Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-08
missed there being no competent tribunal to

missed, there being no competent tribunal to
Judge in his case.
When the acute and facetous Athenians
heard of this case, they were at first astonishc,i
and then h'-hly diverted. "Thcy said that,
at Atalant-, the more fragrant, the more pub
lie and notorious the crime, the better chance
to escape from punishment" The abnrti =
pro secution of Chrysis was exhibited ON the
stage, with mixture of truth and bntIoonery
highly entertaining 10 the shrewd and volatile,
Ath-nians. An actor was made to say, :. that
M crimes were liable To punishment, at Alta
lants, but such might be commits, q too
secretly To be detected: and that if the most
horr i'll crime should he perp-tiat-d before the
face of all the citizens, and they should ex
press an honest Indignation against il, these
circumstances would shield the offender not
only from punishment, but even from "A tri-
al IN
But the perplexties of the Ataan,eans.
and the testing of the Athcnians, did M, tnd
here. Several persons were committed Ia
prison at Atalante, fur murders perprtratrd
pablicly, in the assemblies of the people and
their trials had been delayed from the difficult
~ of procuring an impartial tribunal The
friends of the murdered persons raised cla-
mours in the city. They said thai, If the laws
could not afford protection aud Justice to the
citizens, individuals must defend their uwn
rights, and redress their own wrongs Mobs
collected, broke into prison, and put the pri-
soners 10 death. The city became "a scene of
retaliation, assassination and bloodshed In
This extremity, the Atalsn,eans passed de-
cree. that when impartial tribunals could not
be obtained, in their city, for the trial of inn
portant causes, the causes should be carried to
the tribunals of Athens But the Athenians
refused to accept Jurisdiction of them. They
A., A A.
mongers, so inquisitive, and So talkative, that
they would be too apt Ia hear or the canst
and express an opinien upan it, before it could
be brought legally before them; which accord
ing to the construction uf thr laws of Atalan-
tr, would dlsqualiiy then from being judges
ihey advised tile Ata!apt1aus 10 apply for
Judges to BGotia, where the people were So
needless and stupid that they seldom talked OF
or observed, what passed Immediately uuder
their own muses..
The Atalanteans took this advice into CON
slderation. Butt was recollected that in all
criminal prosecutions, the accused was emit
tied toa trial by.Iudg"s OF the Uicinage ; and
therefore the Bpniiaus could not act as ridge,
at Atalanle. The assembly of the people
met and adjourned fron day Ia day. but no
remedy could be found. IL the mean time.
the disorders in the city increased. The most
n"aceable and r-sprctahls "i the inhahna!its
fled from the island with their families aud
effects
But the Athenians, seeing that their colony
was IN dagger IF being depopnlated, fond a.
they were of testing, Thought it high Time To
treat the matter seriously. They passed a
decree, " that The Atalanieans slionid consiruc
and execute their inws according Ia the die
tates of reason and common scnse.' As som
as this decree was published al AtaIantc, the
Judges and the assemblies at the people. re-
sumed their ordinary functions law and ns-
iice were promptly aud eilec,ualiy admn,is-
tered peace and tranquility were restored !;
and those who had fled in ter-"r from the city i.
returned with confidence and safely 10 their
homes.
Now, we seriously believe that The gene
raj character of Virginians resembles much
more the nqulsitive and taIkatvs character al
the Athrnans, than the duurss and stupidity
oi the B0oans: amd we earnestly eu,reat tlI"Sr
who have the administration of our laws en-
trusted to them, Ia adopt, ar To rrcommrud.
such measures will! save ns from the ne
cessiiy at having the most Interesting and nm
poriant causrs that occur in oI,r courts tri.,.
, by iIrrt,an jurieS. or dismissed for The want al
an impartial Iril.Hnui. ATALUS.
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