Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-05-17
WEDNESDAY MopNING;:: MAY II, 1868.
U. s. COURTS.

We are informed that true bills ware
found by the Grand jury in tho U. 5.
Court last week against the several gen
7lsmeu Of this county who were arrested
10y the military last winter, among whom
are Daniel Goodlander, Esq, A. i. Hic-
kock, raniel Bowmcn, Isaac NunIap, a
Mr.. SloTly, aud perhaps others. Their
trials have been continued until the first
stondoy in August next.
II there is any part Of our Judiciary sys-
tenn imperfect, il is the system prac,iced
N the selection OF Jurors otry cases in
the Disiriot Couris of tho United StNtes,
We know not what the h,o is on the sub
ject but the practice we are we'll acquain
ted with. These Jurors are selected or cAo-
zen, by the United States Marshals, and
n the case of the Western district OF
PENNSYLVANIA, are taken from about three
TouTlhs OF the counties in the State. The
names Of portion Of the citizens Of each
OF thes counties sre not Put into a wheel
and drawn out rs in the case OF Jurors for
our county Courts but the Marshal Sc.
lecis whom he pleaseS Under the two last
democratic Administrations, ne kro0 il
was the invAriable practice Of the Mar
shals TO select fair proportion OF Repub-
lcans. The late Marshal (Campbell) al
ways tried to secure at least onc.fourth oil
his Jurors from the then opposition par
ty. There we're then no political prison,
els and no political offences 10 lee tried
and !feyery Juror that was empannelled
during his entire term had been exclu
siyeiy composed OF Democrats, it is doubt
.ful If tdere was sing.e instance in which
such political complexion Of the Jury
could have been made just cause of CON
p!ain:.
But it is different NOW. The United
States District Courts are now almost ex
Ulusiyely occupied in the trial Of political
prisoners for offences which may be, in
reality, entirely legitimate in political
warfare, bat which the party in power
choose 10 designate rs acts ot disloyalty
Is il fair that such neu should 60 tried
by Jury every Nan of whoa has beer
selected, chosen picked oUt, by an office
holder? We cosld select Juty from th,
would be wiling TO tanish half the Abo
litioa leaders in the State, each of whom
could imagine that his conscience arpro
we'd The act. But there would be no lega
justice ia this. So ooaA the present Mar
shal, if he vas SO disposed, with tho aid
of the pegured spies &nd informers nov
'nfesling the county, select Jury tha
would hang half the Democrats in tn,
Slate.
We know not what the practice is now
All we know of Marshal Murdock is O
The most favorable oharacter; and fo
ought We kaow he msy select as fair
proportion Of Democrats as his predeces
cor did of Repuslicsns. Among thos
selected fcoN this county, however, W
have yet 30 heav that, in four years h
has selected s.nglo Democrat. At tn
late term, there were no less than iiy
Jurors from this county. There ma
have 6sen more. They were all Republi
oans, and sofGe Of them of the most pre-
JUDGED soct. Serenty-two Jurors are,abou
as many as are usually required. Coun,
ing Clearfeld as an average county, an,
that there were proport;orate nunlbe
taken from each of the other counties. !
would make o7er 200 Jurors. II is there
fore evident that either Clearfeld has ba,
more than fair share Of this sort of poy.
eminent patronage, or the court was hon
ored with more Jurors than were reonir
ed.
1t was not tho :orm at which the Re
pnblicans Of Clcarfeld could claim an OK
cess OF Jurors. The court would not like
iy permit a man of either party from thi
county TO sit as Juror on the trial of
either OF these cases. Ifso, the sam,
reason ought to prevent any man from
this county sitting on the Grand Jury.
We have made these remarks, and re
Ter to these facts, without any view |,
present proceedings. We hold that the
present practice Of selecting Jurors rol
the United States Courts is RADICAL,
"ronG-open TO the most cruel abuse
and ought to be changed.
PAYING THE PIrEe.--A Mr.. Slurlevar,
had been doing business at New Orlcon.
At the breaking out Of the rebellion l.,