Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1879-05-29

The Shield of the People and
Safeguard of OfLierty---FrOsn
Senator Thurliaan's Speech.

oA A~AAA
Senator T'hurllaam's Speech.
The Almighty, said Mr.. Thurman,
had given him capacity, to feel, for
which he was truely, grateful, though
he was sometimes inconveienced by
it. His indignation, sometimes, made
him forget that he vas weak, and
ought not to give way to his feelings
too much. In speaking of the cleo
ton laws, there came to him picture
of their operation in New York City,
of a cage full of men, .sweltering and
suffering under the arbitrary and die
tatorial mandate of a corrupt. and
contemplate commissioned of cleo
tions, and he could not suppress the
thought, that a transaction had taken
place in this country, that could not
have occurred in any other civilized
nation, without blood being split.
But he proposed to speak temperately
and perhaps drily to-day, hoping
thus to make better legal argument,
than if he exhibited feeling. He
proposed to speak on the. subject Of
the,constitItion, if that. instrament
may be mentioned without stirring
irreverence. He then showed that
the trial-by-jury-law was the shield
of the people and safeguard of liberty,
and, that the laws proposed to be re-
pealed were enacted. in the interest
of the Republican party. Though no
Jeffries, said Mr.. Thurman, may hold
his bloody assizes in this country, yet
if minor degree, if not the full ex-
tent of these enOrmitieS shall be con-
tinued, our courts ofjustice, rs Hal
lam says, would become caverns of
judicial murders and mere insuumen-
talities of party feeling and personal
advantage.
Mr.. Thurman then analyzed these
laws, and showed that they we're to
theutnfest degree oppressive, because
they shut out intelligence from the
jury-box, and thus punished those
that could not take the iron-clad oath,
because they had given cup of cold
water even, to any one that had OPP
posed the government. If these laws
were justiliable during the war, they
are not so now, at time, when al
should unite in the pacii2ation of the
country, and in the restoration o.
| harmony everywhere. We should
return now to the old paths Of justice.
| Under sections $40 and S2I al
parties to suit and all the counsc
might be satisfied, but in steps the L.
| 6 District Attorney and calls Tho
courts attention to presence in the
jury-box, of men that gave aid aat
comfort to the rebellion by clothing
a poor soldier, whose bare feet were
bleeding In the frost and snow, and
were so vile as to give practical effect
to the teachings of the story of the
good samaritan. The result is, these
men are excluded from the jury-box
if the judge pleases to order it 10 b'
done. This IS no fancy sketch o.
impossible case. 1t has taken plaee
since we have been in this chamber
Such laws would disgrace Dahomey
Was the demand to return to the OLD
well-trodden paths ofjustlce and lega
procedure q matter to fire the North
crn mind and set all the dcmagogues
north OF Mason and Dixon's line de-
claiming against the designs of the
Democratic party?
1t is not easy, continued Mr. Thur.
man, to provide remedy for exist
ing defects. Experience has demon
stratcd that when you undertake tC
remedy jury system, where there arc
apt to be political questions, it is es
sential that you provide against juries
Nconsisiing ofone political party alone
We cannot avoid in arranging fol
jurles, taking notice of political party
We take such notice in our state
laws, by providing that judges o
election shall be chosen from different
parties, and in our federal laws by {
similar provision in regard to super
visors. We are compelled as practi
cal men to recognize the fact, tina
in this, as in all free countries, there
are different political parties, ant
therefore, the proposition in tie pend
ing bill, that the names Of jurors shal
be placed in box by the clerk Cf th'
court and by jury commissioners o
a different political faith from that o
the clerk, and that the names shall b.
so putin alternately,'is not open t.
the criticism that it recognizes politi
cal parties. ~ r.
ARREARS OF PENSIONS
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