The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-03

AS IN THE PAST.
In response TO the petition OF the COM
mitfee OF colored men, asking that s.jurors
may he selected from all the poll-books -
Christian, OF the Hastings Court, yesterday
reviewed The law under which the jury
lists are formed. and said:
| "The State Of Virginia. having the eX-
elusive right to do 80, has, through its Le-
gislature, conferred on me as the Judge Of
this court the duty OF furnishing the lists
from which the iuries who try cases in this
court shall be taken.
II recognize fully the status Of the color
ed people; their equality before the law
and that they are liable to serve on the
liuries OF my court. And when I deem it
best for the proper enforcement OF the laws
OF this Commonwealth will summon them
on the juries.
81 have in the past (and expect to do
the same in the futnrc) selected as jurors
! only such persons as was satisfied would
i give to every one charged with crime in
| this court such; a fair and impartiaI. trial,
by a jury OF his peers. as is guaranteed to
all by the Bill Of Rights Of Virginia.
s'THE ONLY PRINCIPLE,
which has governed or will hereafter gov
ern me in the discharge OF this duty is that
! which will enable me to comply With the
| law, and at the same time secure the best
material that can for its proper enforce
mcnt. When ind that can best do this
| by selecting colored jurors | will do SO,
but not till then. II was disposed to do
SO, it would be simply impossible for me to
select call persons entitled to serve and
whose names appear on the pollbooks,' as
prayed for in this petition, and comply with
the law, when il says must select only such
as think well qualified to serve as
jurors :--. .,a
"Thcre are hundreds in this city, both
| white and colored, that have no opinion
| Of, one way or the other, that never can
or never will select, knowing nothing OF
| their qualifications. II l were to
SELECT SOME CoLoRED JURORS
now with the hundreds of more intelligent
white persons liable to jury duty that
know Of to select from, such selection
would be made simply because they were
colored, and, as was well said by my pre-
dccessor, / would then be applying test
! OF qualification condemned by the spirit
| at least OF the fourteenth constitutional
amendment and ciyil-rigbts biIl.' Nothing
that have said or done, or can say or do,
and no additional legislation, is necessary to
render colored citizens more liable under
the law than they now are TO jury duty.
"Education, elevation OF character, and
the legal qualifications are the only things
that know OF necessary to render any per-
sons liable to such duty in this court, and
my experience has taught me that the first
TWO PREREQUISITES
are not attained by admitance to the jury
box, but must be had beforehand. No one
appreciates the colored people Of this COM
munity more highly than | do, or sympa-
thiZes more deeply with them in any grev-
ance that they may labor under. l was
reared in their midst. and hore to die with
the same surroundings.
:" But do not understand from their Pc
tition that they have been aggrieved by
anything that I have done, except that
have not compelled them to bear one OF the
burdens to which the law has made them
table, Many persons in this community
pay for the privilege which they are now
enjoying gratis, and although have had to
refuse hundreds OF applications to be eN-
cused from jury duty, this is the first one
that I have ever entertained to be allowed
to serve on the jury; and while the law re-
mains as it is, it must be the last. But this
petition is only ;.
| ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION
Of Pope's line, that
/ Man never is, but always to be best
"It is most gratifying to me to know that
I have selected such jurors in this court as
have given satisfaction TO all classes. This
is admitted in the petition, as could not
have discharged my duties 'imparliay to
white and black without their efficient
and impartial aid, and have approved OF
every verdict, save two, rendered in this
court since have had the honor to preside
over it. II there have been any abuses they
are unknown to me. I have beard no com
plants Of the conduct Of single Juror, anC
if there should be such it will be my duty
and pleasure fully to investigate any charge
and il find it substantiated I will take
whatever steps are necessary to correct thu
abuse or remedy the evil.
"We cannot prize too highly or .guar(
too iealously this great and ancient right o.
l TRIAL BY JURY, ..-
the foundation OF which existed in the Dt
1 EuSterieS OF Athens and the Comuia: O.
: Rome, and the principles OF which were
:. secured to the people from which We spraDs
in Magma Charta.
Nothing, in my opinion, so fairly rep
resents the tone of moral character OF
. community as the result OF its Jury trials
3 as was 80 fearfuily- illustrated in the middl
4 ages in England. Every mani, woman, ant
child in this community is deeply interested
, in the character and qualifications Of th
Jurors summoned to this court. Thei
lives, liberty, and property may be com
, mitted to their keeping.
"As before stated, have in the past sc
lected the best material that I could tint
liable to discharge the important trusts +
be contded to them, and expect to do th
same in the future, with an eye single t
/, what understand to be my duty under th
2 law, and what believe to be 10 the bes
and highest interests OF all classes in thi
community. | will file the petition, an
9 continue to put only such persons on til
iuries as think well qualified, IS the lay
requires Inc TO do"
BRIEFS AND PERsoNALs.-Governor HoI
! liday expects to be present at Wincheste
on the 9Th, when the Confederate monu
!; ments are dedicated.
A number Of the witnesses in the Wren
q KnoXRedford case have been summone,
to the Hastings Court to go before th
: grand jury this morning.
: The ladies Of the Park-Place Methods
T church will have an open-air entertainment
for the benefit OF the Sunday schoo! thi
i evening at Iaird's garden