Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-02-25


acquaintance with other dialects. that
"Of all the tongues from Fast TO West,
love my native tongue the bes,:''
and am entirely unwilling to admit its
inferiority.
But promised to allude, and shall
do so very briefly, to another subject,
or rather a branch of the same, for /
feel that the query would be imper
fectly answered by a mere reference to
his genealogy, without some reference
to the origin of those laws and customs,
which are the foundation of those lib
critics which we enjoy. In order to do
this, we must go back to a period pri-
or to the Revolution, or to the Decla-
ration of independence, before Penn
landed on the shores of the Delaware,
or the Pilgrims set foot upon the rock
of Plymouth, further back even than
the time of the discovery of America
by Columbus, or of the Norman Con-
quest, into the Dark ages, a thousand
years ago. About that time there sat
upon the English throne man who
was indeed a burning and shining
light,-a man at the mention of whose
name the breast of every Anglo-Sax
acquainted with history, thrills with
mingled emotions of pride and of graf
itude-a man who was equally sol
dier and a statesman-a scholar and a
christian-a patriot and lover of the
whole human race. | refer to him,
who, by your sturdy ancestors, was
hailed the "Great Alfred" 1t is to
him that we are indebted for the sys-
tenn of local representative governments
which we enjoy; system which be-
ginning with small numbers, in con-
fined location, and extending by in
creasing gradations, finally embraces
whole nation. When he first came
to the throne, he found the nation in
volvcd in terrible struggle with the
Danes, and that all was anarchy and
confusion.
After an arduous struggle, in which
the Danes were often victorious, they
were at length subdued, and Alfred
turned his thoughts to the moral, ply
sical, and intellectual improvement Of
his people. In order to do this, he di-
vided the whole country into counties
or shires, the counties into hundreds
or wapentakes, each containing one
hundred families, and the hundreds
into tythings. each containing ten.
The chief officer Of the county was
called the shire from which oui
term sheriff is derived; he was appoint
ed by the crown, and his duties were
judicial as we'll as ministerial. The
hundrcder was also an appointed Off
Ger. Every man was obliged to regis
ter his name in one of the tythings
and was answcrablc for the conduct o.
his family, his slaves, and even his
guests if they remained with him more
than three days; chief man was cho
sen 10y the people of the tything knowr
as the deccnnary or tything man. Al
trihing cases were disposed of within
the decennary, but in more importan
cases a different course was pursued
| wish particularly to impress thi
r other method upon you, as in 1t yo'
; will find the origin of the jury system
) which, if the Constitution be the foun
dation on which our national libertie
@ reposc, is, at any rate, the Palladium
| of our Individual Rights. When case
/ Of this kind arose, they were brough
! before the Hundred Court which me
o once a month, and over which th
Q Hundreder presided. Twelve free
+. holders (the number that constitutes
# jury at the present day, were swor
together with the presiding officer, {
=. do justice between the parties. III
f right Of appeal was given from thc'
lower courts to the county courts
g which met twice year, and from thel
J. to the king in council. 80 that 20
IF see. not only was the jury system e
.c tablishcd by Alfred. but also the priv
., ilcgc Of appeal from inferior to supcri'
re- tribunals. Nor do the benefits of h
,t system terminate here. The princip
>. of sclf-goycrnment introduced by hi
Al into the smallest division Of the pc
,e pie, has proved to be the little leave
i. which, by It's slow working and grad
,e al extension. has made US land by
ae mean the Anglo-saxon race) &
is only people fitted for the exercise
ar those rights which are conferred up
4. us by our representative SYSTEM
ne These rights. many of which are {
at results or acquisitions Of centuries
st bloody struggles with the Norm
x. rulers. are. nearly all at least. Of mu
lie older date than the Revolution. i
he leaders in that memorable strugg
IS only strove to retain the privilee
RS they had enjoyed. and which were tn
.l~..--ol D..l. IL. e.1sr AaffF