The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-03-07
RiyeS'S Folly.

Who is the district attorney that penned
the indictments in Judge RIYBs's court OF
the five county court judges? 1t is sur
prising that there should have turned up a
Judge SO predetermined as to charge grand
iury to find indictments for imaginary Of
fences but the cause for wonder is in
.fnitely increased when in the same court
there is found district attorney who can
draw up such indictments. Indictments
usually charge a person with having done
something. These indictments charge the
county judges with having failed TO do
something. Judge RIyEs and his dis
trics attorney propose to prove tnat
sort OF negative. There is not Judge IN
Philadelphia, Boston, or New YORK; we
suppose, who could not be indicted unoer
tile same law II these indictments are good.
Every officer in the United states, from
Maine to Texas, and from Virginia to Cali
fornis, whose duty tbs to prepare lists OF
Jurors, might be indicted for the same I'M
aginary offence. Even in Rhode Island,
we doubt not, the facts are as they are in
virginia-negroes are not BIT to be Jurors
do not expect to be jurors, are generally
not summoned as jurors, and are often OBJ
jected to as Jurors BY even negro defend
ants. Yet the Providence Journal is dis
posed TO Justify Judge RIvEs's action-prob-
ab!y.owing to its want OF familiarity with
the matter. 49, u.
Wesay the indictments found in Judge
RlvEs's court by a grand jury having upon
it six negroes, who knowne mere about Q
jpror's duty than they do about biology,
charge the gentlemen indicted with having
failed to do something. Well, even this
might be allowed if it were charge that
could be substantiated in any possible way
But this is exactly what cannot be done. IL
is is impossible to prove negative in any
case, Judge RIvEs, who is the real prose
cutting attorney in these cases, will find II
4 impossible to prove the charge. The charge
is that the county Judges "failed to sum-
mon " as jurors all the negroes in their re-
spectiye counties 50 on, account OF their race,
color, and precious condition Of SercitGde.o2
or course, all; because otherwise Judge
RIrgs would name the negroes whom the
iudses.h had failed TO summon as jurors: The
Judges will deny the truth Of this charge.
They will aver that no negro Was excluded
from the jury-lists because he was a negro,
but for other and better reasons--as, that
theyare ignorant superstitious, preildiced,
and otherwise unfit to serve as Jurors.
what chen NJ hy, Judge RIvEs will be
sausAt By bis sd periors that he has made a
fool 81 hinseIf, He viii have to pack the
petit jury, or she viii neyer;get a verdict
against any insason such charge, because
IL is impossible to prove it.
Judge RiyEs's folly reminds US OF GRANTS
diesum that the best way to get rid Of nh
odieus law was to enforce it rigidly, as
thereby the people would beied to demand
its repeal. The people Of Virginia may get
rid OF q silly Judge in Q similar manner.
We don't think there can be found in Con-
gress one lawyer who would say that Judge
RWEs's action ii, these cases was exeiisable
or susilfabie. He ls play Ing The T6lles OF the
i,afanolis UspERwoop, hose only scase
Tor hts ylilslncus Rsurpasioas was that be
yYassno lasssser ST B. 81
I: :: ~ sfss ~ 1 ~ 3
On the cecasion u the sixth Anniversary
0s Its e0nlnseneesn tie New York Ora.