Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-08-01


scriber, shalt receive TEN DOLLARS
Reward and all reasonable charges.
JAMES WORRALL.
Henrico, about four miles Grom1
Richmond, July 2lst, 1904. fw3l
To 9He HONORABLE THE LeGIsLA9URE or
7iHE CoMMoNYEALTA OF VIRGINIA.
2be Memoridiof suady Merchants, Mechanics AID
ofbr Inbabifanfs 9ftbe City Of Richmond.
SHEWE7R:
THAT there arc many commonlaw Courts which
hold their sessions in the city of Richmond
these courts in the course of the year require
great many luries, and are thus described
The General Court of the Comm on wealth.
The DisiriGt Court Of the Commo nwealth.
The Circuit Court of the United States
The District Court of the United States.
The County Court of HeGrico.
The Hastings Court of the City of RichmonAs
Upon further examination INTO the above statement
itwllappear, that there more than one hundred
days in the year wherein iuries may be w.nted.
The officers IT the courts frequently summon ore
than enough for three juries, and sometimes two
of the aforesaid courts sit upon the same day,
which, considering the population o the city, falls
very heavy on some of the inhabitants, i'll 50 much
that il frequently happens that retailer of ner.
chandize, and mechanics who employ number
of iourneyn1en, and who depend upon their daily
sales for their prohts and subsistence, obliged
either to disobey the summons, to Shut up their
stores and shops. or to commit the care Of their
business (and at the most public times too) to
boys or inexperienced agents
When duty is laid upon articles of merchant
die, or tax is imposed upon the occurauon ola
merchant, every man before he proceeds can calcu-
late upon the influence which these burthens will
have upon his business but the man is fire.
quenty called away TO serve upon lures, and is
compelled either to shu1 up his store or conhde in
inexperienced agents, he cannot form = computa-
tion of the injury or disadvantage.
Observations somewhat dIssimilar, tho equi-
pcnderant in their tendencies, concerning me cha
MICS and others who subsist by labor, may also be
made The poor man, who has no means TO pro-
vide for his wants or the subsistence of his
: family, except by his own labor must feel the
hardship in very high degree, when he is COM
PEELED to lose his time in lettering abou, court
. house, well knowing that 1t ought to be employed
i'll earning bread for his children.
These important facts, and their influence uDol
society. and particularly the inhabitants of this ci
ty. are too well known TO require greater iIIustra-
ton; and it would be indecorous if your Memo
ria'is,s should employ many arguments CT much
entreaty to induce the honorable house to listen
to their complaint.
Your Memoraiists have been Informed, thatin
parts Of the United States il is the custom
TO summon juries some days previous to the court;
and when cause IS about 10 be tried. a list of
many names is given to the counsel of the parties
each party strikes out an equal number until the
proper number remains. In this way impartial
jurics are certainly obtained.
1t seems TO be the general opinion of all who
converse upon the subject, that reasonable CONF
pensaiion should be made, equal to the daily price
OF labor, 10 chose persons who are ccmrelled to
serve on juries.
Your Memoralists Contemplate with grea, de-
light the inestimable privilege ola trialby iury;
they consider 1t rs one ofihe chartered birth rights
OF which they are the inheritor5, and which l. far
a5ove price nor do they intend to utrer an ex--
preston, which shall convey the smallest discon-
tent IN that respeet. The sole design &C your Me-
rnoriallsts herein, is make plain repre- sentation
OF the particular grievances to which they are ex-
posed, on account of their residing at the seat Of
government, where iuries being so frequently
wanted they are compelled 10 discharge more
than reasonable shave Of social duties, and they
cannot help observing. that whatsoever operateg
- an undue restriction or oppression upon indus
'fy aud commerce, which are the great sources Of
na1onal prosperity, must operate as an injury M
on the whole community
These important and well acknowledgements
connected with the high confidence which is en,e,
tanned OF the wisdom, patriotism and clemen-v of
the house, have induced your Memorialists 10 re-
present the particular hardships by which thew
have been oppressed, and TO which thew
are SIM exposed, IN the reasonable and confident
hope, that the justice of the Legislature will ac-
ford suitable relief, so that your Memoialists NAV
ENJOY, in equal degree with their fellow ri,;,sn.
tne privileges and blessings Of government, to
the support Of which they largely contribute.
And your Memorialists, with all due ,es,ea
AVID consideration, hunbly pray &c w4w