, 1873-02-10
THE JURY QUESTION.

tQ0 6a11lo bup1ecEt anu tnat tue fpIlQ uen arc
very muoh In favor Of 1t. At the last session Of
our Legislature similar bill WAS introduced, but
novor escaped tho hands Of tho Committee.
Mono seemed to objoot to It savo few lawyers,
and this Ia certainly an argument In its favor,
for 1t 10 conceded that, should such law pass,
1t would provont much protractod litigation.
Tho proposed amendment would accord with
our ontiro syatem OF republican form Of gov
ornmont. Tint 1.-THE majority rule" hna be-
como an axiom. In Congress, Btate Leglala-
tufeB, City CounoilH, Township Doards, School
Trustees and Directors, lin fact, in almost overy
corporation or association,-tho principle Is req
ognized that "Tho majority rulo." IN logisla~
tive bodies, ,two-thirds or throo-fourths may even
paaa law over tho voto Of Governor or Prcsi-
don't. If those who make tho laws need not bo
msgnanimous In their opinions, but majority
may enact tho laws, why should unanimous
verdict he required to enforce them, particularly
when tho verdict must pass tho ordeal Of Judge
who may put his "voto'' on 1t ds often ~, In hiH
opinion, Justice requires it7
Neither the Supreme Court Of the United
states, nor OF any State, require tho consent Of
s.n M oS ehsr R Isaae no %G naGsoa ase + ats Is
tho life, Il mood be, Of the guilty. II mon with
all tho wisdom Of Supreme Judges arc not ro-
CURED to be unanimous in their ,viors Of the
law aud toBtimony. oron III cascs involving the
lifo Of human boing, how can It bo expected
that tho common people, who sit as jurors, and
who rarely hayo their attention called to such
mattora, shall agroo on every point raised in
trial; or why should 1t bo expected TINT, in
oyery dispute brought into Court, Ia every mat
tor, eithor trivial Or important, zach Of tho
twelvo Jurors, gathered from their different avo-
cations, and diHoront parta Of county, and por-
haps Of different nationalitieB, Should fook
precisoly aliko upon matter which tho litl-
CUNTS havo boon Unable to agree upon ?
Tho very fact that tho 1ltiganta who are most
interested, and hayo a1l tho costs to Day, cunnot
agree, oug ght to bo presumtiye evidence that
two1Ye other men could not asreo on Ill points of
iudicaturo, a majority is sufficient, Grand
i1rore. Referees arbitratora. ara not reouirod to
agroo unanimoualy in their decisions. but q ma
iorty.yorilict is sufhciont, ''"''
1ana,,aan viii rofercnca to thls anbtect, ts;TI,6
v;tei n1inninlo of tho iurv systnn, fs unau;m;tv
an,nnr ia n1onnbera that is, tha nnita1 iudn.
maut oof ali thn nojnda. Tho theorv il that in
cnno1uson of ono mans inf1rmont IL aa rood M
thnt oS anothar md that nj n factor ~ s tho h.,
so.,t - T. ahn, az ho o13ct,1 n,n"i ~ thot ~
any othcr. +" Theoyet;cal1,, fhls NAV ail ha vorv
AZ anya ot' h,t rrocticnliv Il Il nonaonae' T.vory
nSynl n y tho Tordc 1 Of ry in tie tp a
iort.t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ aa NJ Ia a. t;a ,amt
~ ~ .,or tHat .it =;
stundina iS in2o Il thst eTon s'The omnIpoont can
mt knn1y tha vnrdict nF T. i,1rvn And mt even
tho writ"r nf thu nrie1a roferred to would ASSET
tot tho y;t III III t the niuotnra" ho oomi find tha
sas, rss,t Ttn N M t iMrv trui II ~ oj % bnow that s
in nearly avery case where the iurT retire to oon
si1or ths yord}ct. thoy stand with minority o11e
vuel nuv ar ny fa.u H. ntbop and tat thSn + ho
noaea onontion Of mere intellectual or nhystoa1
obi1;tv ~ thc nart of Tho iurnra. IIf thare ara
1 oua ~ y. twn 4 stronr men m Tie iury. thev
viii viii oathnr s1brin99 oyar" thu othora or
" sit them out" md tho physically weak must
o,cornh Thfa ;s rra1i nnf1oTatnoi hv 1nwVcra
md an oid eanaeio,,s 1,raotitionor viii often win
Iis caso aimn1v hv n infiicioua sa]action nf
Il strnnr rnnne an fhe i,;ry. Ilnt thnt vital
nrincinio.n tia united Judgment Of all the
in;nda y Il at;li 1nckinr. The Jurors 4 brought
ovorn % era of tha aa1ne oninion atill: they hsyo
smp at ~ csaea ~ tnp rbora u,n,5 ir1ca wo
nrd apa s ta1 ~ nt ovor nr al, n;a
thav aerao from 1unro phyaicai oxhaustion. not
1montaI convictnn. Daan Tho nsaont of few
a,1cI, ,acn add anvthinp to tho yerdiot Of tho mn
e1et a. t11tl ssee4 - ~ se ~ - al ~ I.res ~ ''