Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-23
For The Enquirer
"
JIIRIES.
JURlES.
n, pprro,p Of The House 0f Uelcgates.

To Mr.. Perov Of the House IF Delegates:
Sir: 10 The newspaper sketch Of your speech
against lessening The number OF Jurors N cIV'l
cases, you are reported As saying mar yon
"know Of no PRACTICAL grievances attending me
present number" Owelve.l
If Won are lawyer, and have attended courts.
where can your eyes nave been, sir, no' 10 nave
seen enormous eriis resulting from The require
menl Of Twelve Jurors, and OF unanimliy among
lhem3 Are you stranger 10 The grievance o'
huneiures2 Can you have helped seeing jus
tice della ed and even d'iea'rd 10 'ouhless ca
ses, BY the inability Of Twelve men 10 agree upon
q question a, all doubiiul2 The human mind IS
such that the ODDS are very great against any
dozen mems thinking alike upon any dehatabie
nruposiiiun submitted 10 that dozen. For my
part. in a practice Of twenty odd years, NJ ohc
Stumbling block to Justice has so long and so o.
ten vexed and mortified me, as The non-delec
ment o. iuries-growlngo out oil those 'wo lealnies
in their constitutions; n eue1 number ana "Ha"t-
nifty.
In court which sis within twenty steps oil
whore now write, Two causes have been pending
for four or FIVE wears; in one Of which me amount
in DISPUTE is S45, and in the other s4o. 10 me
former. there have been two hung ln'ies; IN The
lauer Two or three In each case are rom SIX
10 ten witnesses; most OF whom have han W al
lend court from ten 10 twenty days. Wnen
iury has once been chung" in cause, The DIM
Guilty OF getting il tried is greatly increased; espe-
cialiv in The county courr: for the lustices run
from the bench when such casr IS caiitci ifcsh
jurors are harder to find; The parties ana COUNSEL
fyht shyer; and The witnesses, knowing al 'hese
things, are less likely 10 attend. 30 maj, oy me
lime a verdict is had, The costs prooaoly exceed
The sum in controversy. Two or tnsee years
agree
where the question was, whether MTte OF Hre Coz
la,sa month should be allowed as hire Tor ne
ORC woman, for eight months: The difference, Slo.
There were four OF FIVE witnesses, VINO had been
amending several days; ard hac 10 attend several
davs al The mex. ierm Frequently by such de-
Laws The detsndan, becomes InsolVeht before
iuds ment is given: and then just debt IS lost.
In short. were | asked what Is The greatest
source Of oppression in our Virginia Courts,
should unhesiiaii. ely answer-aiways excepting
law, feeble, or partial judse-rHE iLL-coSsTi-
TUITION ~ JuRIks; especially in The TWO features
before mentioned.
The Legislature and Congress decide cues
lions most vital 10 the Stale, or The Union, oy a
bare majority: questions OF peace OF Waf-eI odnh
or no bank-laIifT or no tariff: queslions ,hVols,
ing lens OF millions, nay hundreds OF miincns o.
money. The General Court, by a bare majority,
aec;dss ones,ions Of lie or death. The Court OF
Appeals by bare majority, determines how
millions shall 60. And in both courts, "i'h'ul
appeal. 1t only three judges be present Two Of Inc
three give The judgment Is it TO DC endotec' ma
majority SHOULD no, equally be allowed 10 give
The verdict, in case where alhoussho, OF INN
bred, or forty dollars are in queslioht ADO ."'s
TOO when court is sitting by, when 10 various
ways can check and control an erIins luVf
SEVEN is in every respec; beler number
Than TWELVE, for juties. II they are III uien -
\ usetul occupation. They aretarmeEs, merchants