The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-04-13

In oar large cities, especially, jurymen, TO
an alarming degree aIe corrupt, ignorani and
brutal open to improper Influences, indeed,
plumbers of them court such influences. and
can easily be swayed by cheap hribes. The
vermin in human form who creep around the
puriieus of Courts in the large cities, ready and
anxious to be sTmpreded rs jurymen. by their
outrageous decisions, and utter disregard of
law. testimony and right, have done much to
: bring trial by jury into disrepute, and to
take from il its sapetits and its reliabiliiy.
Some of the States are endeavoring to cor
rect these evils, and We venture 10 suggest
that il is a matter sostby of due esnsiliera-
;ion. even in Ohio, Our sister state. PepnsyI
yania, has moved in this matter. and with a
good degree of success as we learn from the
Philadelphia Press That paper IN comment
ing upon the trial by jury remarks
Two hundred years before the Magma
Chqrtd. and perhaps much earlier. the rial by
Jury was esteemed privilege of the ighest
aud most beneficial nature. and since hat time
it has always been insisted upon. in England
and this country, as the bulwark of liberty
but there ia no DENYING that. on this side OF
the Atlantic it has lattefly fallen into much
disrepute. 7f
Every one admitted that t,ial nv ones
peers. (sancii6ed as it was by antiquity. and
its glorious efforts against tyrannieal PER ecu.
tion) was most eqniiable--at least in theory
much better than the old trial by battle or II {
arbitrary decision of single man. he he Ca
liph or Emperor Qncd pfacuit priaeipi was
altogether Inconsistent with Anglo Saxon no
tions of libersy
Bot the theorS and fhe practice were differ
ent In the working of oar jurv system idlers
tavern loafers ignorant and INSCRIPTIONS men
were frequently selected; and where there wal
an atom of respectahiity in the juror. it wa
more than overbalanced ny the fact that hi
was superannnated,a cor deaf or otherwise dis
qualified. Through favoriii-m or solicitation
incompetent men we're drawn. and the trial
whether in a civil or criminal court. was met
fai ce. In the former, the most senseIess yer
diets were sometimes rendered, and in he lat
ter corruption secnred an immunity for thu
most desperate and hardened offenders
1t is not necessary to refer to instances il
which juries we're packed 10 accomplish a Ger
tain end Some Of Them are too recent to b
forgotten. Grand Juries were defiled by th
introduction of infamous men and the cour
uou6c ulicu Httif7 oEdfOS anu COuttcts dHAlOU
to be called as jurors when the panel was ez
hausied and tales prayed in any case wher
one of their boon companions might be fb
defendant, no matter what his guilt The lai
was set at naueht and Justice derided. n
superv sion of the law officer and judges coul
prevent these outrages
This state of affairs demanded reform, an
we have it in most satisfactory shape III,
old system has been abolished and now il
nearly impossible to have an incompetent jury
1t was provided by Law, by our last LegisIs
ture. that the jrdges and some municipal eff
GERS should meet and make out list of me
/ comprising our best citizens. who should b
liable TO jury duty. This has been done an
| now jurors are drawn in open court from th
select list. To making out this list precautio
! has been taken to select men from atl th
walks and avocafions Of life only taking car
to exclude the objections BILE aud orthless
| We need hardly say. that already most gra
flying change has been experienced. The ST
ciety of the court room has been improved :
Moving about may now he seen unusual face
| The thriving mechanic, the aefive uerchan
! the retired ciizen-in fact, a better class
men altogether. The business of the coul
progr esses more rapidly. and the verdcts Civ
general satisfaction. All that is required t
make this new order of5things O permaner
/ blessing is determination to perform th
jury duty, and no attempts to avoid it by az
pication to Judges to be relieved