the
door Of this Court Houfe, and tell them why
deliver my mind there, inftesd Of in this place.
Here fbs Bsseb ,sfsmsd eonbLaern1.]
fay ny Lord, we have nothing TO do
With your private character we know you here
only in that Of Judge and as fuch We fhould
rcfped you you know nothing Of us, bot as .
jury; and in that VIC mould look to you for re-