The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-12-02
ton to the honor and interests OF
his country.
Criminal Jurisprudence,

AAAsAaA@nA 4oRA ANSAASSs
Our criticisms on the criminal
Jurisprudence of Indiana have ex-
cited a good deal Of discussion,
aud we are glad to know that our
views meet the approval of the
better class of our citizens. One
Of the leading members Of the bar
writes to US, and after alluding to
our structures as Every valuable
and timely" reminds us Of anosl-
er defect in the method Of admin-z
istcring criminal Justice. He says.
81 want 10 suggest for your con-.
.sideration one additional matter,
viz: The importance In all cases
of calling in well-qualiiied jury
men of ability and character. In
point of fact the jury ought to he
verv select men. The main Diff
cu!ty is that we'll qualified men
fail end refuse TO serve, and the
officers who call upon citizens 10
serve soon learn to avoid men
whose time is valuable, and who
will be offended if called on; and
learn to call in men whose time is
of no value to themselves or any
one else, WHO, therefore, are pleas
ed and complimented when CALL
ed upon-men who have the faults
without the experience Of pofes
sional jurymen. The remedy seems
to me 10 be that the qualified men
should patriotically serve although
losers thereby. and that courts and
ffiocers should reform the present
practice" This is certainly very
important matter. and we COM
mend the above suggestions to oui
Judges. sheriffs and fellow citizens
Tho administration of justice, ,civi
and criminal, is the m est importan1
function of civilized society, aEd
in view Of the fact that questions
affecting life, liberty, and rights o
property are every day submitted
to the decision of juries, it would
seem to be very desirable that tht
men composing them should be in
variably selected from the very
best and most intelligent of oul
citizens 1t is of more consequence
in criminal than in civil trials, 70
the reason that in criminal case
the jury arc the absolute judges o
the law and the facts, while in civi
controversies tue jury are required
to govern their iindin-s 8 by the Law
as given to them by the court. Th
criminal code of Indiana absnrdl,
requires the judge trying a Grim
inal case to instruct the jury as t.
the law. and also compels him t
say to them that they may utterl
disregard it, if they see fit to d
so. We presume no one will fin'
fault with US for expressing tn
opinion that Indiana juries are no
generally composed Of the bes
men. The great game of
thorough bred calaboose lawyer j
to secure panel Of inferior me
and, by use of the challenges o.
lowed a prisoner, to eleminat
from it every man whose charac.e
and intelligence would enable hir
to detect the sophistries and resis
the eloquence (?) OF the closin
speech. We hope that the Who'll
matter will be thoroughly discuss
ed, and that something may b
accomplished in the way Of pract
ical reform. There will be stron
effort made by journals controlle
by the criminal classes to proven
the needed change, but papers c
that class are not numerous i
Indiona, and the character of thos
who conduct them are 80 perfectl
understood that they have little {
10 influence II Indianapolis Jou
nal.