The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-04-14

Companies are also petitioning Parliament
for like guarantees, and il is feared that tho
only escape for the Government will he to
let each one take care Of itself In that
probable event, the Atlantic Gable Compa.
ny is ut an end.
The Washington Correspondents a" the
stckiss' Trial.
From tho n. Y. rribune of,hs 7gh.
A more sensible test is applied to jurors
here than in New York. The Court com
mences the examination, 10 be sure, by pro.
pounding the usual question, " Have you, at
any time, formed or expressed AN opinion
relative 10 the guilt or innocence Of the
prisoner? p II this question be answered in
the negative-which was rarely the c,se-
the juror is next asked whether be has such
an impression on his mind IN will he likely
To influence his judgment 10 the jury box
And if he says no TO this, he is further asked
whether he has any bias or prejudice for or
against the prisoner. lie ia, Of course, CON.
pe,ent u his replies are all negative. But
il he responds to the first question in the
affirmative, the counsel for the defense are
allowed to interrogate. him as to the source
and quality OF his opinion. lie is asked
whether il be founded upon rumor, newspa-
per reports and the like, or upon conversa.
tion with witnesses and also whether il be
Of such character as would prevent him
from rendering an impartial verdict, nc
cordipg to the evidence, or" II the evidence
should turn out different" from whit the
juror snpposes 1t TO be. These questions
were allowed TO be put, even 10 those-- and
they were not few-who had stated that
they had very decided opinion. Then the
Court, taking the answers TO all the qucs.
tions together, decide upon competency. n
the opinion be based upon rnmor, and be
such rs, in the jurors judgment, would not
influence him 10 the box, he is generally con.
sdered competent. But this morning man
after man answered in almost the same
same words 81 don't think could" bc i'm
partial.
The Counsel for the defence were also al.
lowed when they chose to ask n juror
whether his opinion related to the "act Of
killing or the quality Of the act" 1.-THE
Justification, >" the circumstances attending
the act" This privilege, adroitly handled,
became the means Of drawing expressions,
favorable TO the prisoner, from swift wit
ncsses, Others volunteered their sentiments
at an early stage Of the questioning; and
10 every such case, some one Of Mr.. SickIes
lawyers was hard Of hearing, and the juror
was requested to repeat his remark One
said that " the prisoner had bis deepest sym.
pathies = another that he did perfectly
right !" another that be was strobgly pre-
Indeed in favor Of the accused another
that he considered himself disqualified In
consequence Of his relations with the pris-
oDer, being married man."
The only challenge given to-day was TO
man who stated that be had formed an
opinion conditionaiy, if such and such were
true" II was subsequently, understood, ~
some Judged from the look OF the man, that
the II A." pertaincd 10 the criminality Of
Key One man, In answer 10 series Of
skil'ul questions from Mr. Brady said that,
although he had read only the testimony Tor
the prosecution, he couldn't give O verdict
according TO the evidence, because he sym.
pa,hized with the prisoner.
II was evident To day, not only from Incl.
denb susceptible ofrep.tl,ion but from III.
tie signs IN the manner and expression of
jurors under examination, which were not
without their effect upon the audience, and
possibly upon the sworn men in the box, that
however the sentiment OF Washington ~ a
whole or the public sentiment Of this class
Or that class may incline, thDse who had sD
opportunity Of speaking FOR themselves in
Court were largely in iavor Of the prisoner.
OF all examined, only one let fall an express
spp significant oi a contrary opinion. He
was heavy Old fellow, with English wbis-
ksrs and Dutch pblegm, who remarked that
10 bis opinion be who does willfu mur.
der ought TO suffer for it," Out n these
eIsmioed yesterday, there may be others Of
hl. way o. thinking. But ] doubt II there
we're more than one or two. II any, of the
eventy.ive called to-day eropting n
cours those sworn, who did not sympsthiU
with Mr.. Sickbe~. A gentleman who N
within reach u each, whle they were being
lnierrcgsisd, say that - Df the 10 were 10
iAyOr oi Mr.. Siokies. IIe Judges, no, only
rom what they aid b1, from tbeir evident
indications oi ieeing.-the m0ist eye. the
beavIDy breast. 1bis lat u The more slgniii.
cant Of the state of opinion, because tbese
were tabe-m.n, selected by the Marshal,
and dsvident ressctabiIi;y-w0nd'rfu re-
sp-c,Auility 10 ofe who kn1xs u whs, tim
Dr New York juies IN criminal causes are
oltrn Constructed. Tie disclosure u the
day sarpriSsi every one even the District
Attorney, am tod
Mr.. Osd h.. tssu oebsared iDr insisting
upon tie property qualification. But II Is
The requiremsp, Of ibs law-lad down 10
tb. same sct,on Of Maryland colonial
statute With that relative tO ags. 90 which
The COaf, ib,isitd and !. sad 10 TORN n
usual ba,is Of otJsc,ign 10 capital ca.s
Ana M Ouh. spiaebsDd kn-w hs msn.
AID IL every eass bat ons rJecisd iho-' who