The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-03-06

AZ we found M reason t0 alter ohr
l"pininus or pur verdict, we return II
in The same words a. befnrc. net
gully. Wo heard your lor.ls'ipS
extraordinary language Of rrpr""f.
but VIC do moi accept it as property
or warrantabIy applying TO ms. 1t
is true, my lord, that We ourselves.
imdi, idnally considered in our priv"'"
capacities, may be poor insFg' iIicsnt
men, therefore, ia-ihat light. va
claim nothing out of this box above
the common regards of our humble
bmt honest stations /; but, my lord.
assembled here as Jury. We cannot
be inscnsibIe to the great and CON
stitutional Importance of the depart
mcnt, we now filI We feel. my lords
that We are appointed, as You arg.
by the law and the constitution. not
only as an impartial tribunal I"
Judge between the king and his sub
jecIs, tho offended and offender, but
VIC act in a situation Of still greater
confidence I; for We form, as jur".
the barrier of the people against the
possible influence, prejudice, Pass'""'
or corruption ofthe bench. 10 you.
my lord, meeting you within 'hrse
walls. !, for my own part, might
possibly measure my respects W
your private virtues /; but the mo-
meDt I am enclosed in this place.
your private character is invisible (;
for il rs, in my eyes, veiled in your
official one, aud to open conduct III
thu, only can we look.
| This jury, my lord, docs not, in
this business, presume to offer TO that
bench the smallest degree of disrc-
speci, much less Of insult /; We pay
il the respect one tribunal SHOULD
pay 10 another, for the common hon
or of both. This jury, NV lord, d'd
not arraign that bench with pa' t'"'
i,y, prejudice, infamous dec's'"n'
nor yet With influence, passions cor
ruplion, opprcssioa. or tyranny 10.
We looked to il as the mercy seat Ot
royalty, as the sanctuary of truth
and justice. Still, my lord, VIC ca"
not blot from our minds the records
Of nur school books, nor erase thc
early Inscriptions written on our IN
telIects and memories. Hence VIC
must be mindful that monarcl,s and
judges are but failible mortals' 'ha':
tyrsnts have sat on thrones anu
that the mercy scat Of royalty, and
the sanctuary of justice. have bee"
polluted by a Trassilian. a Seraggs
and "a Jcffries. [Here was ir"w"
from the bench.
Nay, my lord, am a poor man.
but l am a free born subject oil tho
kingdom of ireland, a mcmber OF tho
constitution; nay, l am now higher
for 1 ain the representative therc0.&
l therefore claim for myself anu
fellow jurors, tho liberty of speech;
and if | an refused it here. l shalt
assume il before the pcoplc at tho
door of this Court house and tell
them Why deliver my mind there,
instead Of delivering it at this place.
T Here tho bench re. assumed cOmpla-
cency ]
say, my lord, we havs nothing
to do with your private character /:
We know you here only in that Of IL
iudge f; ard a. such We would re-
spcct you you know nothing Of ~
but as a jury and in that sifuati"u
We should look TO you for reciprocal
respect, because we know Of no mam,
howevcr high his ti'lc"r his rank.
in whom tho law or the constitutions
would Warrant the presumption at
an unvr0voked insult towards that
tribunal IL whom tho people hasc
vested the dearest and most valuabls
privilege they possess. before saih,
my lprd, that We are hero met, MT
indiv idually. NOR do We assume pro
en,incncc /; but, in the sacred Charac
ter Of jury, wo should DO wanting
in reference to the constitution itself.
il We did not look Tor the respect Ut
every man who regards II. NVS
sit hcic, my lord, sworn to give y
verdict according To our comscisncrs.
and the best of our opinions. on ths
evidence before us. We have In
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