The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-02-04
PUNCH's CHARGE TO THE JURY.


old file of the Lancaster Intcligcnccr, into
which it WAS copied from the London Punch
! about fifteen years ago. Notwithstanding
the antiquity of the document, we consider
It, IN some respects, 4 'inodcI" chargc-it,
ut least, possessing the merit Of leaving the
jury unbiased in their deliberations upon Il
verdict:
GENTLEMEN OF TIE jury; You are sworn
in all cases to decide according to the evi-
dencc at the same time, if you have any
doubt, YOU are bound to give the prison
cr the bcncfi, of it. Suppose you have to
pronounce on the guilt or innocence of Il
gentleman accused Of felony. You will
naturally doubt whether any gentleman
would commit such Oifcnces-accor,linnlv.
however strong may be the testimony
against him, YOU will, perhaps, acqu;t him
The evidence of Your own senses is, at least
us credible us that OF the witnesses if, there
fore, your eycsight convince you that the
prisoner is Il well-drc>scd person, YOU have
right to presume his rc>pcctabilitv; and
1t Is for you to say whether respectable
person would be likely to be guilty of the
crimes imputed to him. In like manner,
when you see a shaLJylooking fellow in the
dock, charged, for example, with shcap.
stealing, the decision rests will, you, first,
whether or not that individual is raga-
muffin, and secondly, how far it is probable
that Il man Of that description would steal
sheep. OF course, as has been before said.
you will always be guided by the evidence,
| but then, whether the evidence is trust.
worthy or not, is matter for your private
consideration. You may believe it if you
choose, or you may disbclicvc it; and
whether gentlemen of the jury, you will be-
leve it, will depend on the constitution of
your minds. II your minds are so consli-
lutcd that you wish to find The prisone
guilty, perhaps YOU will believe it; if they
happen to DC so constituted that you desire
to find him not guilty, why then, very like
ly, you will disbclcve it. You arc to free
your minds from all passion and prejudice
If you can, and in that case, your Judgment
will be unbiased; but if you cannot, you
will return verdict accordingly. 1t is not,
strictly speaking, for you to consider what
will he the effect of your verdict; but when
consideration should occur to you, and you
cannot help attending to it, that verdict
will be influenced by it to certain extent.
You are probably aware that when You re-
tire, you will be locked up until you con
trive to agree. You may arrive at unanimi
iy by fair discussion, or 10y some Of YOU
starving ont the others, or 10y tossing up;
and your conclusion, bv whichever Of these
processes arrived at, will be more or less in
accordance with your oaths. Your verdict
may be right; it is TO be hoped it will it
may he wrong; it is hoped it will not
At all events, gentlemen of the jury, you
will come to some conclusion or other; un-
less it 4'lould so happen that you separate
without coming to any.
What I HIRE Ncrer Rnomn.--I have
never known poor man to obtain Il pre-.
'nium ut a fair, where there was Il rich man
to compete with him.
have never known naturally dishonest
man to become morally honest by becom-
ing a church member.
have never known minister of,he Cos
pei to be cullcl from higher to lower
salary.
have never known poor man rcspec-
ted because he was poor.
have never known Il merchant to con-
tinue his conversation with a poor man
when a rich one entered his store.
have never known white headed, hairy
faced office hunter, to be very conyersant
with a poor man after election.
l have never known a man TO admit any
body to be better than himself
have never known rich man Out what
was respected for his riches.
have never known man to be better
than lie should be.
have never known fashion too ridicu-
lous to he followed.
l have never known system of religion
too absurd to find followers.
L have never known political abolition
ist that would put negro in his best bed.
have never known the order of nature
reversed to please any man.
Warming air by Cdndles.-A CORES.
pondent of the Medical Times says:-
" Having. by what is called an accident,
been greatly benefited in my breathing, 1
know of no plan so likely to make others
sharers ofmy blessing than by sending you