Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-01-25
A Judicial Reform.

A bill has been introduced into tho
New York General Assembly pro.
viding that the previous formation. or
expression of opinion shall net dis.
qualify a juror from acting in GRIM,
al trials, if said juror makes oath that
he will render an impartial verdict &C.
cording to the testimony given in the
case. This is an important step, and
one the necessity of which IS known
and acknowledged by all who are "a
m;liar with thcltrescnt manner OF con.
Quoting trials by jury. Empaneling
a jury Of men who have never held
or expressed opinions respecting IL
guilt or innocence OF q known crim:.
nal, when the latter's arrest and I'M.
prisonment may have been subjected
to newspaper and tea. table criticism
throughout the whole land-is at
best o farce.
The Fisk. Stokes tragedy presents
q notable instance of the lolly Of our
present jury system. Who has not
heard Of the Fisk assassination, with
full details Of tho cowardly charac-
ter OF the attack, and the consequent
comments Of tho whole press OF the
cotintry? Plenty OF men . he
found. perhaps, who arc acquainted
with the story, but they must be
those who are unable to form an
opinioh upon any subject, or at least
who are so little conversant with the
worlds affairs as to DO totally unreli-
able when they have established a
boundary to their views.
Tho very nature OF impartial trial
demands the exercise Of superior
judgment and intelligence--attributes
that u present jury system in Grim
inal cases declares TO be grounds for
the disqualification OF . juror. To full
81 the requirements of that system,
when q jury is called upon to decide
between the lie and death of 4 cul-
prlt whose deeds have become house.
hold words throughout tho land,
twelve men must he found who do
not know the prisoner, who have not
read the papers, and who are in fact
ignorant in a matter which is Of in.
tcrest to everybody! Is not such a
system a doubtful commentary upon
the intelligence Of the masses? to say
nothing Of its being q direct premium
upon ignorance?
II tho bill above mentioned passes
the Assembly OF New York and be.
comes a law, that State will have in
augnrated q judicial reformation
worthy the imitation OF all her sister
States. Experience has demonstrat
ed the difficulties and dangers attcn
dant upon the jury system in this
particular. It Is high time, there.
tore that the verdicts in criminal
eases were prepared by mcr who are
not only c%onversant with the worlds
daily history and capable Of forming
an intelligent opinion upon a given
subject, bat who have also been long
enough familiar with the history Of
the particular cases in which they act
as jurors, to have deliberately re.
volvcd in their minds both sides OF
The question:. They should be a
did, intelligent men, who have al.
ready weighed the possibilities Of
guilt or innocence IN certain impor-
tant cases, but will consider their
truet SO sacred that their verdict will
not be Influenced by personal sympa.
thy. Such men as these can be found
in any community with less trouble
and far more justice to both criminal
and accnser, than can be found intel.
lgent men who do not know any.
thing !-Davenport Gazette.