The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-08-18
Chinese view of a Judicial, Trial.

In the San Joaquin Republican, Of April 30, saws
the Cincinnati Commercial, find the following
description, by Chinese, Of trial by jury in Cali.
lorna. Some persons may be disposed to consider
it satire. We give it for what il is WORTH" as
the lawyers say OF doubtful e,idence
'TsE -CHoNG-CHEE TO TsI-CHow-CHoo:
Celestial Cousia:-The way wrongs are righted
IN this country, is the eas, culi ous Of the man.
ncrs OF the baibarians. Ii robs or cheats his
fellow man here, the ev-docr is not "a, once pun
shed aud made TO give the first fruits of his crime
Instead of this they first try him to see whether he
dad II or not. serious truth, | assure YOU This
trial Is matter of singular, but rude comDlexity in
&c 'liy and mystery. The scheme is well contryed
both To ties, skill aud devclope lying and fraud; and
am led 10 think, that design OF il Is 10 perfect
the natives IN oui-lieing and out-iraudng all the
tribes oil the earth with whom they come in contact
The trial, administration Of jas,ice'' as they
phrase II, Is IN this way. The guilty man. and he
who accuses and seeks 10 fetch him 10 Justice each
hi.e to lie Tor them while the matter is under
lnycstisaion and the result Of the Trial depends
upon the skill and ability Of the professional men,
and not upon truth Chat ab>ugd) and Justice
When these hireiiuss ready both sides to be-
gin what are called the witnesses brought before
tnem hese witnesses are OF two kinds; Just those
who saw the transaction and those who didn't see IT,
hc hrst are To relate what they know, and the last
are 20 relate what they don't. The most curious part
VI the thing is that neither hat thus told by those
who do. and those who don't know, is submitted to
the tricrs matters OF fact for them 10 s and sep
crate what is true from that which is false; but alter
both sides have been thoroughly worried; by question
and ctoss-l"estion, the lawyers get up and tell III.
trsrs, what the witnesses said and shat they didn't
And here something very absurd occurs. The law
yer this side cont,adicts that the other side bv
SGT speech uttered with great yehemencc, fur, and
wrath. The first one thit gets up con,iadcts all the
witnesses who OK knew anything about the con.
test. Then the other gets up and denies everything
"a. l.=l
witnesses SAID who anew nothing about the matter
And then the hrs; one closes up the debate by DENY
ing everything the latter said. Then the matter il
Submitted TO the uicrs 10 say which told the truth
or II neither told it. then TO say how much truth is
~ the entire mass OF alSrhood and then To assess
the value, If they find il worth anything. This is a
serious, daily business; and told that some pro-
irSslOnai meu attain such Great skill in this mode of
lying, that he can SATISFY the triers that ntiiner he
who athrms nor he who contradicts tells the truth or
any pant of il. VI hen IL Ill has m scn to this degree
ii triumph, II IS called changing The jury as the
tricrS are called. might make many philosophical
ot'serV atoms on ths scheme, tending admirably to
assist and protect raScai'y, but need not iog your
acumcn will 1T once it t)r yourself | cannot but
pity TIE poor, however, when they have a trial with
the rich. The rich man always have the bes,
idlsi;ler; and he can, also, hire many Witnesses
who don't know anything about the matter as he
pleascs, to TESTIFY concsriAng il. And YOU will re-
mara that tho evidence Of these, ih this scene of lar
Sc Y, weighs just much, if properly hired, as
those who know all ahou, it, But if both parties
were equal IN nj! respects, il is hardly possible, with
The best intentions and most sincere desiics to do
right The pa; VI t. :rcrs, that INT can b. ascer-
tanned and justice administered under such c0nsti,
tuition Of things. The Only fair ,hic. sec about this
scheme is that they have generally iIu-.c-lna on
judge rs they call him. Who is Il sort Of superior
president. sitting elevated up above all The parties.
whore business - t. that each man hired by the
tigants does his best. in his vocation ior his re-
uafi. In this think there is not often any cheating
For, independent of the walch!ness of The Huge
man oT judge their natural vanity ard pride Of excel
lencc IN their vocation, spurs the hircings on each
sidt. u do their best ceta triumph over his ad.
vcrslry. The only evidence of teli meanaess that
have un'yer ally among these barbatans, is ex-
hiblted by these professional mcu when they have
lost To lie beaten In a contest of this sort !.
4 great shane, 81 which they seem profoundly con-
srous, by every mark and lneaa,ent OF their ccuntc-
nances. Nhio TO succeed in completely f,olng ,he
tsiers, and getting them decide against The truth
and right, Is obvious to every one Is thought 10
be one II the greatest uiu,nphs Of genius and the
highest degree Of excellence. They have peculiar
tlo of honor and vencration i,r such a man. he Is
called bamboozler'' and his effort "bamLoozlin."
chr iustrious kinsman,
T. III