Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-09

"While the Bench and the Ba
are very determined and out-spokel
in condemning the mob spirit whic!
is frequently manifested in thi
country i'm executions by Judge
Lynch; yet it cannot be denied thai
they are responsible for most OF these
illegal and dangerous outbreaks o.
society. The law is ample in it
provisions for the punishment o.
crime, and the people are satisfied
with the severity Of its penalties
But the reason why Judge Lynch
ever holds a court, is want Of conf.
dence in the courts--its lack OF
promptness to decide, and too ready
an earnestness to listen to the quib-
bles OF lawyers. There is more GER
tainty Of justice, and less danger OF
the escape Of the criminal before the
mayors Of our cities, where dozens
are promptly arraigned and tried
every morning, before attorneys
arise from their downy touches, than
before our staid and dignified courts
where the Bacons and the Lord
Cokes sit to show their legal learn
ing, and not particularly to render
speedy justice.
These are the men that are re-
sponsible for scenes which civiliza-
ton frowns upon, which the law
does not permit, and which are SO
abhorrent to the best feelings Of hui
manity. A lack Of that vigorous
and speedy action for the punish
ment Of crime, is the cause of these
outbreaks Of rude popular justice.
Our laws for the punishment OF
crime, meant to deter and punish
offences, and thereby doubly protect
society, are useless on our statute
books unless promptly and impair
TALLY enforced. Severe and I'M
bIunted justice to the criminal, is
mercy to the criminal at large.
Tardy action Of courts, and compro-
mise verdicts, are only invitations to
the people to fresh outbreaks of vio-
lence, and an increased contempt for
law. The sanctity Of life must be
more earnestly and promptly re-
spected by courts, or the mob spirit
will increase, until homicides, both
by individuals and by excited
crowds, will become as common as
any other violations Of law, which
courts do not prevent"
And as pertinent to this topic we
quote the following from the Chicago
Republican:
+.The detective mode Of obtaining
both grand and petit juries in this
State, has given rise, in the country
circuits, to vast deal Of disreputable
packing Of juries, and in the cities
has thrown nearly the whole business
Of serving on juries into the hands of
class Of dead-beats and irrespons-
ible hangers-on around the courts,
who are known as professional
jurors.o Such state of things nat
urally brings the proceedings OF
courts Of justice under suspicion or
into contempt, and we are glad that
Senator Jewett has brought forward
a bill looking to more pure and
trustworthy mode Of obtaining ju'
rors.
But the abuses arising out Of our
mode Of selecting the grand jury are
less frequent and serious than those
pertaining to petit juries. For the
selection Of these the law provides
that the County Commissioners
Court or Board of Supervisors shall
select twenty-four jurors, or, If the
Court Is authorized to sit two weeks
they shall select forty-eight jurors
half of whom shall serve for the first
week, and the other half for the Sec
ond week in the term. Immediate
~ after hearing one case very few
Jurors are fit to hear another, and nc
Juror is competent to sit for week
and do nothing but hear causes.
From this cause, and the non-ap.
pearance of the jurors summoned,
our statute would practically leave
the courts generally without any
jury, we've 1t not for the provision
allowing the Sheriff tosummon tales
men from among the bystanders
The bystanders are whomsoever thu
bailiff chooses to summon, and these
are, of course, the "professiona
jurors" mon who hang around thu
courts for the crumbs they can pick
up. If, under such q wretched state
OF the law, verdicts are not bought
and paid for, it is not the fault OF the
statute. Senator Jewett's bill pro.
vides that the County Treasurer shall
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