Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-11-09


prepared by gen, lesnan. says the Sisuaon Secti-
i.'r. ~eil ssqUa,n,ed ~nh such sublecis-and
taiuly deserves the ssfiou. consideration ol every
rnai. Ia the Commonwealth We would suggest To
ell ,hen. Who may have .psata.t,y oi doing %.
aud Win The oi the write, that they
cri the psiion out vi the paper hr the purpose of
obtaining sgnaures-so that the mailer may he iald
before tho Legislature 1T the ensuing se>slvn.
10 THE PEOPLE.
Fellow CuIzens: beg leave to bring 10 your
tire subject ia ~hich you all de. 81, interested
and hich closely Connected 9Th The w,s-s speedy
and ecotr.mrsi administration OF pubic jusiice-I
refer To . change the jury system vi Virgins. "a
10 su,jeti which LAS been mach talked aissut by
the people. hat here,'ore sieis have been taken
having any tendency 'e Produce ay praeicsl change
My p"rIosc merely Ia Os-r sugg esIions
ior publir consideration The hope they woud lead
other peTsDns. more compeeni ihsn myself. 10 pre-
seni ihcir views. and thus elicit some thing like an
expres.iin oi publ'c oplnson ia, regard 10 Aud IN
order to give the matter tangible shape. have
conciuded 10 throw my opinions i.t, the foam ol a
pciIiion To the General Assembly VIrsIuIs ~ that
't'ose " ho eonrnr IA them may ave opportunity
oi brngng the sly. ci behrr the ~ tribunal which
hss the Io~eS 10 ait'rd the p-nper relief ).
10 the Cs"sToI Assembly " VAS in,os
The petition ot the undersigned sL.zrns oil The
county "f respectfully reprrsenls-
That in the opinion oi your pel,onersthe present
jury system Oi Virginia ~ very nefiic,en ami "ne-
te"ss" I" oitfaitOu. of'u Icctls
reiOrm BY The exLiius LAWS the sherItis
CURED ia the county CouTis sunnpn jurI-s the
cnse- may he called ior TRIAL. and in the SupeTIor
Courts. al the close of euch ia, ~ Junors
o. Ne M Attendance the uext succ eesilns day
The J0iurs Illus summoned requir, Il. under a
heavy penalty, To remain attendance u,-in the ses-
soils cd the cOurt frosn day 10 day aud sometimes
irosn week TO week. until they are discharged. Fur
hts service. hO~ever aborpus I,..g r,IniInuesi.
they receive O Mind 81 compensation. and are c,u-
PEELED 10 lie e their own expenses ~hi..: they are
perIortniug q.
Tue prs'iical results of this system are in many
rerpccis penIr nus
la the firsI place large amount If the time Of
p'fi'n oi oar teii,w ctiIzens-whIct thea most
0otHabts PrcPerty-I. taken in'n them. wIr,ut any
COMPENSATION. TIM ID In Itself unJusI but hen We
come 20 look nj the Practical worNmz OF t.c ., stem
viii be iound that the evil. OF the priucipe are
greatly aggravated hy eAinnsc causes. d NC refer
to the rsc''rsis VI Coun. IL will he E,ud that
mich the larger number Ol IhV>e ~ l juries
'''si III" are ihrreh hurthened with the expense OF
the administration al JU.Ire those h are lea
able Ia ati''6d I'a"d have essI ling aI
Sheris are bot men. aud caulHI bc exetnh Iruln
Ihose isrlIngs whIrh incident - human n,lntc;
aud hence We thai of " ilih u..d influence
ga Ie'y readIy ohiain releasr GrDm scrvIre ON
Juries. while Isor men, mrchaHe aud s.al tarnIe r.
&c compelled 10 bear The burden ot the day. la
many Isiaires II happens that Joug n,erhanirs lao
have islniles IL support AID hug but Their labor
Io depend Un for their daily vad. a,e obliged To
fi''se their siIUIs TOR a ns la I.erlTm The
Iuu :IIOns OF jurors & un-or = the young tanner
~ho has lett no hui hts and little cil en-
al home. ten ar fifteen miles lrOn he C'urI House.
ID deiaiisSsi On siIniar servHe Lnu-a late hsur in
! the evening. and then compelled 10 remain Ia town,
al a heavy expense. ar ride hoIne. H. tntIaighi, Ia
relieve tie anAeiies Of his family. and prev eat his
stuck from Suffering. Al The same Time. the more
influential aid wealthy tllizeu. who Could bear the
expense Oi remaining al tavern, and who has
wants al hume 10 attend his silars, has com eIu
Immunity from thu" Impressive This ~ must
TIC conrried. Is grJss inJnsIre.
Bat this - by incaHs The grs.se-t evil To lie
pnblic which results from The System livery one
Will acknowledge the nIDrisuce having ,.ur mos,
e1Peneneed ard well inUrmed our jurIes
ihis 10 necessary 10 inspire coniJece the correct.
Hess OF the 'erdicIs and 10 give emily To- lie aJ-
minls ration oi justice. But ho~ can SUCH result
tie me- mPlshed the jurIss composrd oil the
yOuigcsi asJ srssi educated PORTION the eUlnuni.
iy! Tue natural effect ol our system - Wis bile IN The
conIemIh with which The verdlcls Of jnries are re-
gH"'ed-in The frequency Of bnEg juries-In he Ia.
cIHY with ~hIch new trials granIed--in The de-
lays iu The final decisions of c.nIroyersies--amd ~,
The enormous accommodation oi Gusts. which induce
many men 10 abandon their rights rather Than incur
the c''sI aud iiOuhle Of prosecuting them.
Your pesIIionsrs might extend the detail Of The
evils ct the present sysIem ainosI indefinite
length. but they Will readily suggesI themselves
Ia TIE minds OF Enlightened Legislature ey will.
fOfSear from f.;rber then, and proceed 10
suggest The remedy Which Ihey Mould respectfully
pfopOse.
They ssk that law may be passed providing for
The establishment Of jury system. somewhat slmi.
lar ." IbSi whrI prevails states Of Penn
syIVaiiIa. OhiO HIIJ Kentucky. Aud the people Of
'"hef pSrir1.s 81 The cunDou wealth. may not desire
such rI'sHge rs yUur psuioners seek. they would
respectfully ask that The opefsIlon OF tie law nsht
be hunted 10 Ihss County. aud such oIhrr
c"uiies a. may think proper. u mode 60 10 pre-
eriOed ny iar 10 adnp, H. Your mesDorialrsls would
respectfully represent that precedent hI tins spe-
cies OF partial lesIsaIr.p. be ~ The road
law. aud they ndvsed VI any evil consequea.
ces which have resulted irvn u.
The lendIng IesIures e the law which they would
Pfop~e. are
LIST. The commissioner Of the revenus, the sheriff
anu the clerk shall. month beiore each Court
place the names ol 100 intelligent AID re-pecta bic
and iise PERSONS ~ hose shall he thus drawn
shall tie summoned at lcss les days be lore the Couri
10 sct Us Juymen dunng the term. /
2"d IiIese JurYmeB shall receive for their servi.
ees ""e dollar per day. be paid Iund Il, DO
lev'ed A. paf, si the county levy. Tit expense
10 he reimbursed in psr o, vi small anOunt
uprm each yet0IcL
The advantages which your petitioners anticipate
from this system. brIeiiy the e.
lsi. The HJusiiee and msquagiy al the prcsenl
- siem will be- renewed
2nd. The Jurors Will be notified in advance oil
iher appointment and wiil be able 10 make t0eirl
arrangements 10 bo absent ifOsn hume.
sfd. Tners viii he less dang &c Of packing Jury
10 SUI any given case. I've -henns vii nave 80
discretion "a the selection Of Jufofs
4'h fne jss"ss viii ns more Intelligent. and ne
Irff a.