The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-02
TRIAL BY JURY.

heritage-the one inviolable birthright that
has come down to them from Alfred the
Great, incapable of improvement, and be-
yond the touch of the legislators Alfred
was great man, and we are under obliga-
tions to him for starting large number of
excellent institutions which, in the course Of
few centuries, we have contrived to i'm
prove and polish up until they would scarcely
be recognized by the Saxon monarch. 1t was
a rude age when Alfred hourished, and the
jury trial in it's first crude form was vast
improvement on the old method of testing
man j innocence by his ability to hold hot
iron Unscorched, or walk barefooted over
sherds and fints without flinching; but there
is no sound reason for supposing that this in
stitution came forth from Alfred's brain, like
Minerva from the head of Jove, full armed
and complete, consecrated thenceforth from
any attempt to improve it's efficiency. Never
theless, il has been treated as q thing CON-
plete in itself, and all the efforts of legisla-
tors have been exerted to prevent the ad-
vancement of civilization from taking it
along, and modifying it in accordance with
more enlightened ideas, and improved pro-
cesses in the system of judicial administra-
ton, with which it is closely connected.
In the first place, there is need of change
in the manner of selecting jurors, and of ex-
cusing citizens from serving in that capacity
While on duty they are serving the Com
monweath as effectually as any class of Off
cials, and should receive fair compensation
for their time. OF course the State cannot
undertake to remunerate citizens for every
incidental loss occasioned by the imperfect
attention which they can give to their
business while serving on juries, but it
can pay them price that will relieve them
from the feeling that their time is thrown
away, and induce them in consideration
thereof to serve the public willingly for
short time, even to the slight detriment of
their own interests. Again, if there were
fair system of drawing names for jurors, and
none were exempt or excused from service,
except for good cause, the burden would
fall lightly on individuals, as in populous
community like this it would recur SO rarely
that even business men with large interests
on their hands would be willing to perform
the task and have it done with. All persons
after having served once should be freed from
the chance of being drawn again, until their
turn comes about by fair ad justment of the
duty among citizens fit for the service. The
present method of obtaining jurors in this
city needs thorough overhauling. 1t is a
well-known fact that any man whose name is
drawn can avoid serving by paying a sum of
money to the official who comes to serve the
legal notice upon him. How that sum is dis
tributed among the officers concerned in
selecting jurors is known only to those who
share it, but it ought to be impossible for
them to trade with the public service in this
way.
After body of intelligent citizens, fairly
representing the different classes in the COM
munity, had been got together by fair and
equitable method, there should be provision
for selecting those for particular case who
are most fit to try its merits. 1t should not
be possible for the counsel of thief or out
throat to sift out all the intelligent and up
right men, simply because they belong to the
| class of the intelligent and upright. No man
of sense believes that because a person has
| heard or read some of the circumstances in a
| case, and has formed fair opinion of its
merits so far as his knowledge goes, he is,
therefore, incapable of listening to all the cir
| cumstances, and coming to a final conclusion
strictly in accordance with the evidence. In
fact, such a man is far more capable of
coming at the truth than one who is not in
| the habit of learning facts and forming con-
| clusions from them at all. .....
| Another point that needs attention is that
| of bringing in verdict. Can any good rea
son be given why absolute unanimity should
be required? 1t puts it in the power of one
stupid or prejudiced person to block the
course of justice altogether. If nine or ten
only out of the twelve were required to agree
TO the verdict, there is little doubt thai
the truth would be reached as effectually auC
much more easily, and that justice would be
done quite as completely as at present.
Only a hint can be given, in moderate
compass, of the defects in our time-honoreC
system of trial by jury, but enough has been
said to show that the subject should bt
taken up and examined, and treated as if it
as we'll as other institutions of mans device
were capable of improvement.
THE INTERNATIONAL STEAMSHIP
SCHEME.
From the n. Y. World.
That bluff and bold sea-dog Mr.. Robson
has little plan whereby American commerc
is sto be restored and Philadelphia is to b
made the great commercial city of the cont
nent. The plan has the merit of extrem
simplicity-a merit which also characterize
those who believe in its desirsbility and feast
bility. A steamship company, with tn
sounding title of ''The International Steam
ship Company" has been formed. This com
pany is to build vast numbers Of immens
steamships on the banks of the Delaware
These ships are to be built of American iro
forged by American hands. Enormous work
shops are to be built in which the iron plate
and machinery of the steamers are to b
forged. Mammoth docks are to be constructe
for the accommodation of the ships, and tn
carrying trade of the entire world is to b
intrusted to these homemade internations
steamers. To accomplish all this money is c
, course required, and it is to be raised by tn
simple expedient of issuing five million do
r lars worth of bonds, which are to be guaraI
. teed by the United States.
, Naturally the idea of monopolizing tn
commerce of the world is a pleasant one
the patriotic mind. Also the scheme {
y | making philadelphia the great commercii