Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-09-26

Recommendations.

On Tuesday last, the Supreme Judicial
Court opened its session at WiScasset, for
the county of Lincoln, and on Wednesday
was obliged 70 adiourn without doing any
business there being no grand or petit ju-
rors returned according to the provisions OF
the new iurv law, made at the last winter
session of the legislature. An immense
number OF causes stood ready for trial, and
q crowd of parties and witnesses attended,
besides nearly fifty persons who had been
summoned to attend as iurors.-This IS the
fourth instance Of a failure OF justice IN
Name. since this perplexing and useless law
was passed. The courts Of common pleas,
IN the counties of Lincoln, Hancock, and
Washington, have all been obliged 10 adj
;Ourn for want Of Jurors, and leave a load Of
business mtouched.-'Tis natural for the
good people Of this commonwealth, and of
the couaty of Lincoln especially, - inquire
DIV these things are 50 !? The true answer
can only be obtained by recurring to the mo-
tiues which gave existence 70 the above
mentioned law 1t should always be remep-
bered, that there are two things for which
the democrats are remarkable. The one is
for unsettling and GeraHging ancient establish
nleEts the other IS, making the LdSSs obe9ient
n rhenlselves--not themselves o5e1iert 10 the
LGUs- With these views, and on this prin-
cipie, they began, and by the aid of Levi
Lincoln, the 1t. Governor, they created out
Of nothing, and worse than nothing, this long
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and noHseasiedi
jury Law fun Of provisions which mark
the mischievous designs Gifts authors, while
It shows their vanity and folly The law is
10 betterthan heather Greek to half the Sc
iectmen and towns in the commonwealth,
sad Of course It has thrown every thing IN
n confusion and in this District, has alrea-
d. cost the good people several thousands
OF dollars II IS said that Judge Cook. of
WIsc4ssct, CLAIMS Fart OF the manor Of nav
Iac given brit 10 this lsglsLative nl0zs:er -
It's probable lis claims may have some
foundation, though the 1t. Governor was
the 5rIuclbaE on the occasion. The law GER
tainly bears many marks Of the Judges sa-
escitv, and resembles one Of his produc-
tons ia it, lite particulars and arrangements.
The whole object Of the democratic gen
eral court IN passing this strange law, was
to DESTROY, as far as possible, the tHdePen-
Gsnce cf the judges gf the couTt, and throw as
much power as possible into the hands of
the iurv TO render the law wholly uncer-
tain, BY giving to iuries the right 70 settle IL,
and taking that right from the court, who
have held il ever since the settlement OF the
country. The law is calculated and design
ed TO weaken the arm Of justice, and expose
law and order, and security, to the ravages
Of party prejudice, or personal feeling. And
in times Of commotion and discord, the adj
mnisraton Of justice, under the present Ar-
rangenent, 7yU Be IS unsteady as he wind,
and mag Be IS desolating as torrent.
Independent Of its mischievous design s.
tendency, the folly Of its provisions, It's nov
q and perplexing acquisitions, and the con-
fusion it has Occ asinned, certainly demand
its speedy repeal and it is earnestly hoped
that his ExoelleRcy will no longer decline
his assent to bill for that purpose.